jamikins

Is there a reason for carrying all your cash with you? It makes no sense to do that given that bank machines are readily available across Europe and give the best exchange rate. That in itself would make me suspicious. (It would also make me nervous - what if you lose it?)

Alec

The thing about carrying a lot of cash, in the eyes of border agents, is that a) It's not what most people do when travelling - most rely on cards or old-fashioned travellers cheques, so the passenger concerned may not be a genuine tourist/visitor; and b) What is the source of that money? People carry a big wad of cash across border often have something to hide, like drug dealing, illegal gains, illegal activity (extortion, bribery?), tax evasion and money laundering. They need untraceable money.

So dress, speak and behave like a normal tourist, and chances are you will face no scrutiny and get a stamp in your passport for 6 months.

Hooameye

This discussion may be academic as the OP seems to have been frightened off but it always amazes me the amount of Americans that think they can just move to the UK or mainland Europe for however long they like, there usually at least half a dozen questions a week about it on Yahoo answers and they are usually very put out when they find out that they can't just get on a plane, would have no problems at all at immigration, finding a job, getting somewhere to live etc.
They obviously have no idea how difficult it is to do it in reverse!!

Ackislander

In the Golden Age before World War I, any citizen of any Western country could apparently go anywhere he wanted and stay as long as he liked with only a passport and a letter of credit from his bankers. A happier time.

willit

Presumably though, anybody who could afford to travel was deemed to have enough money to support themselves.

Looking at some of the fares on the Titanic, a second class ticket, one way would have cost about £13 which would have been >10% of a manual worker's yearly income.

Ikenuma

There are some very suspect responses to your question.

If I wanted to visit the USA for a year I would not, with respect, post a question on these pages.

I would contact my nearest Embassy of the USA...

So in USA why not get on line or telephone and ask someone at the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (there's one in Washington DC) and there are also Consular offices in other major US cities. They will tell you what you need and what will stand in you way.

I really hope you'll enjoy the country of my birth...

flanneruk

"So in USA why not get on line or telephone and ask someone at the Embassy of the United Kingdom"

Because it costs a bloody fortune, and the poster won't get information remotely as helpful as can be got here for free. And its web site doesn't answer this question - or at least it doesn't give the answer the poster wants.

And we're no more reluctant to fork out our taxes for foreigners to find out how to stay here than Americans. UK Embassies' policy on charging for advice is pretty much the same as their American peers'

Fra_Diavolo

Guys, I think you've been trolled.

spaarne

My entry at LHR in April 2009 was remarkably unremarkable. My passport was stamped *Leave to enter for six months. Employment and recourse to public funds prohibited*. I did not receive an exit stamp.

janisj

alliii has left the building (check the profile)