What To Expect At Customs
 

Hello:
I am 19 and I will be traveling overseas for the first time in June to Britain for 2 weeks. Arriving at Heathrow from Boston. I will have my Passport and Driver's License. Do I also need to bring my Birth Certificate? I'm a little nervous so I was wondering if anyone would politely offer their advice on what to expect when I get there.

Thanks Very Much :)

Unless there is some specific reason for you to carry your driver's license or birth certificate, all you'll need for entry and identification will be your passport. A birth certificate simply shows your place of birth; the passport does a much better job of "verifying" your citizenship and it is a document people all over the world EXPECT to see and understand. I'd leave the other two things at home.

You will only need your passport. When you are on the plane, the steward/esses will come around giving out arrival cards to non-EU (European Union) citizens. You should take one of these and fill it in, and hand it over when you go through passport control at Heathrow.

And don't be nervous! Remember, you're going to a country that speaks English :) so if you are at all unsure about what you should be doing when you arrive, you can always ask someone.

Passport control can take a little time for non-EU citizens, as Heathrow is a VERY busy airport, but the people who man passport control are very non-threatening (no scary uniforms or guns like you get in some countries).

Have you worked out how to get into London once you arrive at Heathrow? (I'm presuming you're heading to London but I may be wrong). Heathrow is some distance from the city centre, so you will need to take the Tube (cheap but slow) or the Heathrow Express train (fast but much more pricey). A taxi would really be too expensive, and possibly not the best option anyway if you arrive in the rush hour due to heavy traffic.

Relax - you'll love it.

No need for your birth certificate at European port-of-entry immigration. Just your passport (with the valid entry visa, if you needed one).

I wouldn't advice you not to take your driver's licence with you. Although it is not a European licence, it is another form of identification which you'll never whether or when you're going to need. Besides, I and most people that I know had never had the need for removing our driver's licence from our wallets anywhere we go.

Don't be nervous and enjoy your trip.

Yes, passport is all you need for immigration check at Heathrow. If you intend to drive, take your driver's license as well. Leave your birth certificate at home.
You write on your landing card your UK address during your stay (hotel's will suffice) and its duration. Provided the immigration officer has no reason to doubt your intentions, you'll just get a stamp on your passport (and on the card which they will keep) allowing for a visit up to 6 months. You may be asked about how much money you have, your proposed itinerary and return ticket, as they need to be satisfied that you can support yourself without working and you will return home after your stay. This is more likely if you are young, or not in full-time occupation (you have to state your job on the card). But most US visitors get through without problems. The only downside is, depending on when you arrive, the immigration line can be very long. You have no choice but to wait your turn patiently. A friendly greeting and a neat appearance always help.

For future reference, if you're going to rent a car you will need to show your driver's license to the renting agency.

However, at 19, you would be very un likely to find a UK rental agency that would rent you a car anyway. Most car rentals have a minimum age of 25 or even 30 years.

You may want to take a photocopy of your passport (key info pages) and keep it separately from your passport just in case disaster strikes and you lose your passport in the UK. It will make it easier for you to get a replacement passport at a US consulate.

You are not required to carry ID around with you in the UK unless you want to exchange currency or need to prove your age (for instance, if they don't believe you are over 18 in a pub or bar). You may want to leave your passport in the safe in your hotel room and carry your photocopy with you, or visa versa.

You asked about Customs.

You've been given good answers about Immigration.

After passing through Immigration, you collect your bags (or wait to collects your bags). At the carousel, you'll see the rules about which Customs channel you should go through with whatever you're bringing intothe country.

The right channel for you will almopst certainly be the green channel. You just take your bags through the green-marked route, and you'll be outside before you know where you are. You almost certainly will not be stopped, or even see a Customs officer. You do not need to fill in any declaration, or be sniffed at by some intrusive dog, as happens in less well-ordered societies.

In case you're wondering why, you'll have been scrutinised on CCTV since going through Immigration, and your flight will have been profiled. If there are suspicions around you, you'll be stopped (they really aren't interested in the risk you might be bringing one more bottle of Maker's Mark than you should: it's arms, drugs and porn they're concerned with). 99.9% of visitors off US flights just sail through. They even mostly don't even bother us locals when we walk through with armsful of Saks bags from shopping trips to NYC.

Enjoy your trip.

So you can buy arms, drugs and porn at Saks? I never stumbled across THOSE departments...... :)

Dr D

No.

That's why we put them in Saks bags.

Fools them every time.

Thanks Again for all the help!
It is very much appreciated!