US citizen coming to England

[MarkBUK 0]

Hi all,

My fiance and I filed our I-129F through our attorney that we hired and we are currently waiting for approval. Since I cannot enter the US until the K1 visa is granted my fiance is flying over to England to see me

It will be her first trip outside of the US and I've been searching online to see if she will require any special jabs or shots before she flies to England. I'd be interesting in reading of any US citizens who have come to England to see their partner and any precautions or advice they may have.

Thanks

Mark.

[Fandango 1,439]

Hi all,

My fiance and I filed our I-129F through our attorney that we hired and we are currently waiting for approval. Since I cannot enter the US until the K1 visa is granted my fiance is flying over to England to see me

It will be her first trip outside of the US and I've been searching online to see if she will require any special jabs or shots before she flies to England. I'd be interesting in reading of any US citizens who have come to England to see their partner and any precautions or advice they may have.

Thanks

Mark.

No one said you can't come to the US while waiting...but you have to prove strong ties to your country & you cannot overstay.

Your fiancee should be careful when entering....my passport expired before my first trip to the UK. When I renewed, because I was a minor when the first was issued, they didn't renew my old one...they issued me a new one. So for all intents and purposes, I had a new passport with no history. Then I went for 6 mos....and I had a lot of issues at immigration. They wound up detaining me for 9 hours cos they thought I was trying to illegally emigrate to the UK.

So be careful. I dunno how common this is, but it's given me PTSD now when flying into the UK

[mawilson 2,133]

Lisa - don't scare the guy!

Lots of Americans travel to the UK all the time and have no problems at immigration.

[Fandango 1,439]

Lisa - don't scare the guy!

Lots of Americans travel to the UK all the time and have no problems at immigration.

I'm not tryin to!

But ya do stand out like a sore thumb....virgin passport, and if she's going there for 6 mos...add to that if they ask her where she's stayin? 'with my fiance'????? I think it's going to be dependent upon the person she gets. If she gets a stickler with an attitude...there might be issues.

Believe me, I didn't think it'd be an issue either....England? Man, we're practically related, lol. But they made SUCH an issue about it.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Also, Americans don't require any "jabs" to visit the UK.

PS from my wife's experience. Don't have a massive attack of gall stone pain while in line for immigration, so bad that you start swearing at the officers that you're about to die. They don't seem to like it.

(she's all better now).

Edited August 3, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[*julez* 124]

Lisa - don't scare the guy!

Lots of Americans travel to the UK all the time and have no problems at immigration.

I'm not tryin to!

But ya do stand out like a sore thumb....virgin passport, and if she's going there for 6 mos...add to that if they ask her where she's stayin? 'with my fiance'????? I think it's going to be dependent upon the person she gets. If she gets a stickler with an attitude...there might be issues.

Believe me, I didn't think it'd be an issue either....England? Man, we're practically related, lol. But they made SUCH an issue about it.

I don't think Lisa's experience is the norm. Last October I flew to the UK with my "virgin" passport and was through with the immigrations officer in less than a minute. No probs on my return trip this last April, either.

Also, as Lisa pointed out, you can visit the US whilst the K1 is processing, but be sure to have adequate ties to the UK on your person in case you are questioned. With that said, it will be a great experience for your finace to get a chance to visit old Blighty! have a great time and good luck on your Visa Journey!

Edited August 4, 2007 by julezabelle

[MarkBUK 0]

Thanks everyone for the replies I can't forsee any problems with regard to arriving here in England, my fiance will be staying for a short time, less than a month and this is the first time she will have used her passport. My concern was whether or not she would need some medical 'jabs' or not to proceed! I see that she does not.

Just to go off topic, I'm in the process of starting our timelines and I noticed the time-line of MawWilson. I see that you got your temporary work permit at JFK without problems and got a 'restricted' SSN very soon afterwards. What did the restriction mean and how easy was it to find work with your temporary work permit? I have a Ph.D. although I didn't go down the J1/H1B route.

Thanks!

[Dr_LHA 3]

The JFK EAD stamp is only valid for 90 days (i.e. you're only supposed to work for 90 days). The restriction on the SS card is there for everyone who isn't a LPR or US Citizen. Basically it tells the employer that they need proof that you are legal to work, usually this would be a EAD or work based visa.

[mawilson 2,133]

Just to go off topic, I'm in the process of starting our timelines and I noticed the time-line of MawWilson.

I see that you got your temporary work permit at JFK without problems and got a 'restricted' SSN very soon afterwards. What did the restriction mean

There are three types of Social Security cards.

The first type - issued to U.S. citizens and permanent residents/green card holders - shows

your name and Social Security number and lets you work without restriction.

The second type (the one I got) shows your name and number and otherwise looks exactly

the same as the first one but has a note that says "VALID FOR WORK WITH DHS

AUTHORIZATION ONLY". This type of card is usually issued to people with valid visas - such

as K-1 - who are not automatically eligible to work in the U.S. but who can apply for DHS

authorisation.

(The third type says "NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT" but don't worry about those.)

Initially, you will probably get a DHS-restricted card. When you become a permanent resident,

you can go to a Social Security office and change it to an unrestricted one. Your Social Security

number will not change.

how easy was it to find work with your temporary work permit? I have a Ph.D. although I didn't go down the J1/H1B route.

I arrived here in November but didn't start looking for a job until after Christmas. By that

time, my temporary work permit had almost expired. The HR department of the company

that hired me in February didn't like the temporary stamp and wanted to see the real thing.

I told them I had applied for it and it was only a matter of time. After some negotiation,

a compromise was reached. They agreed to hire me on the condition that I would work

without pay until my work authorization papers came through. I was supposed to start

Feb 9, and amazingly enough, the work permit arrived Feb 9.

[Dr_LHA 3]

They agreed to hire me on the condition that I would work without pay until my work authorization papers came through. I was supposed to start Feb 9, and amazingly enough, the work permit arrived Feb 9.

Good thing really because them employing you without pay while you waited for your EA to be approved would have been illegal.

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

They agreed to hire me on the condition that I would work without pay until my work authorization papers came through. I was supposed to start Feb 9, and amazingly enough, the work permit arrived Feb 9.

Good thing really because them employing you without pay while you waited for your EA to be approved would have been illegal.

it's illegal to work for free?

[mawilson 2,133]

Good thing really because them employing you without pay while you waited for your EA to be approved would have been illegal.

I guess so although they would have been safe, because my "employment" wouldn't have been "official".

They agreed to hire me on the condition that I would work without pay until my work authorization papers came through. I was supposed to start Feb 9, and amazingly enough, the work permit arrived Feb 9.

Good thing really because them employing you without pay while you waited for your EA to be approved would have been illegal.

it's illegal to work for free?

Yep. There was a thread about it a couple of years ago (volunteer work etc.)

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

it's illegal to work for free?

Yep. There was a thread about it a couple of years ago (volunteer work etc.)

i need to sue my parents then

btw check your email.........

[Dr_LHA 3]

it's illegal to work for free?

Yes. As a non-work authorised alien you can only legally do volunteer work if the job you're doing wouldn't normally be a paid position.

Edited August 6, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

it's illegal to work for free?

Yes. As a non-work authorised alien you can only legally do volunteer work if the job you're doing wouldn't normally be a paid position.

whew, thankfully i didn't pay nessa an allowance for cleaning house prior to getting her ead