Returning To The Uk Last Year !

[Hawkinschris]

Last year me and my wife (then G/F) went to Paris, on returning into East Midlands Airport I was unaware we could queue in the same line, so I went in UK Residents, she queued in the Foreign Nationals line. As ever, my queue was alot quicker than hers, so I mouthed over to her I would wait just inside the door!

After about 10 mins, I began to get a little anxious wondering where she was! I noticed now after around 20 mins, all the bags had gone and just mine was going round the belt, but I was just sat there waiting! The customs also became suspicious as to why I had not got my bag and were stood gathered at the top looking at me! Unknown to me, they had put a call out for me on the other side, but I did not hear it as I was waiting there impatiently! I then decided to go to the door to the queuing area and make them aware of my waiting! Just as I got there, 3 UKBA officals came through with my then G/F, now wife! Then I let rip into them with plenty of sware words! What is the problem, she has correct visa etc etc !

They basically told me I should not have left her, and should have queued together, I told them I did not know we could do this but they just went on! What the problem was, or none problem in my view was my then G/F had a Tourist Multiple Entry and she went to Paris on her Schengen, but as she was returning, she had to satissfy all the rules again, which made me a little angry, as we had only gone for a long weekend!After another 10 mins now a total of around 40mins waiting etc, we collected our bag and walked into to customs.

It was then I really snapped! Excuse me Sir, Can we look in your bag ? I was so angry, I put the bag down and said if you want to look in the bag, you'd better pick it up and put it on the belt yourself! Then a customs women, not UKBA started asking my G/F all the same questions the UKBA lot asked her not 1 min ago, Where do you come from? Name, Where are you going to etc......by this time I was fuming!!!

Can I just say, I don't have a lot of patients in circumstances like these! In the end, I put the bag on the belt and the agent warned me about bring irrate etc, then he waved us through! on my way past, I told them I'd never use that shitty little Airport again!

BTW although my wife is well travelled, and streetwise. I did learn my lesson, and will never leave her alone in the Airport!

Anyone else had a situation like this ??

Edited October 16, 2010 by Hawkinschris

[bangkockney]

We've always gone through together.

Although I would suggest swearing and getting irate will only antagonise the situation, subjecting you to more questioning and checks.

To be fair, they did put a PA call out to you, which you missed, so maybe your over-reaction was a little harsh?

However, I can sympathise with your experience and the repeated barrage of questions.

[7by7]

Not sure what it is you're saying, but I have to agree that leaving your wife (then girlfriend) was a silly thing to do.

Even going through separate immigration points, you could still have waited in the immigration hall for her.

You could of also gone through the non-EU line with her.

Also, getting angry and swearing gets you nowhere. It wasn't the immigration officers nor the customs officers who abandoned your girlfriend (now wife); it was you.

I guess the moral of tis story is; if unsure what to do; ask.

[Hawkinschris]

"Also, getting angry and swearing gets you nowhere. It wasn't the immigration officers nor the customs officers who abandoned your girlfriend (now wife); it was you."

I think abandoned is a little harsh !!!

and TBH, that's what we always did and the first one through collected the bags!

Edited October 16, 2010 by Hawkinschris

[KunMatt]

So to queue together, do you both queue in the Foreign Nationals queue, or the UK residents one?

[BusyBee123]

op If I was your girlfriend i'd be dreaming of my flight back to thailand as far away from you as possible, how embarrassing going off on foul mouth child like tantrum in front of her and the customs peeps, what a chav.

[bkk_mike]

I didn't think you could go through together (in the UK queue at least) unless you were married, or the girlfriend was on a civil partner visa, not a tourist visa...

(I remember standing in the long non-EU queue before now when we had our niece with us).

[thaimate]

We always go through together ,same here in Thailand i use the Thai Q,bit childish to mouth off though, sign of imaturity.

[chiang mai]

I reckon the OP gets a waiver on the queuing part but gets a big fine for the Customs part and an even bigger one for losing his cool.

[Seekingasylum]

Actually, your erstwhile girlfriend did not have to meet all the requirements of the rules again.

Her visit visa was issued to her on the basis that she had met all the requirements of the rules relating to her application and as a consequence she had been granted leave to enter the UK, effective from the date of validity endorsed in the vignette. Any subsequent examination upon her actual arrival in the UK by a UKBA officer should be limited to establishing the visa's continuing validity and that circumstances had not changed since its issue which may have rendered it ineffective. Normally, such an examination is perfunctory and certainly in your friend's case should not have taken longer than a few moments. That she was delayed for the length of time you claim, seemingly because they did not accept her account without first verifying that you indeed existed, is probably indicative of their level of incompetence. Not surprising really given the venue and I suppose the law of work expanding into the time available was probably more likely to operate there than elsewhere. The Customs officers stopping you again was likely to have been attributed to the same principle not least because you had arrived from within the EU and therefore such a stop should not have occurred except under more exceptional circumstances.

The UKBA on - entry control is increasingly more confused about its identity and frankly is, to a considerable extent, quite redundant given the changes in policy, procedure and the advent of technology. Problem is, the folk left there aren't quite the force they once were and many seem to struggle with what is evidently a lack of intellectual acuity.

Edited November 6, 2010 by Seekingasylum