Arriving At Lhr With Thai Wife And Our Son

[rocketmanbkk]

Thank you for your honesty.

none of my posts were meant to offend.

regards

I take it then you are a current Immigration Officer based at LHR?

No

[MaiDong]

I'll say it again, read it this time, people are telling of their own experiences, they are not saying they know the rules.

I believe what you are saying about which line to go into but people are saying they have actually asked officials in the airport or have been directed to, and had success at both areas, however, you came back with 'Nope, cannot do.', 'Nope, wouldn't happen.', 'Get a life pal.' & 'Incorrect!!!' - that lot sounds pretty argumentative to me

People's own personal experiences, I'm afraid, overrule the rule, pal.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Rimmer
Quoted reply from deleted post

[MaiDong]

So anyhow, to the OP, it seems the best advice is to ask someone who looks a little bit more official than a security contract lackey which line they think you should enter with your wife & co, and all will be revealed.

Please let us know the outcome, I'm flying in a few days so I'll do the same.

[rocketmanbkk]

Good luck to the OP.

I fully agree that a security bod at LHR will hav eno influence over what immigration will be doing.

It may be the case that the rules change but as my B In Law confirmed the EU lin eis NOT the way to go.

Regards

So anyhow, to the OP, it seems the best advice is to ask someone who looks a little bit more official than a security contract lackey which line they think you should enter with your wife & co, and all will be revealed.

Please let us know the outcome, I'm flying in a few days so I'll do the same.

[brizzle]

I have been through LHR for the last 3 years with my Thai GF and our young daughter and have been actively encouraged to go through as a family in the EU channel. Rules are generally rules in the UK which mean that this method is perfectly ok. If you get some miserable immigration officer telling you otherwise then he is no other than a sad 'MR JOBSWORTH'. Ask somebody else who is happier with their life about what you are and are not allowed to do.

In Thailand there appear to be no Khun Jobsworth at least where immigration and families are concerned...we all go through the Thai channel together.

Personally I have had no problem in either the UK or Thailand when we all enter as a family and long may it continue...just sorting out the visa's at both ends of the pond is more than enough!

[steve187]

OP

is this the first entry on a settlement visa, or a holiday visa?

if settlement, x-ray will have to be shown, i think non eu would be better.

[Rimmer]

Argumentative and inflammatory posts removed from view, also quoted replies from deleted posts edited out. Cool it please guys.

[7by7]

I cannot believe that some people are getting so hot and bothered about the fact that the experience of others is at odds with their own! Everyone is, hopefully, telling the truth when posting about their own experiences, and it does seem that more have been allowed through the EU line than have not.

Certainly my wife and step-daughter were in the days before they had British passports, as long as they were with me.

My advice to anyone who is unsure is to place your partner/whoever in the non EU queue while you go and ask the IO(s) on duty at the EU desk and then call them over when(if) they say 'Yes.'

[elliss]

For those that say your wife and son can go via the EU control point are incorrect.

I asked my brother in law who works at Imigration LHR and he says they WILL be rejected at this line.

CORRECT ,

when i very recently came thru LHR , immigration.

a immigrastion official was patrolling the EU passports queue ,

chanting , eu passport holders only .

better if he was manning a kiosk , only three were open.

i missed my national bus connection , bstds .

:jap:

[rocketmanbkk]

Hi Elliss

Thank you for confirming.

I rest my case.

Best regards to all fellow TV members.

For those that say your wife and son can go via the EU control point are incorrect.

I asked my brother in law who works at Imigration LHR and he says they WILL be rejected at this line.

CORRECT ,

when i very recently came thru LHR , immigration.

a immigrastion official was patrolling the EU passports queue ,

chanting , eu passport holders only .

better if he was manning a kiosk , only three were open.

i missed my national bus connection , bstds .

:jap:

[brizzle]

For those that say your wife and son can go via the EU control point are incorrect.

I asked my brother in law who works at Imigration LHR and he says they WILL be rejected at this line.

CORRECT ,

when i very recently came thru LHR , immigration.

a immigrastion official was patrolling the EU passports queue ,

chanting , eu passport holders only .

better if he was manning a kiosk , only three were open.

i missed my national bus connection , bstds .

:jap:

That is exactly what I would expect the immigration officer to be saying as a general rule of thumb...paricularly at busy times with only 3 channels open.After all no one is suggesting here that all and everybody can go through the EU channel..if that was the case there would be no point in having an EU channel.

However,what many of us have found is that immigration will make exceptions if you arrive as a family and allow you all to stay together through the EU channel.

Likewise not every Falang can go through the Thai channels in Thailand and immigration officers can often be seen there directing people to the correct queue but if you are part of a Thai family then they have no problem allowing you through the Thai channel.

The last time I arrived at LHR was in April last year so maybe things have changed,or maybe they have not...but like others have said it really isn't important enough to get involved in silly arguments.

[beano2274]

I would get my partner to line in the Non-EU line, then pop across to the UK Passport line and ask the Immigration Officer, that way you can be confident you will get the right answer, if he says yes, then call your partner over, if he says no then get in the Non-EU queue next to your partner.

As per 7by7.

Edited February 28, 2011 by beano2274

[MaiDong]

Just got back from a lovely 3 week holiday in the UK with my Wife(Thai/non-EU citizen) & our 6 year old son(Thai citizen & British passport holder).

We got off the flight, walked to the passport control, asked a helpful lady who was guiding people to their respective desks which desk we could use, she said that as long as my wife had filled out the arrivals card she was handed on the plane she and our son could go with me through the EU passport holders queue, we arrived at the desk and were allprocessed within about 1 minute. Amazing.

Case rested.

p.s. it was certainly strange leaving a warm sunny country at the end of our holiday(England) to arrive home in an overcast and damp country(Thailand), usually the other way around isn't it?

[smokie36]

A bit of egg on his face in the end wasn't there?

[maj]

Nope, cannot do.

landed lhr september 2010 we used uk line staff told us they allow this at heathrow good luck

[theoldgit]

Don't mess with the eggspert.

I'm sure you will not take offence egg12345, just a bit of fun.

[transam]

Just got back from a lovely 3 week holiday in the UK with my Wife(Thai/non-EU citizen) & our 6 year old son(Thai citizen & British passport holder).

We got off the flight, walked to the passport control, asked a helpful lady who was guiding people to their respective desks which desk we could use, she said that as long as my wife had filled out the arrivals card she was handed on the plane she and our son could go with me through the EU passport holders queue, we arrived at the desk and were allprocessed within about 1 minute. Amazing.

Case rested.

p.s. it was certainly strange leaving a warm sunny country at the end of our holiday(England) to arrive home in an overcast and damp country(Thailand), usually the other way around isn't it?

Nice one , AND '' most '' of us were right.

[rocketmanbkk]

here we go again!!!!

[mallyrd]

here we go again!!!!

No, here "you go again".

[thedivezone]

He is, obviously you are not so who would you think knows more about immigration practices at LHR?

Probably come back to argue that one!

People on here have too much time to try to argue about information that are not invloved with. Get a life pal.

I'm sorry but my experience with UKBA staff at Heathrow is at odds with your brother in laws advice, just hope I don't get in his queue next time then, assuming he is an IO.

Egg12345 : Since some many boardmembers have gone through the UK line with their Thai spouses and kids though your BiL says cannot, could it be that your brother-in-law is a pompous prick ?

[rocketmanbkk]

I quite liked it!!!

Thanks, it's a good one!

Don't mess with the eggspert.

I'm sure you will not take offence egg12345, just a bit of fun.

[mark131v]

He is, obviously you are not so who would you think knows more about immigration practices at LHR?

Probably come back to argue that one!

People on here have too much time to try to argue about information that are not invloved with. Get a life pal.

I'm sorry but my experience with UKBA staff at Heathrow is at odds with your brother in laws advice, just hope I don't get in his queue next time then, assuming he is an IO.

Egg12345 : Since some many boardmembers have gone through the UK line with their Thai spouses and kids though your BiL says cannot, could it be that your brother-in-law is a pompous prick ?

Mate

I have a feeling the pompous prick thing could be a family trait they both sound a barrel of laughs

Mark