Questions asked on return to the UK

[Aussieroaming]

If she can't speak English, they won't question her.

"Hello, I'm on holiday, I can't speak English"

Repeat until passed through.

But make sure that she says it in English so that they understand.

[Trevor1809]

Trevor1809,

The more you post the more you contradict yourself and the more it appears that any problems you may have had are of your own making.

What your experiences with foreign call centres have to do with UKVI, UK Border Force or any UK immigration matter only you know.

You are the one who keeps trying to take this off topic by raising such things as the FLR. It is simple to understand if you choose to do so. There is no contradiction. Again the illustration of call centres is to do with people who apparently can speak perfect English but can't be understood by a native English speaker but I think to chose not to understand the point that I made.

[Trevor1809]

Should maybe write to the nationals and see if they'll print your story.

That will be the day that the UK media takes an interest in the problems with UK spouse visas.

[naruk86]

You make it sound like it's a problem. Maybe you shouldn't have married a thai lady if you couldn't do simple tasks like booking appointments, and can't cope that she's questioned when entering a country where she's not a national.

[wooloomooloo]

Blimey, Trevor. I, and others, have previously offered you good advice which you choose to ignore and waste time with nonsense sentiments regards standard questioning posed at border control.

Once your wife has successfully landed in the UK then she's good to do as she pleases, within reason. It's not quite as bad as you make out.

Seriously, get a grip, or I can foresee a life of continual extensions all brought about of your own making. Those extensions are not cheap and require intensive paperwork at every FLR anniversary. Up to you.

Pass on the positive vibes to your wife and you'll find life far more comfortable.

[durhamboy]

Trevor, you seem to be taking quite taking quite a bit of flak from some senior members both in this topic and others. For what it's worth, I have some sympathy for what you have been saying. Only you and your wife know what occurred and the manner in which it occurred. Yes, Border Force officials do have to ask a lot of questions sometimes and they have to be savvy enough to weed out abuses in the system. Unfortunately this does allow them to abuse their powers if they wish in some circumstances. I do think that someone with a settlement visa should be able to pass through ports of entry with the minimum of hindrance especially when you consider all the forms, photos, fingerprints, brps that people with SVs have gone through. The system should easily identify such people. It still amazes me that FLRs are not stamped into people's passports.

[Basil B]

I think it is about time all Boarder Force officers had body-cams or the was CCTV at the desks, so such allegations could be verified and bad staff dealt with accordingly...

And those who make malicious allegations against them prosecuted.

[Seekingasylum]

From my experience it was probably just a fishing expedition by an officer who didn't really know what they were looking for but thought that they might as well ask questions in the erroneous belief they were somehow discharging their function all the better.

Many immigration officers haven't a clue about the legal basis of the conferring of leave to enter or remain and what may constitute a de facto removal of the basis upon which it may have been obtained. Their interview technique is actually quite amusing in the few cases I have had the opportunity to listen in and in most cases it is usually because the officer is either a legacy Customs officer (re-trained) or an assistant immigration officer who may well be challenged to construct a grammatically correct sentence.

I say to all folk with foreign spouses on conditions of leave to enter or remain is to answer the best they can but if it gets too complex for them they should ask to speak to the Chief Immigration Officer and to make contact with the husband/wife. Anyone on ILR should simply reply that they have not been absent for more than two years and that the basis on which they have obtained their ILR has not been removed and if they persist with redundant questioning they should, again, ask to speak to the Chief Immigration Officer.

These days there are quite simply too many officers manning the desk as fodder who haven't a clue about anything very much.

[7by7]

Whilst what you say, Seekingasylum, is in all probability true; after all you have far more practical experience in this area than I, it still seems to me that the questions the OP claims his wife was asked last week (Or was it last year? He doesn't seem sure!) were perfectly reasonable in the circumstances.

[Seekingasylum]

The issue is clear: did the arriving passenger have extant leave to enter and was the basis on which it had been granted still valid? Even if she had been estranged from her spouse and had deserted her children, unless there had been a decree nisi made absolute she would still qualify as a returning spouse. The immigration officer was indulging in spurious questioning but, as I have said earlier, many simply don't know what questions to ask and when to ask them.

They are in many instances quite dreadful in their ignorance but since that is not an issue which seems to trouble them I daresay they'll continue with their redundancy.

The arrivals control has been so diminished in terms of what an officer may do it is not surprising there has been a commensurate reduction in skills and expertise necessary to carry out the function and the lower standard of staff is a predictable consequence.

[Trevor1809]

In the OP you say it was a year ago, now you say it was last week end!

You are now saying that her FLR application has not yet gone in, yet you have previously made many posts about the difficulties you have had in submitting it and said that your solicitor had finally succeeded in making an appointment at a PEO for her to do so.

So, if she did return to the UK last week end, which is after you said that her appointment had been made, I can fully understand why she would have been subject to intense scrutiny by immigration. As said previously, FLR applications have to be made from within the UK. Immigration found themselves with a person seeking entry who, according to their records, should already be in the UK!

Maybe all the difficulties you claim to have had over her FLR application are due to the simple fact that she was not in the UK!

I find it incredible that you have been subject to "the third degree" by UK immigration once, let alone more than that; are you not a British citizen?

But then, to be blunt, much of what you post I find so contradictory to be absolutely incredible; but perhaps that's just me.

The difficulties, or otherwise, of renewing a British passport in Thailand against renewing it in the UK are irrelevant to this topic.

You are making this up. I said a year ago then I said "this time". If you don't understand then seek clarification rather than jumping to the incorrect conclusion.

At no time did I ever say that I had submitted an FLR application, you have made that up. I have never had any intention of ever making a paper application. I did say that I previously had a problem making an appointment, not an application. The solicitor then failed to make an appointment on a third attempt using my wife's log in but then succeeded using another log in. Note make a premium appointment not make a submission. To date I have paid £2000 in NHS surcharges, if you disbelieve me then I will send my debit card and credit card statements if it satisfies you.

"FLR applications have to be made from within the UK" well since the passport has to be attached then it was quite clear that "no application" had been made. So there would have been no record to check.

"I find it incredible that you have been subject to "the third degree" by UK immigration once, let alone more than that; are you not a British citizen?" Well exactly unless you think that I am a liar.

"But then, to be blunt, much of what you post I find so contradictory to be absolutely incredible; but perhaps that's just me." Because you are not prepared to face up to the truth.

"The difficulties, or otherwise, of renewing a British passport in Thailand against renewing it in the UK are irrelevant to this topic" So is the FLR application that I didn't make but it didn't stop YOU bringing it into the thread.

[Trevor1809]

Whilst what you say, Seekingasylum, is in all probability true; after all you have far more practical experience in this area than I, it still seems to me that the questions the OP claims his wife was asked last week (Or was it last year? He doesn't seem sure!) were perfectly reasonable in the circumstances.

I am perfectly sure, it is you that isn't. That is not my problem.

[Trevor1809]

Trevor, you seem to be taking quite taking quite a bit of flak from some senior members both in this topic and others. For what it's worth, I have some sympathy for what you have been saying. Only you and your wife know what occurred and the manner in which it occurred. Yes, Border Force officials do have to ask a lot of questions sometimes and they have to be savvy enough to weed out abuses in the system. Unfortunately this does allow them to abuse their powers if they wish in some circumstances. I do think that someone with a settlement visa should be able to pass through ports of entry with the minimum of hindrance especially when you consider all the forms, photos, fingerprints, brps that people with SVs have gone through. The system should easily identify such people. It still amazes me that FLRs are not stamped into people's passports.

I don't care how much flak I get. Of those dishing it out how many actually live in the UK and pay taxes in the UK. I actually believe that as a UK resident I have some rights, perhaps not as many as some that come to the UK, but that will start more flak. I also believe my spouse should have some rights.

The day we give in to Government Departments acting like judge and jury then we might as well give up. I did make the FLR application last week at a premium centre, or I should say that my wife did and whilst waiting for her to get her biometrics done I was reading the notice about making a complaint giving you the address at Lunar House to write to. When I wrote to Lunar House to get the 2 NHS surcharges repaid they simply ignored my letter. The final words on the notice was to respect the staff. Wouldn't it be nice if they showed some respect to the members of the public, like replying to a letter claiming a refund.

[bobrussell]

Just had a weekend away in Maastricht with the family. My wife was questioned about the trip when we returned. Where have you been, how long have you been away etc?

She has a British passport so it seems to be quite standard to question returning citizens and not just those with leave to remain. This was at Southampton airport and there seemed to be more Border Officers than airport staff! All very grim faced!

Amsterdam Schiphol, Border staff were friendly, smiling and welcoming!

Seems firm questioning is the norm now. Used to sail through with a wave of the British passport!

Unless the staff member is rude or inappropriate this is something we just have to live with.

[wooloomooloo]

She has a British passport so it seems to be quite standard to question returning citizens and not just those with leave to remain. This was at Southampton airport and there seemed to be more Border Officers than airport staff! All very grim faced!

Haven't they got e-Passport gates at SOU, Bob?

Amsterdam Schiphol, Border staff were friendly, smiling and welcoming!

My wife and I have been to AMS three times this year and it's always a polite hello and cursory glance at our British passports. We haven't stood in front of the arrivals border staff for more than twenty seconds at any one time.

[bobrussell]

Did not see e-passport gates but did not really look. Very small wind up planes so delay was minimal anyway. I am convinced there is a mild degree of racism/targeting as it is only my wife that gets questioned but I suppose there is a concern about people trafficking that might excuse this!

Only our daughter gets delayed at Dutch passport controls but only long enough for a bit of harmless flirting to go on! Not totally professional perhaps but fun for any teenager and the Border Officers seem to be very young there!

Overall UK Border Officers appear grim and serious, definately unwelcoming but that might just be to us!

[wooloomooloo]

Thanks for the reply.

Since my wife gained her British passport in January we've been to Amsterdam three times and LOS twice. Returned once to LCY, twice to LHR and twice to LGW and been lucky enough to have exited the e-Passport gates every time.

We prefer to avoid the personal interaction, where possible, and head for the path of least resistance. We'll answer questions if we have to as have done since my wife arrived on a Thai passport in 2010.

Let's hope Trevor is taking the general gist in.