I will be travelling to London in March of this year. Recently I have read that I will need to bring a letter from my employer (on letterhead) showing that I am gainfully employed, as well as bank statements that show I have money for the duration of the trip.
Has anybody heard of this before and/or had to provide said documents?
Thanks,
Christina
Is it related to how long you plan to stay? Are you traveling on a US or Canada passport?
Otherwise my interactions over the last 3 years with the Immigration officials at London Heathrow with a US passport has been minimal. The first year the guy asked me if I had been to UK before. I said yes. He said when. I said...last time about 1985. He said Where have you been, we missed you! with a huge laugh. Next year a flip thru my passport, stamped and on my way with no conversation. This past fall, 5 minutes at the booth I was pointed to while the computer finished booting up and on my way. No conversation. No questions at all.
If you're traveling on a US or Canadian passport and you have a return flight ticket (within 6 months) you should not need anything else. If you're planning on staying longer than 6 months or if you have no return flight ticket then you may need the documents mentioned to prove you won't be a burden on the UK. A lot depends on your particular situation. Where did you read the above comments?
Entry to any country is always at the discretion of the immigration official on duty. So, if there's any reason they think you are not a short-stay tourist, they can require additional information to let you in. If they think you're actually trying to work while in the UK (which is explicitly prohibited by the terms of your entry as a tourist), or that you intend to stay longer than the 6 months allowed as a tourist, they may want to see the kinds of documents you're talking about.
No one can predict what will happen. But if you have a return ticket, it's very unlikely they will need anything else besides your passport.
Thanks, everyone.
I got the info from the UK government's travel site. I have a return ticket and I'll only be visiting for 10 days and not working, so I was a little confused by it. Other than that, all documents are in order.
Which site were you using and what section? This official site tells you what visitors from the US traveling as tourists ( not for work or study) need:
https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/before-you-leave-for-the-uk
Nothing but your passport, unless you are a parent traveling with minor children. The next page advises you to keep you itinerary handy in case they ask for it--- but we have been through many times and have never been asked.
Christina,
I've never heard of this before, and have never been asked to produce any documents other than a Passport when entering the U.K. I've never seen this on the website, but it occurred to me this could be a "catch all" clause which they can use if the situation requires. In my case it would be impossible to get a letter from my employer confirming gainful employment, as I'm retired.
These are the requirements for a VISA if you are going to be staying in the UK and working there for more than 6 months and up to five years. All you need is an ID and passport.
Being asked about the trip finances is a possibility. Being asked to prove employment outside of the UK is highly unlikely with a return itinerary unless you can't prove finances maybe.
The first time we went to London, for a two or three day visit, the immigration people seemed disturbed by the fact that we didn't have a hotel reservation. This was a day or two after the Underground bombings, so that may have something to do with it.
