Entrepreneur9 wrote:While returning back from India after 3.5 months, I was asked a number of questions at the London Airport. I felt as though I am a criminal or have done something illegal.
Officer: What Visa have you got?
Me: Tier-1 Entrepreneur Visa
Officer: What is your business?
Me: We provide IT services in local area
Officer: There are already so many companies in your area, how will you compete with them? how are you different from them? how much have you invested so far?
Me: £2k to 3k
Officer: where are the remaining funds? will you be able to log in to your account and show me the available funds?
Me: Funds are in my account in India and yes I can login and show you the funds
Officer: Why are the funds in India? Why not in UK?
Me: Funds will be transferred as and when required by the business
Officer: Why havent you invested £50k yet? Where will you invest? how will you invest? how long were you away?
Me: I was away for 3.5 months
Officer: Was your business active while you were away?
Me: No, I do not have any employees at present and as I was away I was not in a position to be active in the business
Officer: I am not convinced with your answers and I need to investigate further and ask you further questions. I am also in the position to curtail your visa and send you back home.
I was asked to wait in the waiting area while the officer returns back. My passport and visa and other documents were held by the officer.
After 20-25 she came back and told me that "I will let you go this time however I have called the HMRC and UKBA to keep an eye on you"
Guys the reason I am sharing this story with you to make you aware so that you are prepared in advance.
MUST MUST READ ALL, I WROTE THIS FOR MY OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND I HAVE SHARED MY OWN STORY AT THE END While i was Stopped in FRANCE.
Hi GUYS, PLEASE Never Panic to Heathrow. They are there to JUST give u a presentation to show that they are Tough. You have been granted Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa.
If i would have been at your place.
To his Question that can You log in to your account and show me the availability of Funds. I will say ASK me in Written and I will log In to my account to show you the funds. ( REMEMBER: Immigration officer at Terminals can only see to what they have been authorized access to SEE. YES they have full access to our Immigration history in UK. No Body should Lie to every known happenings during his immigration history. They cannot ask you to log into the account to see your available funds. Remember this is Serious Breach of Your Data Confidentiality and He can Never force you to this. Even They cannot access your account details by a Direct contact with your Bank here in UK. When you submit a bank statement to UK border Agency. They cannot verify Even a single Transaction Outside the dates of your Statement which you have provided. For Example. If you provide a statement starting 1st jan, 2013 to 28th Jan, 2013. They do not have access to what is your balance on 29th Jan. If they Come to know about your balance on 29th Jan, Which you have never disclosed, BANK will be a in a Breach of data Confidentiality. YES we do have rights in this country like other citizens EXCEPT ACCESS to public Funds or Work in Dentist Profession/Dr.
Why the Funds have not been invested yet? This is my Money, Investment of my Money is my Stake. This does not or will not harm someone else, So i will invest the money when i will see a right time & need to invest the remaining money. Even a child will not spend his pocket Money in one Go. How come are u expecting from me to Invest the 50 K in one Go?????? Is there any RULE / Policy that i HAVE to invest the money in a go?????
You gave a perfect Answer to Why the funds are in India?
Guys When They threat you to curtail your Visa, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Be BOLD and say " Officer you got a full right to Investigate, so please go Get a Coffee, go to your office and spend a good time on your computer and investigate in a best way, so that i do not face a similar Investigation everytime i enter your country & please get me a Tea or Coffee as well. Thank You.
This Level of Confidence will automatically give him a signal that his harassment is not going to work at the moment.
HE CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT curtail your VISA.......... UNTIL you are in a serious breach of your Visa Conditions
I will say that he is tired of facing so many passengers, checking their passports, stamping their passports, questioning them ( Part of their training to give a unfriendly gesture just to show that they can be Tough or they are tough.
He will Pick any one for detailed Questioning, to get a bit of relieve from what he is doing, checking passports, stamping, questionning, etc...He just want to walk around, waste some of his time here and there and then back to his chair. and YES they also want to show to their seniors that they are Active and working, THATS IT.
My Experience: TRUE
I went to france ( paris ) for two days and One Night. Enjoyed my trip. Had train at 9:30pm. Presented my Passport to immigration @ 9:10 ( Officer should simply stamp it and at 2 min walk i can catch the train ). BUT because we have to FACE UK IMMIGRATION while you are Taking EXIT from France ( No Immigration check when you reach London train Station), So now he is gonna pick someone for his chill programme.
I have faced their questioning exactly 3 times prior to this situation ( I have taken 7 journeys to my home in last 5 years )
Officer: You should have Presented your passport by 9am.
Me: I am sorry, If i am late, But can i please see where have you mentioned this that passengers taking exit from France should present their passports to Immigration by 9am.
Officer: Look their it says, Boarding will close 30 min prior to Departure and its 9:10 and your train is at 9:30
ME: Alright, But you have just stamped that French speaking person's passports at 9:08. This boarding/immigration desk should have closed by 9:00 am with a sign board saying we are close & also what are you going to do with the long queue behind me ( about 15 of the remaining passengers for boarding.)
ANOTHER OFFICER INTERVENED: Took my passport from him, and SAID MR XYZ....Please come with me. ( at a two step distance ) he said to me that He need to Go through my passport for some investigation and i will have to wait for 5 minutes.
I kept waiting while he was in his office, I was literally sitting with the wall of his office, after 10 minutes, i had left just 5 minutes to catch the train to London. I knocked on the Wooden Wall of his office cabin, He came out.
Officer: Did you just knock
Me: YES, I did, I would miss my train if i did not step towards train in next minute.
Officer: MR XYZ, unfortunately you will not be able to catch this train and you will have to wait.
Me: Why, Whats the problem, havn't you finished checking my passport yet?
Officer did not reply and went back to his office,
I was in doubt that he never got into investigating my passport and he would have just kept my passport on his desk and chilling.
( My doubt was right, Read next please)
I knocked again and no reply. I was sure i have missed my train and wasted my Ticket ( 125 pounds return Ticket ).
He came out of his office with 4 officers and said to me that MR XYZ we have investigated and its alright, you can catch the train in the morning.
I was literally angry, I controlled my anger and spoke to him straight away, that You never used my passport for Investigation, You Just did not want me to catch this train because you did not like my questionning to your Mate sitting over there ( Who said to me that you are late for boarding )
You have wasted my Ticket and Your Office is going to buy me another ticket for next train. He Refused & walked away.
I found myself in a terrible situation, I walked behind him, till he was very very close to other passengers and said in loud voice, that you did not like me the way i deal with you mate on immigration desk, you never investigated my passport, You just wanted to take revenge on behalf of your colleague, Once i reach London, I am going to Write to METRO, BBC and other newspapers the way i have been dealth at the airport and You Should must get ready with your INVESTIGATION report which you have prepared after browsing my passport to defend my report to the authorities.
Believe me, He turned back, and went back to his office and said " Mr XYZ, keep this and give it to the ticket office which will open at 6am and they will issue you a ticket to your destination free of charge. At 7:00 we have next train for London.
I was in relief because i was only concerned with this at that moment that i do not want to spend money on ticket.
I waited all night long in close surrounding of the Gare Du Nord International Train Station. A French Student who was receptionist in a nearby hotel, Let me wait in his sitting area till morning as it was really really cold and boaring out there at train station.
at 6:00 i was at train station, went straight to the Ticket office and showed him the Paper from immigration and my expired ticket and he issued me a new return ticket without any charge. At 6:30 i Presented my passport to Immigration desk, This time being dealt by a lady, Who looked at my passport details
Lady Officer: Mr XYZ you were refused boarding last night,
Me: YES,
LAdy officer: Why?
I knew it, that she is going to react almost similar to what the Male officer did last night
Me: Officer, if you know that i was refused boarding last night, then you should know why i was refused boarding last night as your colleague spent 30 minutes to investigate my passport.
Lady Officer: Give me my passport back, and told me to wait aside and dealt with 10-15 more passengers next in que and told me to come with her, it was 6:50 almost and i knew it what is exactly going to happen which is i am not going by train at even 7:00 and this is another intentional delay.
Lady officer: Came out, She already at a another Return Ticket for 7:30 in her hand and I finally Took a train to London.
What i suffered, was i had to stay awake all night and had to reach job straight after reaching London ( But I took off early and finished work by 3pm)
Conclusion: They just want to cause delays, Want to show their authorities, Want to show they can be tough, or they are tough.
UNFORTUNATELY, There is nothing we can do, UNTILL we have Extremely Selfish, and Corrupt POLITICIANS in out country.
ONCE again, STAY CONFIDENT & BOLD because we ARE Contributing to their economy by paying taxes and NOT TAKING even a single Penny from them. and they should deal us accordingly,
Thank You.
