Holiday in the UK

[neil4u]

Hi

My Dad and his girlfriend are coming to the UK for a 3 week holiday. He is a British Citizen and she is a South African Citizen. What I would like to know is what questions is she likely to be asked by passport control? How much money will she be expected to have to support herself for 3 weeks. They will be living with us in our house and not in a hotel. If she puts our address on her landing card are they likely to question her about that. My Dad seems to think that he will go with her in the same queue at passport control, but I've told him he can't do that as he will go through British/EU passports and she will have to queue up at foreign passports. Am I correct? Any advise from people who have gone though passport control would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Neil

[Dawie]

She is likely to be asked what the purpose of her trip is, how long she plans to stay and where she has just come from. They may also ask to see her return ticket and evidence that she has enough cash to support herself during her stay.

If she is staying with you then she must put that address on her landing card.

I'm a South African citizen living in London and my girlfriend is an EU citizen. When we travel together she always comes with me through the foreign passport queue without any problems. I think there would only be a problem if a non-EU person tried to go through the EU queue because I think they put the least experienced immigration officers in the EU queue because all they have to do is check that the person presenting the travel document is the one represented inside it.

[neil4u]

Hi Dawie

Thanks for you help. I think my dad wants to be with his girlfriend when they go though passport control as she has never travelled before. Its nice to know you can do that. What worries me is he wants to send all his holiday money in pounds to me, which will mean they will arrive with hardly any money on them. I know it will be ok for him as he is a British Citizen and they won't ask him for evidence of funds, but they might ask her to show evidence of funds. I've advised him to give her £1000 in travellers cheques and keep it on her just in case they ask, but he seems to think thats not necessary. They will have return tickets

[Dawie]

I would definitely not recommend that she come to the UK with no money on her.

The idea of giving her £1000 in travellers cheques is a good idea and certainly wouldn't hurt.