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Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

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AliceSwan
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Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by AliceSwan » Thu May 14, 2015 4:09 pm

Hello there
I'm wondering if anyone here would know the implications of entering and staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation; would it be possible?

I tried to visit the UK in March but UKBA refused my entry. Before my trip I had submitted an application for acquisition of Slovak citizenship through my father who is a Slovak citizen himself. I'll be receiving my naturalisation in the mail some time soon but it'll be a number of months before I'll be able to get my Slovak Passport and I'm wondering if bringing my naturalisation would be enough to travel to and reside in the UK before then. I'm very sure I'd be stopped again by UKBA due to my previous refusal but would they be able to refuse me again?

(I'm an American Citizen with an American Passport)

secret.simon
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by secret.simon » Fri May 15, 2015 11:42 am

Under EU rules, so long as you can demonstrate to the immigration officer that you are an EU citizen, you have a right to enter the UK. In theory, you could use the American passport to prove your identity and the Slovak naturalisation certificate to prove your EU status. But be aware that you will end up spending a lot of time at the airport.

Is it possible and/or faster for you to get a Slovak identity card? That would be good enough to enter the UK.

AliceSwan
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by AliceSwan » Fri May 15, 2015 11:44 pm

I'm not sure if it's possible or if it would even be faster to try acquiring a Slovak ID Card. As far as I know they're provided by police stations to residents and I'm not sure if my consulate would be able to provide one to me. Waiting for a passport also isn't an option due to the length of time for acquisition of one so it seems entering and staying via naturalisation is my only option.

newperson
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by newperson » Sat May 16, 2015 2:18 pm

If you are attempting to enter the UK on a one-way ticket, be prepared to have to convince the check-in staff at the departing airport of your entitlement to the right of free movement. This goes doubly if your naturalisation certificate is in Slovak.

There are no guarantees with what you're attempting to do. If I were you, I'd at least get a notarised translation of the document. And as said above, if you do get to the UK, be ready to explain yourself to the immigration officers.

secret.simon
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by secret.simon » Sat May 16, 2015 4:34 pm

@newperson I doubt she would have an issue with the check-in desk, as the OP has an American passport and she can use that to travel to the UK visa free just fine. It will be the immigration officers that will be a challenge. That was a good idea about carrying a certified translation as well.

@AliceSwan If they were to let you into the country on your Slovak naturalisation certificate, I would strongly recommend getting a Slovak passport ASAP.
Also, why had the UKBA denied you a visit visa in March? As an American citizen, that is highly unusual.

newperson
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by newperson » Sun May 17, 2015 10:59 am

While US citizens are normally able to visit the UK without applying for entry clearance beforehand, passengers travelling on a *one-way* ticket will be routinely queried about their UK visa/residency status at the Stateside check-in desk. I speak from experience.

Secondly, an internal UK immigration report that was made public about ten years ago and discussed widely on this forum named young, single and female US travellers as being of particular interest to immigration officers. If I recall correctly, it was due to factors involving internet relationships with British partners, lack of significant ties to the US and the pattern of answers given. With that in mind, such travellers were strenuously advised to have proof of a return ticket, sufficient funds and ties to the US with them upon arrival at a UK port of entry to avoid problems.

secret.simon
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by secret.simon » Mon May 18, 2015 10:21 pm

I was unaware of the details that newperson provided.

@AliceSwan is there any urgency to your travel to the UK? It sounds as if it would be best to get a Slovak passport or identity card before travel.

AliceSwan
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by AliceSwan » Tue May 19, 2015 6:32 pm

@secret.simon
To answer your first question;
The nature of my prior visit was to visit universities and sort out some legal errands that are difficult to handle from outside of the UK. I wasn't carrying anything out of the ordinary with me, just clothes and my PC, my parents were sponsoring my visit because I didn't have a lot of money at the time (and still don't) and I was to stay at my girlfriend's place for the duration of my visit (17 days). When I arrived at the South Terminal of Gatwick I explained myself and was almost immediately given detention so that the immigration officer could call my parents as well as my girlfriend to confirm the information. After waiting about 30 minutes they officer came back, said they had spoken to my parents and girlfriend then took me to luggage claim and told me to collect my luggage so that another officer could search through my stuff. They searched through my stuff, found nothing out of the ordinary then told me I was to be interviewed but I needed to wait at a holding area until my interview could be conducted. After waiting another 4 hours they finally interviewed me, again found nothing out of the ordinary and sent me back to the holding area to await their verdict. Another 6 hours passed and then 2 officers came into the holding area and told me that I'd been refused entry on this occasion. We went over the reasons and as I questioned them on their reasons for my refusal it became quite apparent that I'd been targeted in one way or another. All of their reasons stated that they weren't satisfied with the information I'd given to them. One of their reasons even went on to say that I had a bad relationship with my parents even though I'd told them during interview that I was currently living with my father. I had proof to backup all the information I gave them yet they still went on to refuse my entry. They didn't give the document with the reasons for my refusal either; they only showed it to me, went over the reasons and took it back. I later found out when I got back to the US that they didn't speak to my parents at all and barely questioned my girlfriend. I still don't know what all to make of this since I don't look or sound weird at all (I'm an average looking 22 year old caucasian girl).

To answer your second question;
Yes, there is great urgency to travel to the UK, that's why I'm questioning the feasibility of travelling to the UK with just my naturalisation documents.

@newperson
Do you know what the entire process of travelling to the UK on a one way ticket entail? Would I need to take any tests? What documents would I need to bring with me? What would I need to prove?

AliceSwan
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Re: Entering & Staying in the UK with Slovak Naturalisation

Post by AliceSwan » Tue May 26, 2015 3:18 pm

Hey, been a while since there's been any activity in this thread, could anyone please answer my final questions?

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