Question: botched extended stay visa application

hello,

Last April 2011, I had spent 5 1/2 months in the UK over the past 10 months as a US citizen staying as a general visitor (total of 2 visits to the UK). I traveled to New York City in order to file an application for an extended stay general visitor visa and received a visa refusal along with the red stamp in my passport.

I hadn't understood that the max a general visitor could stay in the UK was 6 months in any 12 month period and I was close to that 6 months max and that the 2 year extended stay only allowed me multiple visits to the UK as a general visit, but again none of these visits could last more than 6 months in any 12 month period.

In short, I screwed up.

Question: For my next trip to the UK, Do I need to apply for a general visitor visa or can I just bring documents that show my return trip to the US, bank statements, letter of invitation? I am planning on visiting the UK as general visitor in mid-December for a short stay, less than 2 months, returning in Feb.

If have botched up my visa application for an extended stay, do I have to apply for a travel visa each time I visit the UK even for a short visit?

Please advise. I don't want to travel 5,000 miles and then be refused entry and get the dreaded red X in my passport.

Thanks,

Suzy

Why didn't you simply leave the UK and re-enter citing, if even asked, your good reason to re-visit the UK? Leaving and then applying for a visa at the consulate when you don't need a visa to enter (merely to meet the conditions) was always going to be refused as you were effectively signposting your unsuitability for re-entry.

Yes, you do need to apply for a visa as your previous refusal will raise a red flag and you may now not be admitted without this.