STAMP ON MY PASSPORT?

[maria13]

Hello,
I´m a mexican student, I arrived last october to birmingham and they gave the stamp for six months ( STUDENT VISITOR). Im currently doing an exchange program at the University of Birmingham.

My question is that Last January I went to Greece for holidays, and when I returned they gave me the same stamp that says: Leave to enter for six months, employment and public founds are prohibited.

Can I stay more time, beacuse I got that stamp again? . It suppose that I have to go by the end of march if I fallow the first stamp; but I would to stay more time, to do the examination period here, and travel. I have the founds. It is legal?..

In a future I would like to do a master here, so I wouldnt like to have problems when I return. If they can find that I stayed here more than 6 months.

Any advice would be welcome,

thanks
Maria

[batleykhan]

You are allowed to stay a maximum 6 months in any 12 months period.

If you came on 1st October 2010 you have to leave before 31st March 2011. You will not then be allowed to enter the UK till 1st October 2011.

Hope that makes sense

[Mr Rusty]

Hello,

Can I stay more time, beacuse I got that stamp again? . ...... It is legal?..


thanks
Maria

You are not breaking the law by staying until the expiry of the second stamp - presumably around the end of June. The "6 months in 12 restriction" is not part of the Immigration Rules, it's simply guidance to Visa Officers and Immigration Officers to discourage people from staying in the UK for an extended period on visit stamps. If you have a legitimate reason connected with your studies for staying later than the period for which you were originally given entry, it shouldn't affect any later application you make for a visa to take a Masters.
But if you do many more trips outside the UK and then seek re-entry, at some stage an Immigration Officer might challenge your bona fides.

[nodnod]

Hi,
Could I ask a follow-up question?

The issue I have is this. As a non-visa national, I can enter the UK without a visa to stay for up to 6 months. How soon after that can I enter again and does it affect the duration of the subsequent stays?

I'm sure that the official guidance is along the lines of "6 months within 12 month period", but there is no way to implement that in reality - UK does not have exit stamps, so there is no way to check when I'd left the UK (which could be yesterday!) and there are lots of people who travel frequently on business trips (more than once a month)...

Any help or info would be appreciated. Thanks.
Michael

[Mr Rusty]

The guidance is exactly what it says - guidance. In determining whether a passenger is a genuine visitor the Immigration Officer will have at the back of his mind the "6 months in 12" criterion, but it won't be the only factor. He can't serve a refusal notice saying simply "you've just had 6 months in the UK, you can't have any more for a while". But if having interviewed someone it is clear that he/she has no firm plans to return to their own country and that the means of support are not really there for another lengthy visit, the IO is likely to say "enough is enough".
If you want to take a chance on lying to the IO about where you've been and what you've been doing, be prepared to be chucked out and not come back for 10 years at least.
Many business visitors do enter the country very frequently, but leave after a few days - a different matter entirely.

[maria13]

I was really worry about this.. but know you gave me good information that I couldnt find on the uk border website .. and I think I will stay...!!

Thanks for your advices.
sincerely
Maria