6 month Visitors Visa - Question

[aus_naomi]

Hi,
I just have a question regarding the Visitors Visa for the UK. Basically when you enter the country, the stamp your passport with the approval that you have a visitors visa for 6 months, so you can stay in the country for 6 months as long as you can prove you are going to leave at some point & you aren't relying on funds provided by the country.
I am just wondering whether the 6 months re-starts each time you enter the country?
I will have been here for 6 months at the end August since the first time arrived, however I have been in & out of the UK on numerous occasions within that 6 months. So do I go off 6 months from when I first entered the country back in March? Or do I go off the last time I came back to the UK last month?
I'm just curious as to how this works.
Thanks
Naomi

[cs95tdg]

There should be a validity period on the visit visa vignette in your passport. That would tell you the period during which you can enter the UK. The period does not restart everytime you enter the UK.

[wf]

Generally it does restart every time you enter as you get a new 6 month stamp. Sometimes they stamp you for less but it is less likely, though possible to arise out of having multiple 6 month visas.

There is a general guide that you should only spend 6 months out of every 12 here as a visitor but I am not sure if that is specifically stated int he rules or not.

[wf]

There should be a validity period on the visit visa vignette in your passport. That would tell you the period during which you can enter the UK. The period does not restart everytime you enter the UK.

If they get a new 6 month stamp it does restart.

[cs95tdg]

Can you tell me the following to make sure I understand:

1) What the "valid from" & "valid until" dates are on the visit visa Vignette
2) What the "duration of stay" mentioned on the same visit visa Vignette is. This is usually mentioned in days.
3) What does the stamp in your passport say. I.e. the one given at arrival border control at the time of entry into the UK.

I take it you have a multiple entry visa as you have entered the UK many times using that visa.

I haven't entered the UK on a visit visa recently, but have had several visit visas in the past where I've never had a stamp put on my passport where it states the period I'm allowed to stay.

So answers to the above questions will help understand whether the rules around visit visas have changed in the last few years.

[wf]

Can you tell me the following to make sure I understand:

1) What the "valid from" & "valid until" dates are on the visit visa Vignette
2) What the "duration of stay" mentioned on the same visit visa Vignette is. This is usually mentioned in days.
3) What does the stamp in your passport say. I.e. the one given at arrival border control at the time of entry into the UK.

I take it you have a multiple entry visa as you have entered the UK many times using that visa.

It appears the OP is from Australia, they do not need a visa in advance so there is no viginette.

They are stamped on arrival, the stamp usually has the date of entry and something about it being valid for '6 months' or similar.

Generally every time they come in they get a new stamp.

[cs95tdg]

Thanks for the clarification. That certainly clears up the confusion. What I was referring to only applies to those who enter the UK with an entry clearance visa.

[aus_naomi]

I don't have a VISA as such. I am from Australia, so basically when I enter the UK, they stamp my passport with 'leave to enter for 6 months. Employment and recourse to public funds prohibited'. They have stamped my passport with this message each time I have returned to the UK in the last 6 months. So I wasn't sure if I can stay for another 6 months from when it was last stamped which was on 8th July? Or 6 months from the 1st stamp?
Hope that clarifies?!
Thanks for everyones help!

[wf]

As I said above, it is 6 months from your last entry.

Be aware if you keep re-entering they will eventually cotton on to it and give you a period of shorter leave, or potentially none at all.

This is what happened to me several years ago under the same circumstances.