In distress - visiting UK as a tourist and scared

[completelyinlove]

Good morning

I am writing you completely in distress about the situation I am in.

I lived in London for 2 years with a marriage visa. Our marriage broke up and we were separated (not legally divorced) and my husband cancelled my marriage visia.

When I went to America to visit my mother for a week, when I flew back I was refused entry because they advised my visa was no longer valid and I could not work in the UK anymore. I was held in a detention center and sent back on the next available plane from Birmingham.

I am completely and utterly in love with a British man whom I would like to marry (crazy, I know). The divorce has finally gone through and I would like to go and meet him and his family.

I have heard people reccomend applying for a British tourist visa prior to booking airline tickets so there is more of a guarantee of entry. However, I hear that they ask for payslips and other information proving that you are settled in the USA. I have all of those, however they are in my maiden name (which is not the one on my passport). Legally, my name is my husband's name and I have not changed it.

Do you think it would be safe to apply for a tourist visa with my married name passport, and include my payslips with my maiden name and explain to them my situation? Or should I just go ahead, book the tickets and pray that they don't refuse me entry?

Please please please please please please help!

Thank you

[Wanderer]

I'm certain whichever way you do it you'll be denied at the consulate or bounced at Immigration Control.

When a relationship ends the visa ends, you should have left then, failing to do so has made you persona non grata here I'm afraid.

The only way is formal marriage now, it's the only way your transgressions won't count against you, but even then there'll be deeper scrutiny.

[Casa]

What do you expect to be able to do in the UK on a visitor visa? You won't be able to switch to any other category from within the UK (such as spouse or fiance).
Unfortunately, having been refused entry and returned to the US, a visitor visa application is unlikely to be granted as the case worker will consider you a risk as an overstayer now that your spouse visa is no longer valid. It would be extremely difficult to prove strong ties to your home country when you had a previous life in the UK and your current boyfriend is resident there. One thing's for certain, you won't be permitted to enter without an issued visa before travelling now that a refusal is held on the Home Office system.
You could apply for a fiance visa to marry in the UK within 6 months, or marry in the UK and apply for a spouse visa from there, assuming that you are both ready to commit and that your boyfriend as your sponsor meets all the requirements, including minimum earnings of £18,600 per annum.

[noajthan]

Good morning

I am writing you completely in distress about the situation I am in.

I lived in London for 2 years with a marriage visa. Our marriage broke up and we were separated (not legally divorced) and my husband cancelled my marriage visia.

...

I am completely and utterly in love with a British man whom I would like to marry (crazy, I know). The divorce has finally gone through and I would like to go and meet him and his family.

...

Do you think it would be safe to apply for a tourist visa with my married name passport, and include my payslips with my maiden name and explain to them my situation? Or should I just go ahead, book the tickets and pray that they don't refuse me entry?

Please please please please please please help!

Thank you

In terms of a relationship a visitor visa will not help you.
UK Immigration has no concept of facilitating long-distance relationships & there is no possible visa to potentially help you unless you are ready to commit.

Apart from marriage/fiancee/spouse visas, your other options into UK are, theoretically, the work or study route - these involve sponsorship or relatively high finance (for college fees)

Having said that..
Chin up, you will get over this and one day, crazy as it sounds now, you will be able to laugh about it.

It's not clear where you are from & where you have resided before.
- is your home country USA or elsewhere?

Is British bf/fiance up for life in USA?
Have you (both) considered a life & future in Europe?

If you think about it, you may be (relatively) young, you are relatively free & potentially mobile - the world could be your oyster.