Returning After Denied Entry

[schererjd]

Hey all!

I'm hoping to go to the UK for Christmas this year. My fiancee is a UK citizen and I am a US/AUS dual citizen. Living in Canada. I was denied entry in 2013 but granted it this past April when I applied for a holiday visa with the UK consulate in New York. I was granted a 6-month holiday visa, though I was only there for my fiancee's brother's wedding (about 2 weeks). My question is this: [b]Do I have to apply for another holiday visa each time I want to return for a brief stay/holiday?[/b]

Essentially, how long will this entry denial hang over my head? We are both (my fiancee and I) permanent residents of Canada. Will I always have to sweat when I return to the UK?

Thanks!

[Sudanim]

You will always have been refused entry to the UK, but assuming no deception/false documents etc, then time is a great healer.

A four year old refusal isn't something you should worry too much about now, as a lot of water has gone under the bridge since.

Your personal circumstances must've changed in that time, and whatever the reason was you were refused entry back then, it's probably not the case now.

As you say you were granted a visa the last time you came, and they'll have known you'd been refused previously. Applying for that visa was absolutely the right thing to do if that was your first trip to the UK since the refusal and it sounds like you had no issues. By the way, 6 months is standard for visitors - in most cases you'd get the same even if you were only coming for a few days.

You could do the same again next time to eliminate any doubt, but you are within your rights as a US/AUS citizen to skip the visa and just appear at the border to seek entry. All the visa does is dramatically increase your chances of being granted entry; not having it doesn't dramatically decrease your chances. If you don't get a visa and you get asked about the refusal, then just be straight and explain what the problem was and why it's no longer a problem.

If you were refused entry last week then I'd have a different view.

Hope that helps.

[Wanderer]

You could do the same again next time to eliminate any doubt, but you are within your rights as a US/AUS citizen to skip the visa and just appear at the border to seek entry

Not with a previous refusal/denial of entry. You must formally apply.

[Sudanim]

Sorry Wanderer, I respectfully disagree. Neither the US nor Australia are visa mandatory countries. If a person has a previous refusal (or anyone else for that matter) and wishes to obtain prior Entry Clearance (as a visa for non visa nationals is more correctly called), they may if they wish choose pay a fee and obtain it before travel.

But there is no requirement to obtain that entry clearance if the traveller is coming from a non visa mandatory country as a visitor - it's just a good idea to get it if a traveller has doubts on their admissibility.

The OPs refusal was years ago and I'd be willing to bet the circumstances that led to the refusal then have no bearing on his current circumstances.

[schererjd]

Thanks both!

Because I applied for and received the visa last time I travelled to the UK I'm going to assume they believe the issues which justified my refusal are water under the bridge (so to speak).

I can't imagine that a single refusal in 2013 means that, for the rest of my life, I have to apply for a holiday visa. And, Sudanim, I think you're right that, while I may get a big hung up and have to have a sit down with them this next time, an explanation will sort it all out.

Thanks!