Stopped at Airport

[Harry438]

Hi Guys,

Got a query regarding the stop at airport, basically i am on spouse visa and have recently had my 2nd spouse visa extension and while returning form holiday few months back i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back, its just embarrassing that i have to sit that way. Is there any way i can try and resolve this issue happening again and again ? I never had any refusals in the past just had my tier 2 curtailed but it was with the grace period that i found the new employer.

Also i plan to travel soon with my partner(British citizen) and is there by any chance they can detain me as this is the sense of fear i have back in mind even though many people told me they can't detain as i have valid visa.

Thanks

[Edwardo]

If it makes you feel better I am a British citizen and I was regularly detained at airports here until I turned 40 and cut my hair

There is no pattern or guarantee you can stop this. I used to ask when they had checked things what the issue was and did get told once or twice that it was purely based on random criteria (age group, travelling with no hold baggage....that ((no hold luggage)) and being young and arriving from outside Europe always freaked immigration out).


So my advice is keep cool, smile and ask what the issue was/is next time. They may tell you, may not.


But trust me, it happens to everyone.

[Harry438]

Thanks edwardo, last time when i was stopped, the officer mentioned that she has rectified and should be ok from now on, the only question i have is during this process can they detain me at all even though i have legitimate docs and followed the entire process.

If it makes you feel better I am a British citizen and I was regularly detained at airports here until I turned 40 and cut my hair

There is no pattern or guarantee you can stop this. I used to ask when they had checked things what the issue was and did get told once or twice that it was purely based on random criteria (age group, travelling with no hold baggage....that ((no hold luggage)) and being young and arriving from outside Europe always freaked immigration out).


So my advice is keep cool, smile and ask what the issue was/is next time. They may tell you, may not.


But trust me, it happens to everyone.

[Marco_cristian]

Hi Guys,

Got a query regarding the stop at airport, basically i am on spouse visa and have recently had my 2nd spouse visa extension and while returning form holiday few months back i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back, its just embarrassing that i have to sit that way. Is there any way i can try and resolve this issue happening again and again ? I never had any refusals in the past just had my tier 2 curtailed but it was with the grace period that i found the new employer.

Also i plan to travel soon with my partner(British citizen) and is there by any chance they can detain me as this is the sense of fear i have back in mind even though many people told me they can't detain as i have valid visa.

Thanks

I believe a lot of frequent travellers in their 20's and mid 30's probably go through this irrespective of their nationality.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have been stopped for even longer periods than yourself so do not bother yourself about it much, on those occassions my travel documents were even suspended temporarily while they did their investigations about my trip etc

[vinny]

i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back,

10 minutes or so is surprisingly short, compared to the length of time in the queues.

[Marco_cristian]

i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back,

10 minutes or so is surprisingly short, compared to the length of time in the queues.

Absolutely, 10 mins is nothing. I have been kept there for much more longer than that on numerous occassions. All I did was travel overseas much frequently than (maybe) I am entitled to

[Harry438]

Thanks Marco, so you mean even if they stop there's nothing to worry as long as our documents and genuine . Its just i was only worried what if they can detain you and that is what is running back in my mind.

Hi Guys,

Got a query regarding the stop at airport, basically i am on spouse visa and have recently had my 2nd spouse visa extension and while returning form holiday few months back i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back, its just embarrassing that i have to sit that way. Is there any way i can try and resolve this issue happening again and again ? I never had any refusals in the past just had my tier 2 curtailed but it was with the grace period that i found the new employer.

Also i plan to travel soon with my partner(British citizen) and is there by any chance they can detain me as this is the sense of fear i have back in mind even though many people told me they can't detain as i have valid visa.

Thanks

I believe a lot of frequent travellers in their 20's and mid 30's probably go through this irrespective of their nationality.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have been stopped for even longer periods than yourself so do not bother yourself about it much, on those occassions my travel documents were even suspended temporarily while they did their investigations about my trip etc

[Harry438]

Agree vinny, but it shouldn't be a worry right, just wanted to know if they have a right to detain ? Documents from my side are genuine but its just you tend to think why they stop you when everything's fine and hence i think too much sometimes.

i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back,

10 minutes or so is surprisingly short, compared to the length of time in the queues.

[Marco_cristian]

It's not unusual, they stop a lot of British Nationals mostly male but female passangers are delayed as well.

Thanks Marco, so you mean even if they stop there's nothing to worry as long as our documents and genuine . Its just i was only worried what if they can detain you and that is what is running back in my mind.

Hi Guys,

Got a query regarding the stop at airport, basically i am on spouse visa and have recently had my 2nd spouse visa extension and while returning form holiday few months back i was stopped and made to sit for 10 min or so until the immigration officer went and did some checks before letting me go back, its just embarrassing that i have to sit that way. Is there any way i can try and resolve this issue happening again and again ? I never had any refusals in the past just had my tier 2 curtailed but it was with the grace period that i found the new employer.

Also i plan to travel soon with my partner(British citizen) and is there by any chance they can detain me as this is the sense of fear i have back in mind even though many people told me they can't detain as i have valid visa.

Thanks

I believe a lot of frequent travellers in their 20's and mid 30's probably go through this irrespective of their nationality.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have been stopped for even longer periods than yourself so do not bother yourself about it much, on those occassions my travel documents were even suspended temporarily while they did their investigations about my trip etc

[Londoner007]

Harry438 why do you keep thinking they will detain you?

[seagul]

I totally disagree from previous posters that they stop passengers depending on their age/gender rather in my opinion the immigration authorities has created notes in their system regarding certain individuals either British or non-British depending on their immigration history.

[Harry438]

I agree coz what i think in my case is i get stopped is because in the past i had tier 2 curtailed which is the only reason i can see they keep stopping me at the airport but i did change the visa within the agreed timeline after curtailment as apart from that i cannot think of any other thing.

I totally disagree from previous posters that they stop passengers depending on their age/gender rather in my opinion the immigration authorities has created notes in their system regarding certain individuals either British or non-British depending on their immigration history.

[Harry438]

I know i shouldn't be but its just i was reading elsewhere and it said they have right to exercise anything and hence i was worried if that happens in my case even though its all genuine.

Harry438 why do you keep thinking they will detain you?

[FXR_1340]

My wife (US Citizen) and I recently returned from USA and she was stopped at Immigration. We had passports, her BRP and our Marriage Certificate. Everything was in order. The asked my wife if she had ever overstayed etc. to which the answer was "No". We explained that we had withdrawn a FLR(M) application on the advice of Immigration Office in Glasgow when we attended in Jan 2018. We had a Marriage Visitor Visa and not a Fiance Visa and so could not switch to FLR(M). The IO said we could continue the form processing which will result in rejection or withdraw the application. We chose withdraw.

When returning from USA the IO at Glasgow Airport went off to do some checks he came back and said the computer had not been updated to reflect what had gone on.

The issue in the OP is not whether 10 mins delay is good or bad. The issue is why does it happen especially (in my case) when great effort was made to do things by the book and this is what happens.

The OP questions remains extant in that what can be done to ensure and confirm the Inmigration Office computer is accurate and permits travel without being "asked to wait"?

Eager to get views on my last paragraph.

[Londoner007]

Have documental proof with you is the only way