[Paigestanton]

I'm from canada and I lived in Wiltshire for 2 years under the youth mobility visa which expired at the beginning of 2016. I've come back to stay for 6 months without a visa and got a stamp in my passport at Gatwick that says "leave to remain for 6 months" buuut my boyfriend and I just went to amsterdam for 2 nights and when we came back into bristol I got another stamp in my passport that says "leave to remain for 6 months" again??? they did ask me a million questions and made me prove that I have a flight home in August (which would be at the end of the original 6 months). So, does anyone have any experience with this or know whether or not that actually allows me another 6 months or will it be a drama next time i come back?

thaaaank you!!

 

[clever-octopus]

The standard procedure is to grant you leave for six months per visit. You have leave to remain for the time allowed to you on the stamp. However, it's up to you to make sure you're not making prolonged or frequent visits to the UK. Whilst it's possible that you could stay for 5 months, leave for a month, and then get another 6 month stamp, if you are in the UK for more than 6 months in a year, you will probably encounter serious resistance on any subsequent visit.

If you are sticking to your original plans and not spending more than 6 months in the UK in a 12-month period, you should not have any issues, but you should not expect to visit again until next year at earliest.

 

[Joppa]

The Border Force Officer can only give you 6 months or nothing. As it's a once-only leave, it expires the moment you depart from UK. But you are still bound by your original request to stay for 6 months, and you are expected to leave for home as per your original plan. It would make life easier if they had the choice of granting shorter leave, such as two weeks, one month, two months etc based on individual situation, but it's an option nor open to them. So they have to stamp you in for further 6 months, but you aren't suppose to misuse it and just prolong your stay in UK. This will get you into trouble down the line.