[maralions]

Hi all,

My sister's US boyfriend has come to visit her in the UK. She is a UK citizen. He came into the UK on the 15th Dec, and they both went to Nigeria on the 15th Jan. He is in the UK for 3 weeks getting some emergency dental treatment, but will be going back to Nigeria until they both return on the 15th April.

We are all confused about his visa. All we can find is that his tourist visa in the UK is valid for 6 months. However, is that 6 months from the 15th December, i.e. until mid-June, regardless of the fact that he has been in Nigeria for most of this time, or is it a total of 6 months in the UK, i.e. 6 months plus any additional time in Nigeria, meaning that he has until around September (1 month 15th Dec-Jan, plus 3 weeks medical, plus another 4 months for arguements sake)? Or does his 6 months restart once he leaves the UK for Nigeria and returns, meaning that he has 6 months from the 15th April when they both get back from Nigeria?

Depending on the answer the above, what does he have to do once his 6 months in the UK (whatever form those months take) are up if he wants to stay longer, or return? Does he have to return to the US to get another visa for 6 months, or does he simply have to leave the UK and go back again (as in with the case of it restarting above)? If this is the case, they are taking a short trip to Florence in May; would he have another 6 months from then?

We are all really confused! Any light that can be shed on this would be brilliant.

Thanks!

Sara

 

[maralions]

Visitor's leave to enter (the stamp in his passport) is only single-entry, so expires as soon as he leaves UK, so has already lapsed. To re-enter UK, he will have to get a new leave stamped on arrival in UK. Since he has only been in UK for one month (carry some document to prove this, such as boarding card for the outward flight to Nigeria and Nigerian entry stamp in his passport), it shouldn't be too diffficult, provided he meets all the requirements as a visitor and he will leave when he says he will. So he should show his return ticket or e-ticket receipt/itinerary to US, evidence of ties such as job, course of study or family responsibility and enough funds to maintain himself without working. As he is travelling with your sister, she can vouch for it but since passengers of different nationality are often separated, he should carry a letter of invitation from her and her bank statement showing sufficient balance - she may be able to print one out in Nigeria.

As for how long he can stay from April, that is at the discretion of immigration officer, but generally it's 6 months in any 12. So he may get full 6 months or somewhat shorter, and if he has a return date, the leave may only be valid till then.

OK so he is in the UK now but going back to Nigeria in a couple of days... what should I tell him to do? Should he get this stamp on his outward journey to Nigeria, or on his return journey back to the UK?

Sara