My Day At The Airport

[Canuck]

Before I begin, just let me say that although I am making this out to be a terrible day (which it was, and remains the worst day/days of my life) I am still healthy, have a beautiful fiancee in the UK, have a great family in Canada, have a good job, and 99% of the time love life. That being said, this was not fun at all.

This happened to me 2 weeks ago.

So, I traveled home to Canada for two weeks to visit my family. It was a nice stay and the fiancee and I had a good time.

Two Saturdays ago I flew from Halifax International Airport to London Heathrow, and then the plan was to fly from London to Glasgow where we live. That did not happen. Due to my visa being out of order, I was stopped at Heathrow, detained, photographed, fingerprinted, interviewed, and ultimately was refused entry into the UK and sent back to Canada where I currently am. Below is my entire story which I have emailed to numerous bodies and businesses in the UK. Rather than write the story again, I have just copied and pasted it.

I am a Canadian citizen and I traveled to the UK under a student visa in
August of 2004 to study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. When the
year was finished, I decided to return to Glasgow for the 2005-2006 school year.
Because my student visa had run out, and also because I was not permitted to work under it
anyway, I returned to Canada following my summer job and applied for another UK
visa.

In September 2005 I was granted a working holidaymakers visa. This allowed me to
live in the UK for two years, but only work for one. When I finally landed in
the UK and my disclosure papers (those papers which all teachers must have to
legally work in a school) had come through I began doing temporary supply work
in October 2005. Two weeks into doing supply work, I was given some work at
the school I am still currently at. They asked me to do long term supply for a teacher on
leave and I agreed. This job was later put up under a full time post for which I
applied and was given in December 2005.

I continued to teach through the year and following summer employment I returned
to Glasgow in August 2006. I knew my one year for working was coming to an end
in October, so I found out how to extend my stay. After searching through
websites and calling numerous numbers I contacted work permits UK, which had an
office in Sheffield. After getting information (over the phone, not in writing I
am afraid) I was told that because teaching is considered a work shortage
occupation, I could continue to teach as long as my work permit application was
being processed. I printed off the necessary forms from the internet and
actually helped my school's external relations officer by filling in some of the
information myself. The completed application was then sent off to Glasgow City
Council offices, and I continued to teach. (The completed forms were handed in
September 2006)

In April 2007, my fiancee and I traveled to Canada for a two week holiday with
my family over the Easter break. However, unknown to me, two days before we
left, the work permit application was returned to my school never having been
sent away to be processed. Following this break we were due to fly back to
the UK from Halifax to London, London to Glasgow. We left Halifax Saturday April
14th and arrived in London Sunday morning April 15th. When I attempted to go
through immigration I was stopped after the customs official had some questions
regarding my visa. I explained that my work permit was being processed and that
because teaching was on a shortage list, I was allowed to continue to work. He
tried to find this out but was unsuccessful. At this point I was detained and
brought to a holding room for photographs, fingerprinting, and interviews.

During the interviews I explained my situation and how I had been told that
teaching was a shortage occupation and as long as my application was being
processed, I could continue to work. They looked for said information, but after
being held for five hours, they told me that they could not find it, and I was
being put on a plane for Canada.

I flew from London to Montreal then Montreal to Halifax. I arrived in Halifax Sunday night and got a hotel room across the street from the airport. I had not showered or washed in almost 48 hours. I was never so glad to see a shower or bed in all my life

The next morning I took a 6 hour ride back to my home. However, because my luggage was not switched from the Glasgow flight to the Montreal flight so I wore the same clothes 4 days in a row. My luggage finally arrived Tuesday night.

All in all, the past week has been extremely frustrating. Since I got home I have figured a few things out.
1. The women on the phone gave me information for teachers in England, not Scotland. I know however that I said Scotland, as I phoned numerous times to ensure everything was in order.
2. The day after I was detained the work shortages law was changed to include Scottish teachers. If I had entered the UK the next day, I would have been allowed through.
3. Even though the law was changed, I cannot go back under the visa I had because it was canceled while at Heathrow.


I am currently awaiting my work permit from Glasgow (it should be posted to me by Wednesday or Thursday this week) and when I get it, I send it to Ottawa where I get an entry clearance visa.

And thats my story

[matt674]

see reading things like that really wind me up, they create these immigration laws in this country and claim that they want to keep out the "rif-raf" but allow the decent folk in and what happens?

oh wait - hang on the system works!!































Only joking mate - hope it all gets sorted soon.

p.s. can i now claim to be Blonde Pokerstars champion at BB2 seeing as how the actual winner was illegible all along?

[Dingdell]

Blimey - I bet you are one frustrated bloke.
having said that it's your own fault for going to scotland   

[tikay]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

[Dingdell]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

Tikay - why don't you recommend Canuk for a trip to the Russian airport .....you had a great time there......

[tikay]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

Tikay - why don't you recommend Canuk for a trip to the Russian airport .....you had a great time there......

Moscow Airport beats a CI any day.

[Dingdell]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

Tikay - why don't you recommend Canuk for a trip to the Russian airport .....you had a great time there......

Moscow Airport beats a CI any day.

So what you're saying is you would prefer to get plastic gloved by a russian man than CI'd - just to make sure I fully understand???!

[tikay]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

Tikay - why don't you recommend Canuk for a trip to the Russian airport .....you had a great time there......

Moscow Airport beats a CI any day.

So what you're saying is you would prefer to get plastic gloved by a russian man than CI'd - just to make sure I fully understand???!

No. I can out-talk Russian Immigration, but I can't out-talk a woman armed with some blunt device who wants to get all medieval with my arse.

[Dingdell]

That's horrible Canuck.

Just because the American Immigration folks treat we Brits so bad, is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

I hope you get sorted though fella,what a gruesome tale of bureaucracy gone bonkers.

Tikay - why don't you recommend Canuk for a trip to the Russian airport .....you had a great time there......

Moscow Airport beats a CI any day.

So what you're saying is you would prefer to get plastic gloved by a russian man than CI'd - just to make sure I fully understand???!

No. I can out-talk Russian Immigration, but I can't out-talk a woman armed with some blunt device who wants to get all medieval with my arse.

That's all you needed to say.

[doubleup]

is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

He's Canadian!

Thats like calling me English!


Canuck - sorry to hear about your probs.  No doubt your deportation will appear on some government stats to prove that the immigration service are doing a great job....

[tikay]

is no reason for us to treat Americans in a like manner.

He's Canadian!

Thats like calling me English!


Canuck - sorry to hear about your probs.  No doubt your deportation will appear on some government stats to prove that the immigration service are doing a great job....

There's a difference?

[MANTIS01]

Two major problems

1. You tried to do things by the book

2. At no point do you mention "human rights"

Getting into England is far easier if you just turn up without any genuine reason. If immigration give you any hassle just tell them that you fear returning to Canada as you will be persecuted for your sexuality/religious beliefs/political views/your allergy to maple syrup etc...You will then get a house, free-money and use of a Marbella time-share facility.

In all seriousness this country is completely bogged down by red-tape under this crack-pot Labour government so sorry to hear about your tale of woe. Maybe moving to Canada is an option you and the rest of us should seriously consider.

[Indestructable]

Just goes to show that there is allways someone worse off than yourself.
Have just had some bad news myself. I have been looking forward to a trip to Canada for ages and we are booked up to go at the end of May for 3 weeks to the Rockies. As well as Mrs Indy, I am taking my mum & dad along. Both are pensioners and will be quite a trip for them.
Today a doctor told Mrs Indy she has to go in for an operation on a slipped disc asap and to forget the holiday or words to that effect. I am gutted. 
So you are stuck in Canada and I am going to be stuck over here.

Good luck with the paper work hope it gets sorted.

[Royal Flush]

At least you will get back in, when i was living in the states a friend of mine went back home to Ireland when he came back to the US he was refused entry and there was no avenue for him to get back legally, he had been living and working there for 5 years and was now officially fucked!

On the plus side he owed some rent so got off that.....