Friday, October 5, 2007

UK Immigration

Ok so the flight lands on time, a very smooth landing, but what happens next wasn't so smooth after all.

The immigration control at Heathrow Terminal 4 leaves a lot to be desired. The gentleman I got was a brain dead (rear ended) who probably couldn't tell what hit him. While I had come to visit my relatives for the occasion of Eid, my intent to visit my mother was also apparent with my extended stay since she could not make it to London in November, but in December. So it would have been prudent of me to stay for 2 months as opposed to flying back and forth and spending an extra $600.00 for a flight.

Anyway, so he asks me why I am here, and if I had any money. Sure I did, I told him - $2.00 in my wallet. Then he aks how will I support myself if I had no job - but I told him I had my business for over 4 years, and our family had enough to sustain me, at least my father did. What's it to him? After much questioning, as if I was a damn terrorist, he says I was not allowed to enter the UK again for a 'considerable amount of time'.

He sounded like he was the father of all immigration rules, laws, and constituitions. Who the hell are you to tell me when to visit my relatives & family? And what if I was well off and didn't need to work for the rest of my life? Would that be an automatic bar to the United Kingdom?

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