One way ticket to London

Hi,
I have a few questions if anyone might be able to assist that would be awesome.

I've already had a working holidaymaker visa that expired end of Sept 07 and just got myself a ticket to go back over for the summer time to visit friends but I also plan on travelling around Europe after staying in England a couple of months (not working) and then making my way to Ireland and see about getting a WHV there.

I'm wondering if I need any sort of visitor visa for the UK just to say it's okay to go for 6 months/3 months or is that just a given when you arrive. I'm concerned I'm going to be questioned about not having a return ticket but I don't remember ever having been asked prior, maybe due to the fact I had a WHV when I went in and out before. I've read a bit about just having your story good and confirmed about travel plans and maybe buying an outbound flight for a few weeks later. Granted it will be Summer time and loads of people must travel around on one way tickets.

I'm currently looking in to if I have to apply from Canada for an Ireland WHV or if I can do it once arriving in Ireland or if I could send my passport back to Canada when in the UK requesting for the Ireland visa as I would like to stay in England for a while.

I'm also attempting to find out if there are any specific countries that would actually consider sponsoring a non highly skilled migrant to work for them in the UK or if those chances are basically unrealistic if I'm uneducated past brief post secondary.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'm actually seeking the same answers! I read somewhere (but I can't find it now) that you can enter the UK with a Canadian passport for 6 months maximum. You wouldn't be able to work, but that isn't a problem for you. Not sure if you would need a return ticket booked, but I don't think so.

Can someone confirm the length of stay allowed for a Canadian citizen in the UK?


A bit of an offshoot from this: I'm actually a British citizen by birth (born there in 85) but I don't have a UK passport. I'm planning to go there in the summer and would like to enter with my Canadian passport (to get a UK passport is approx $250) and then apply for a NI number using my birth certificate and proof of residence (plan to rent a place). Could anyone confirm that this plan would work?

Edit: there their they're still confusing

Hey Stuart,
Crazy we have the same question. I also read that it was 6 months but then I subscribe to this UK immigration website and it said they were looking in to cutting that down to 3 months but I think that might only be for non-commonwealth countries so we should be alright.

Other forums would lead me to believe a return ticket shouldn't be a problem though since I'm not doing anything wrong if I just want to visit and travel for a few months.

I got a NI number when I had a job offer when I showed up with my working holidaymaker visa. Could you maybe apply for that in canada, go over and work, then sort out your birthright visa when you're there? Employment offer is more important than proof of residence though, that's for sure. I needed the manager to write me a letter to HSBC as well to get me a bank account.
Lucky you that you were born there, I'm extremely jealous.

We should keep in touch if we're both planning a trip for this summer to the same area.
Can you link me to that UK immigration website? Is there a source that says that we can go for 6 months?

About the NI#, as far as I can tell you have to be in the UK to apply for it, so it's not quite like the passport. I was thinking that maybe I don't need a visa or UK passport if I have a birth certificate b/c I can just get a NI# with that and maybe a job offer or proof of residence. I'm not sure if I exactly NEED a visa or UK passport if I can successfully get a NI# by other means and enter as a Canadian citizen.

You didn't require a return ticket when you had your WHV as you were then moving in the country as a temporary resident (hence that you could spend time in Europe as well without having to justify how long you were travelling within their borders without returning to Canada as you could simply justify that you returned to England).

The problem being will be that you will most likely to be refused entrance to England with an expired WHV in your passport and some of my friends were refused entry just based on this. Some of the main reasons being that once you are in the country there is hardly any control unless you enroll into criminal activities and get caught, and you could take employment due to the fact that you received a NIN in the past which is valid for life.
Anyhow, you may expect doubtful questions at immigration. which will mainly depends of the mood of the officer you will meet.
I currently am on a WHV in England, which expires by the summer. I will then cross the Channel to other european country but make sure that all my paperwork, bank account and such are closed as I expect that I won't be allowed in the UK anymore until I change my passport.

@stuart, you could simply contact the diplomatic representation and get an Ancestry Visa to go with your passport. Then you have all legal rights to stay in the country as long as you want. I don't have much info about that as I am not a lucky one that can claim this but my flatmates here seems to have it fine.

That's some sound advice for whatsthisakiss -- I wouldn't risk getting refused entrance based on the mood of the officer! Yikes! Funny how arbitrary that is, but if you consider your position from their point-of-view, you really could be 'planning on staying there illegally' for a long time. Couldn't you just purchase a return ticket beforehand, and maybe if you change your travel plans just get the return ticket times changed? Maybe you could get an "open" ticket so you can book the flight later but have proof that a) you plan on leaving, and b) you have the money to do so (it's possible that if you enter without a return ticket the officer might think you intend to work for the money to pay for it).


About my situation, I don't actually qualify for an ancestry visa because my parents weren't born there. They had citizenships because they lived their for a long time, and I 'inherited' a citizenship when I was born there. Might just be easiest to get a UK passport, which I'm qualified for -- it just costs so much! Do you know if I can enter UK with a Canadian passport and apply for a NI# using my birth certificate, job offer and proof of residence?

Yeah, you definitely will need to be in the UK for the NI#. It was on the ukvisas website where I found that you don't require a visitor visa for commonwealth countries. But I didn't know that fact about the NI# being valid for life. Plus I do have an open bank account over there as well. Also the fact of being refused entry for having an expired WHV didn't cross my mind. I am renewing my passport so it won't show up in my new one, likely would when it was scanned through though.

I reckon I'll consider your option Stuart of an open ticket that I could change, or else I'll just apply for the Ireland working holiday visa when still in Canada and just postpone it by a few months after I arrive in the UK. That shouldn't be a problem as it still indicates that I'll be leaving. As that is the plan anyways at some point. That and I can just apply for jobs like crazy and hope for the best.

Stuart, that sucks about not being able to get the ancestry visa before hand but with a birth certificate i'm sure it'd totally be worth it when you get there to get it because if you really like it you can stay as long as you like, as was said, that and never would have to worry about going back and forth having dual citizenship in your future. I don't think you'd be able to get a job offer without having permission legally to work, which would also make the ancestry visa worthwhile. But once you have the job offer then can get the NI#.

Maplefanta, what did your friends do when they were refused entry to the UK then, fly over to Europe? Or go back home?

Stuart - I would get your passport, if you're eligible, as that's the easiest option to live and work here. It does sound expensive in Canada though (it's £72 if you do it here).

I'm really not sure of the legalities of working here if you've entered on your Canadian passport, even though you're a citizen. I think if you enter as a Canadian, you're treated as a visitor. That's a tricky one.

For those planning to travel on one-way tickets - it's usually more expensive to buy a one-way ticket. Might be better off to buy an open-ended ticket. Or buy a return and not just the return portion.

I am relatively sure Mari-mac is correct. if you enter on a canadian passport you unfortunately will be considered as a visitor. If you want to work and stay in the uk the cheapest and best option for you would be to apply for the british passport, it's really the simplist way all round.

My Canadian girlfriend had a two year WHV for UK and it expired last year. She has just returned and has been given a 6 month tourist visa no problem. But she was refused another WHV as you are only ever allowed one per country. But you can travel on tourists visas unlimitedly.

Hope this helps.