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I'm currently on a 3-month visitor visa in Denmark. A few weeks ago, I bought a return ticket and flew to London to meet my British boyfriend.

On my arrival at Heathrow, I was detained for almost 6 hours and, after being interviewed, was told that Immigration thought I was going to seek employment in the UK, as I have no job back home in Namibia, and that I was not a genuine visitor. They did contact my boyfriend to let him know that I was being sent back. I was fingerprinted and had my photo taken and was put on the next flight to Denmark. A page in my passport now has a black x-mark across a stamp.

Now, I want to plan a Christmas shopping trip to London.

Will I be allowed to enter the UK?

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    You'll probably want to actually get a proper visitor visa next time you visit since you've now got the previous removal on your record (and passport.)
    – Roddy of the Frozen Peas
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 16:59
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    Not a duplicate, the OP wasn't removed to their country and isn't (presumably) going home before a 2nd attempt
    – Gayot Fow
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:01
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    @user568458 In three words, "It's very unlikely." Unless the asker's circumstances have significantly changed since being refused entry, trying again would just be gambling on a different entry officer making a different judgement. Note that Gayot's answer, which you refer to, says "You need a really good reason" to try to visit the UK again without applying for a visa.
    – David Richerby
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:18
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    @pnuts Are we talking about the same answer? The one that says, " ...it takes 5 - 7 days. That gives you plenty of time for a decision in advance of Christmas"? If you're confident that no is the correct answer, why not stand by it and post it as an answer?
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:26
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    @DavidRicherby emphatically agree with you, but now it seems the provoking comment has been deleted :(
    – Gayot Fow
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 20:32

2 Answers 2

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You were removed from Heathrow...

let him know that I was being sent back. I was fingerprinted and had my photo taken and was put on the next flight to Denmark. A page in my passport now has a black x-mark across a stamp.

This sounds all very standard and normal. You failed your landing interview and the IO believed that you were a flight risk so he would not give you temporary admission. They will keep your biometrics on file for 12 years and tell the Americans about the incident. Denmark already knows about it and has likely informed their friends in the EEA. Your transcript will include the part about having a boyfriend in the UK (that can work for you or against you depending upon how you play it).

Now, I want to plan a Christmas shopping trip to London. Will be allowed to enter the UK?

Namibian nationals do not require a visa to enter the UK beforehand and nothing prevents your making another attempt. The 'best practices' solution, however, is to obtain an entry clearance beforehand. Doing so removes the chances of wasted airfares and the distress of another port side removal.

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You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or
you've previously been refused entry into the UK.

It's not a rule, it's a suggestion only. Some people (including me) put this suggestion in the 'heavy-handed' suggestions category, which means you need a really good reason to decline their suggestion. You can apply for entry clearance from the gateway at Apply for a UK visa.. Once printed, applications are taken to the VFS in Copenhagen and transmitted to Lunar House for a decision; it takes 5 - 7 days. That gives you plenty of time for a decision in advance of Christmas. And the Christmas Sales won't start until the 27th anyway.

Note that even if they refuse an entry clearance application, you can still catch a flight and take your chances with the duty Immigration Officer. Nobody can predict the outcome of a landing interview, but in the scenario you have described, the odds are forever not in your favour.

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    Great answer, might be worth adding a link to the page (FCO?) you took that screengrab from? Presumably when you say "depending on how you play it" it might be positive or negative you mean whether what they say in future is consistent with or contradicts this as their reason (e.g. "I want to go xmas shopping with bf" - good, "I want to go xmas shopping" - bad?)
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:20
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    Thanks. What's "acco" in this context? Not seen the term before and google isn't helping
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:27
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    @user568458 accommodation. Please see travel.stackexchange.com/questions/51849/… for some info
    – Gayot Fow
    Commented Nov 28, 2016 at 18:29
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    If the primary reason for failing their landing interview was that the interviewer believed they were looking for a job, would I be correct that it would be helpful for the OP to provide plenty of documentation of how they're supported financially? Is that worth mentioning if so?
    – jpmc26
    Commented Nov 29, 2016 at 5:13
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    @jpmc26 Indeed, very much. Even though removal instructions are a lot less nuanced than refusal notices, we still need to see it before fixing on the Border Force's removal grounds. Please see meta.travel.stackexchange.com/questions/3788/…
    – Gayot Fow
    Commented Nov 29, 2016 at 6:56
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Gayot's answer pretty much covers it; however, I would like to add that, if you want to save the money it costs to apply for a UK visa, you should definitely wait until you've secured a job in Namibia, thereby massively strengthening your ties to that country.

If you do make another attempt visa-free, bring documentation such as your employment contract and bank statement, as well as a return flight confirmation and a letter of invitation from your boyfriend stating the duration and motive of your stay. That way, you can show your ties to Namibia if taken aside for secondary inspection (which is likely to happen, given your previous leave refusal)

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