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enter image description here I arrived to UK on 19th December 2020, and at the border control after the general questions that why I came as a visitor she asked me for a return flight (It was to Italy for March 2021)the officer told me that I was allowed to stay until the day of my return flight and that was given a week extra in case my flight was cancelled and putted a stamp in my passport that says ''Enter to leave until 11th march 2020'' and down below the entry 19th dec 2020. So the date was wrong!

Now due the circumstances with covid Im not travelling to Italy because they dont allow visitors, I want to stay longer in the UK until measures are relaxed to travel... Im argentine and dont need a visa for UK and i'm supposed to be allowed for 6 months as a visitor. So I call the immigration office and he just said '' that stamp is irrelevant because you can stay 6 months here that means until June, and the stamp date is actually wrong'' But I dont want to be in trouble in the future...Does anyone now if its actually possible to extend this date that I ve been allowed to stay? Someone with this experience? Or knowledge to advice?

Thanks in advance :)

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    Related travel.stackexchange.com/questions/101132/… . I think writing 2020 instead of 2021 is a small mistake that will be overlooked. However, if you overstay your leave to enter period, that might be counted as overstay according to linked answer. I think you should post a cropped pic of your entry stamp for better answers.
    – RedBaron
    Feb 11, 2021 at 12:00
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    You could try requesting details of your immigration history to check whether you were in fact given limited entry rather than the usual up to 6 months stay visa-free gov.uk/government/publications/…
    – Traveller
    Feb 11, 2021 at 12:21
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    @Traveller The point is that the "leave to enter until" date is before the entry date.
    – DJClayworth
    Feb 11, 2021 at 15:55
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    @DJClayworth Which leaves the OP relying on a phone conversation that contradicts the verbal leave date given when the OP entered. I think it’s sufficiently unusual for 6 months’ visa-free entry to be curtailed to make me wonder what the original IO recorded in Immigration records, and to make it worthwhile requesting the free immigration history check. Depends how risk-averse the OP is, I guess
    – Traveller
    Feb 11, 2021 at 17:23
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    @Nanoosh it's unusual because the standard grant of leave is six months. That is, visa-exempt visitors are usually given six months regardless of the actual planned duration of their stay. I've never visited the UK for longer than ten days, but on all my UK entry stamps, the IO crossed out "until" and wrote "six months," thereby granting "leave to enter for six months."
    – phoog
    Feb 12, 2021 at 13:21

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Based on the information given in your question, and despite the confusion over the date stamp, it seems entirely possible that the Immigration Officer intended to restrict your leave to enter (which they are allowed to do), giving you 3 months instead of the standard 6 months normally granted to a non-visa national.

If this is indeed the case, you are expected to take all reasonable steps to leave the UK by the date your leave to enter expires. You may be able to apply to regularise your stay in the UK by submitting a request for “exceptional assurance”. This is currently only available to people who have a visa or leave that expires between 1 January 2021 and 28 February 2021, however the cut-off date has been extended previously and could well be further extended.

To submit a request, email [email protected] with the following details:

  • full name

  • date of birth

  • nationality

  • Home Office, GWF or any other reference number

  • type of visa

  • expiry date of visa

  • reason for request

The subject header of your email should read “Request for an assurance”. In your email you should attach evidence to show why you cannot leave the UK. Given that travelling on to Italy is not an option, you may need to explain why you cannot return to your country of citizenship/residence instead.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents

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  • If OP does not get exceptional assurance and they do not leave by the stamped date, does that make them an over-stayer? What possible consequences are they looking at then?
    – RedBaron
    Feb 12, 2021 at 7:07
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    @RedBaron Yes, it does. Possible consequences are the same as for any overstay: deportation if the OP doesn’t leave voluntarily; denial of visa-free entry on future visits and/or re-entry ban, depending on the length of the overstay.
    – Traveller
    Feb 12, 2021 at 8:45

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