I’m an American citizen who will be studying abroad in the UK for less than 6 months and not working, so I don’t need to get a Student Visa. If I’m in the UK without a Visa, will there be trouble getting back into England if I leave? Also, will I need to apply for a short-stay visa to get into France?
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3When you entered the UK, UK Immigration put an entry stamp in your US passport. Please take a picture of that stamp, and attach the picture to your question using the "Edit" button below the question, then the "Moon and Mountains" button that appears above the resulting text entry page.– DavidRecallsMonicaCommented Dec 6, 2022 at 20:09
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I have not entered the UK yet, but I can update this post with that once I go. I’m assuming my re-entry if I leave to go to france would vary based on what stamp I get?– leftcliqueCommented Dec 6, 2022 at 23:35
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4@DavidSupportsMonica When you entered the UK, UK Immigration put an entry stamp in your US passport most US citizens will not get their passport stamped anymore (nor anyone else from a country eligible for the ePassport gates).– MJeffryesCommented Dec 8, 2022 at 10:26
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1 Answer
When you arrive at UK border control, you could be interviewed by an agent to ascertain whether your visit indeed meets the criteria for visa-free entry for US citizens. This could be a short, perfunctory "What are you here for?" - "Studying for less than 6 months" - "Carry on then"; but you could also be required to show relevant documents, evidence of sufficient funds, etc. While the vast majority of US citizens will face no issues entering the UK, refusal of entry is a possibility. It may also be the case that you just scan your passport at an electronic gate and enter the country without even speaking to a border officers.
When you show up at the French border, it is pretty much the same deal. As a US citizen, you can enter the Schengen-area for the purpose of tourism for up to 90 days in any 180 day period. But this is not an unassailable right, and you could again be refused entry if the border officer does not believe you're really there for Tourism, or that you'll leave as expected, or that you have enough funds to sustain you. The vast majority of US citizens travelling to Schengen will never have any problems, but there exceptions.
Once you return to the UK from France, you're back in the first situation. That you've already entered before would be relevant to how the interview goes, but it wouldn't change anything about the process itself.
