Delayed at the UK border because someone with the same name had been refused a visa
- By
- Aparna Patel
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- 20 Jul, 2023
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The other answers address the problem where you got upset. However, you ask how to address this in the future?
You can now describe your previous experience
When the border agent asks you a question about being denied a visa or the like, calmly tell them what happened: "I’ve never been denied a visa, but I had this problem in the past. When I tried to enter the country in October 2022 at Heathrow, the border officer needed to do some additional checks. He told me somebody else who had the same name had visa problems. They ascertained it was a different person, and I was allowed to enter. You might have to do some similar checking."
This gives the border agent a path they should check on, and provides facts, like previous entry dates, they can verify. It also shows you’re cooperative and appreciate their work, by acknowledging there may be a delay.
Am I going to experience this all the time at the UK border now? Is there a way to make sure this doesn’t happen in the future?
I doubt anyone on this board can answer the question of if you’re going to experience this at the border again. You can make a request for information. This may enlighten you as to why your name was linked with this other person or tell you nothing.
I have not requested this myself but it does say under ‘Specific’ you can request ‘a particular interview record’. The content of this might put your mind at ease.
This is taken from the this link Request personal info
Remember that entering another country as a foreign national is not a right: it’s a privilege. Immigration officers have immense discretionary powers and can refuse entry without reason.
Your passport triggered a secondary check. This happens. It took 10mins for the officer to check and double check you were who you claimed you were and not another person. That’s all.
Keep in mind that the immigration officer is not particularly interested in wasting your and his/her time: they want to catch bad guys, not delay random people legitimately trying to enter the UK. If this is a recurring situation, ask if an annotation can be placed in your file when entering the UK: everybody will the better for it, especially the immigration agents.
You are not being "penalized for someone else’s problem". Immigration did not do this deliberately. The immigration officer had this other person’s record come up when they processed you, and needed to check whether you were that person or not. You may have had a different passport number, date of birth etc. from that person, but unfortunately people change their passports, lie about their birthdates, etc. He would have had to check whether you were the same person or not.
People are human and make mistakes. A ten minute delay while they check is not a bad outcome. It’s unlikely you can do anything about it. But it is also unlikely that someone with the same name as you will have recently had a visa refused the next time you visit.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘