UK debt living in UAE and wants to visit UK

[ramkhan]

I lived in UK for 7 years.

I had couple of credit cards and a loan total worth 35000/- GBP

I stopped paying my installments and credit card payments from March 2004.

Left UK in 2005.

I want to apply for visit visa to go back to my old fellows and spend some time with them for a week.

I am confused and scarred to apply forvisit visa here in UAE at UK embassy but my friend has confirmed my that no body will ask about my old debts.

Also, I am scarred of being caught at heathrow the time i will land there.

I would like someone to guide me that applying for a visa wouldnt harm my status in UAE and the UK embassy in UAE will not contact my employer here in UAE to complain about my debts in UK.

If in case i get a visit visa for UK, immigration authorities at heathrow will not catch me and take me to court or jail for my debts.

I want experts advise. Thank you.

[acerbic]

Hi Ramkhan, You will not be stopped at Heathrow. These debts are Statute Barred if the last payment was made in 2004. These debts sound like civil matters to me and as such, Immigration wouldn't be interested. I don't even think these debts would appear on your credit file now as they are six years old.

Come and see your friends without worrying.

 

Hope this helps

[heliosfa]

Hi Ramkhan and welcome to CAG.

 

as acerbic has already said, you have nothing to worry about.

 

Civil debts can't wind you up in prison because they are "civil" and not "criminal" - the UK stopped jailing debtors a very very very very long time ago. Imigration will not worry themselves with a civil matter and it wont stop you getting a visa.

 

Thanks,

H

[ramkhan]

Thanks Acerbic and Heliosfa. Couple of things are still borthering me which I guess would go away after having few more advises from experts like you.

 

1. Visa officer would definitely require my employers address and email ID since its required as per their application form and I am worried if they will complain to my immediate boss or employer that your employee owed money from couple of banks in UK.

2. In case my visa is approved or rejected, does my name will be forwarded to debt collector companies in UK that such person is living in UAE and this is his address helping debt collector companies to follow up for their payments/loans OR the debt collector companies will contact their correspondents here in UAE to catch me or start following up for payments by contacting my employer or by writing me a letter to pay their dues.

3. Lets assume I have been granted a visa and I landed at heathrow and after couple of weeks I am back from UK to UAE, is there any chanses of being trapped down by the banks to whom I owe money or debt collectors.

 

Looking forward for your advises. Thanks & Regards

[acerbic]

1. Visa officer would definitely require my employers address and email ID since its required as per their application form and I am worried if they will complain to my immediate boss or employer that your employee owed money from couple of banks in UK.

Visa officer would have nothing to do with it, why would he know about your debts, anyway, these debts are statute barred so probably wouldn't even appear on a credit file, (if you even have one here).

 

2. In case my visa is approved or rejected, does my name will be forwarded to debt collector companies in UK that such person is living in UAE and this is his address helping debt collector companies to follow up for their payments/loans OR the debt collector companies will contact their correspondents here in UAE to catch me or start following up for payments by contacting my employer or by writing me a letter to pay their dues.

 

Again, the immigration officer wouldn't have any idea about you credit history.

 

3. Lets assume I have been granted a visa and I landed at heathrow and after couple of weeks I am back from UK to UAE, is there any chanses of being trapped down by the banks to whom I owe money or debt collectors

 

as above. Immigration would not pass any information to debt collectors.

 

Hope this helps

[heliosfa]

Thanks Acerbic and Heliosfa. Couple of things are still borthering me which I guess would go away after having few more advises from experts like you.

 

1. Visa officer would definitely require my employers address and email ID since its required as per their application form and I am worried if they will complain to my immediate boss or employer that your employee owed money from couple of banks in UK.

2. In case my visa is approved or rejected, does my name will be forwarded to debt collector companies in UK that such person is living in UAE and this is his address helping debt collector companies to follow up for their payments/loans OR the debt collector companies will contact their correspondents here in UAE to catch me or start following up for payments by contacting my employer or by writing me a letter to pay their dues.

3. Lets assume I have been granted a visa and I landed at heathrow and after couple of weeks I am back from UK to UAE, is there any chanses of being trapped down by the banks to whom I owe money or debt collectors.

 

Looking forward for your advises. Thanks & Regards

 

I agree with Acerbic and have one thing to add: The Data Protection Act would prevent imigration telling any companies that you are back. It also prevents any companies contacting your employer and revealing personal information about you.

 

as I have said, credit card debts etc. are civil, not Criminal and law enforcement will not and cannot get involved in civil disputes.

 

Thanks,

H

[ramkhan]

In application form for UK visit visa, National Insurance Number is required, apparently I have misplaced the same since its never been used for ages. Do I really have to present or write my NI number in the form if Yes then how can I track the same since I lost the number. Need guidance.

[cerberusalert]

If you still can't find your number, you can ask HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to confirm it by:

 

completing and returning form CA5403

 

contacting the National Insurance Registrations Helpline on 0845 915 7006 (lines open 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday)

 

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kbroker/hmrc/forms/viewform.jsp?formId=3643

 

HMRC cannot confirm your National Insurance number by telephone. They will write to you instead.

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/individuals/change-of-circs.htm#3

Edited January 26, 2011 by cerberusalert

[theoldgit]

I used to work for the UKBA and I can confirm that any debts you have in the UK, be they statute barred or not, would not affect your ability to be granted a visit visa.

 

Providing you can prove that the visit is genuine and affordable and that, on the balance of probabilties, you will comply with your visa and leave the UK on time then you will be issued a visa. If you are issued with a visa it will be in your passport and the UKBA database, it certainly wouldn't be passed onto any third parties.

 

The Entry Clearance Officer will want to see proof that you can afford the trip, wage slips, bank statements and the like, and that you will return to your country of residence, proof of employment is good for this, that's why they want your employers details as they sometimes check.

 

There is absolutly no chance of you being refused entry into the UK or detained because of any debts you may have, the system simply isn't in place to do it, the only caveat to that would be if the debts were fraudulenty obtained and criminal action was possible, but even that is unlikely unless there is a warrant for your arrest.

 

There is also no chance that an ECO would advise your employer of any debts, the UKBA wouldn't know unless you told them.

Edited January 29, 2011 by theoldgit
typo

[ramkhan]

Thanks Acerbic, Heliosfa and theoldgit for your advises. Since I got a visa and planning to visit London soon, please advise me if i have to be careful with anything in terms of my old debts. I will be greatful if you give me some advises if necessary. Once again thanks for your suggestions.

[cerberusalert]

please advise me if i have to be careful with anything in terms of my old debts.

Your creditors will not know that you are in the UK unless you open a bank a/c or apply for credit.

[ramkhan]

Please guide me if it is safe to use UAE credit cards in the UK when one know that he/she has debts in UK. The reason I am asking this is to clear my thoughts of not being caught by debt collectors if they find that Mr _______ (our old debtor) is using UAE credit card in the UK. And further they will not contact my new credit card issuer/bank for my contact details and start sending my recovery notices of my old debts in UK.

[cerberusalert]

Please guide me if it is safe to use UAE credit cards in the UK when one know that he/she has debts in UK.

Perfectly safe yes. They do not have access to any information like that.

[GuidoT]

Ramkhan, the way the UAE and UK treat debts is entirely different. Not paying debts is generally not a crime here.

 

You certainly do not get put in prison for 30 days here for not honouring (bouncing) a cheque like you would over in the UAE.

[William415]

You certainly do not get put in prison for 30 days here for not honouring (bouncing) a cheque like you would over in the UAE.

 

Seriously?? I'm surprised 1/2 the population isn't in jail...

[GuidoT]

That is serious, you do not write out a cheque in the UAE you cannot honour, unless you like prison.

 

You bounce a cheque and straight to prison for 30 days, there are no mitigating circumstances.

 

That is not to say that everyone pays their bills out there on time - far from it; they are just very careful with cheques.

Edited February 10, 2011 by GuidoT

[cerberusalert]

You bounce a cheque and straight to prison for 30 days, there are no mitigating circumstances.

Even worse... don't try to leave the country either.

[imranm]

Hi i was in Uk from 2003-06 as a student. When i left i had 1700 pounds on my credit card debts which i use to pay monthly after leaving Uk also and till 2009 i paid off like 1200 pounds. Then for 3 months project i was in africa and couldnt access my account online. I later realised that my credit cared company as given my debt to credit security and since i am not in Uk they can not trace me. Now i want to go back to Uk for a holiday and am planning to apply for a visa. Do you think there could be any problem with the immigration office as the debt is quite new and could i be held at heathrow ...Please advice me..

cheers

[imranm]

Hi i was in Uk from 2003-06 as a student. When i left i had 1700 pounds on my credit card debts which i use to pay monthly after leaving Uk also and till 2009 i paid off like 1200 pounds. Then for 3 months project i was in africa and couldnt access my account online. I later realised that my credit cared company as given my debt to credit security and since i am not in Uk they can not trace me. Now i want to go back to Uk for a holiday and am planning to apply for a visa. Do you think there could be any problem with the immigration office as the debt is quite new and could i be held at heathrow ...Please advice me..

cheers

[theoldgit]

There is absolutly no chance of you being refused entry into the UK or detained because of any debts you may have in the UAE, the system simply isn't in place to do it.Whilst an Immigration Officer will swipe your passport at the port of entry it's only to check you against a warnings index, this covers things like terrorists, international arrest warrants, people wanted by the police in the UK and previous immigration offenders. Whilst what you describe may be an offence in the UAE, it will not cause you a problem unless there is an international arrest warrant for you.I don't know what nationality you are, but you mention applying for a visa, you will be granted a visa if you can convince the Entry Clearance Officer that the visit is genuine, affordable and that you will leave the UK at the conclusion of your holiday. I'm assuming you are not currently in, or intending passing through, the UAE on your way to the UK, that could cause you a problem.

[theoldgit]

I have just re-read your post again and note that you are concerned about a UK debt. UK debts are civil matters and will not be on the UK Database, so you will not be held at Heathrow.

[imranm]

Hi Oldgit,

 

Sorry if i might have confused you. My credit card debts are with the UK bank and not UAE ....i am going to UK and not passing UAE....My nationality is Indian and will be applying for my visa here...and the question was whether the UK visa officer or the UK immigration officer at the airport will know anything about my debts....Cheers

[theoldgit]

No on both counts, the ECO (that's the person who decides on your visa application) will know nothing about any debts in the UK. As I say all you have to do is prove that the trip is affordable, and that you will return home.Likewise there are no facilities at the border for the Immigration Officer to know if you have any debts, as I say they do swipe your passport and you are checked against a warnings index, but that's only for serious matters and not civil matters like debts.

[cerberusalert]

the question was whether the UK visa officer or the UK immigration officer at the airport will know anything about my debts....Cheers

No.

[imranm]

Thank you very much theoldgit,

 

I really appreciate your help....Do you think the debt collection agencies like credit security can get a warrant issued in my name ?? which can reflect at the heathrow systems...

and when i reach UK do you suggest it would be easy to clear off my debts with these agencies as i want to pay off the 500-600 pound left on my name ...