If you are currently working in the UK on a UK work visa you are no doubt abundantly aware of when this visa will run out. The process of immigration into the UK is structured in such a way that you would have to be lacking in vital minerals to not know a round about date of when your UK visa is going to expire. Are people that forgetful? It is possible I suppose. This as you could imagine is a common occurrence for those posturing in a position of authority within UK immigration, similar to the school teacher that questions the pupil on why he is late or the dog on why he chose that particular cellulose pulp, mainly derived from wood, to have for his breakfast. It is of course bound to happen sooner or later, the latter being the operative word for those in this predicament.

The situation, although easily avoided, is where some forgetful souls find themselves. In a foreign land and not legally entitled to be there. Arggghhh exclamation mark, exclamation mark. I am now officially a government statistic they say to all their friends that know of what they talketh. Nights are filled with a restless, morose, melancholy sleep, punctuated only by moments of sheer terror that the UK version of the KGB are knocking at the door and they aren’t here to discuss the matter.

It is very easy to fall into this trap, another common side effect of just this situation is to put your head under a considerable amount of sand or find God and spend an inordinate amount of time in the church, reasoning that it is the sacred orifice of the Lord and UK immigration cannot enter with intentions to remove anyone from the country within the parapet of the altar.

It’s Official

The official advice from the UK border agency, if you are to find yourself in this situation, is of course to contact them. This can fill many an ‘illegal immigrant’ with palpitations of the large vein (the one that runs from the side of the forehead and disappears only to re-appear down the side of the neck.) There are of course stories of people simply being whisked off the streets, in some sort of movie caper involving the Gestapo and fast moving cars, however, cases that involve the individual being deported are judged on their individual merits. An example would be to compare a person that had been living in the country illegally for 20 years to a person who has just realised their visa ran out a week ago, also neither will be bundled into a car without a word, well maybe just 2-words.

In this situation of prevention is better than cure, that’s to say when you arrive at a fork in the road without the mandatory automobile function of reverse, it would be advisable to seek a resolution as soon as possible. The use of UK immigration advisors in cases such as these can be a huge benefit to the client’s state of mind.

Liam Clifford, the Managing Director of Global Visas confirms this;

“You are likely to be re-assured of the exact realities your situation entails, either good or bad. This is good as you can then move forward in a manner that is not filled with worry or anxiety.”


Other crucial dates that are very rare to forget include; your wedding day, your birthday, the first day of a new job and the weekend