# I think I'm an illegal immigrant in the UK, what are my options?



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Ok. I was born in the USA, New York to be exact. When I was 18 in 2009 I had just graduated HS and got a fat inheritance check from a dead relative. I had no idea what I wanted for my future and had this idealized vision of Europe (ya know sipping tea in london, discussing philosophy in Parisian cafés, partying in Ibiza, spaghetti and romance in Italy) so I bought a plane ticket to Berlin and just lived my dream and traveled. About two months into my trip I wound up in London and I loved it, I met someone and I was finally figuring out what I wanted for my life. We would always hang out at this coffee shop in Clapham and there was a Filipino waitress who worked there. Me and her became friendly and we hung out a lot, she had been here for 11 years and wondered how she came to Britain in the first place because she wasn't ever married, wasn't an asylum seeker, and didn't particularly have a skill that was needed (like I said she was a waitress who worked in a south london coffee shop). It's rude to ask so I refrained, but my 6 month tourist visa in the UK was running out and I was in love (foolishly, it didn't work out lol). We didn't want to get married because we had just met a few months prior and even if we did we couldn't because we are both guys and gay marriage wasn't legal in the UK back then, as far as I knew. So I asked her and she told me that she came here on a student visa to learn English and then used an "immigration agent" to get her status legalised after the course was up. It sounded sketchy but I was young and stupid so I had her arrange for me to meet him. I thought it would be me meeting some dodgy character in an alleyway or something stereotypical but instead I was sent to an office in the City where I met with a very professional looking English dude who seemed very official and legit. He asked me a bunch of questions where I answered honestly, I'm not European but I'm of partial distant Italian descent on my dad's side and I have an Italian last name. He said I could get an Italian passport through ancestry which would enable me to live anywhere in the EU for as long as I'd like with the same rights as citizens. I didn't ask too much because that sounded awesome, paid him £750 and a couple of weeks later I picked up an Italian Passport with my real name, birthdate and picture on it. It looked real and I honestly believed that I was now an Italian citizen and could stay in Europe forever, like I said I was an idiot. Apparently it looked real enough because I went down to the Jobcentre office, got a National Insurance number, registered with the NHS, opened a bank account, got a drivers license, got a job and rented a flat. Soon the relationship deteriorated and I should've gone back to the US but I was for the first time enjoying my life and had my own place, a good social life, a good job so I stayed. I got a better job soon after (which I still have), bought a car, got a dog, and last year I purchased a one bedroom in a nice area. I haven't left the UK since I got my new passport except for a trip to Dublin last year which I didn't need a passport for because I came through a Northern Ireland, not out of fear of not getting back in (I thought I was legal) but because travel is expensive and although I make okay money, after I pay my bills and buy food and all that stuff I don't have a lot to put away for vacations, I also work a lot and in the free time I have I tend to just want to do nothing and relax. I don't have much family in the USA besides my mother sister and aunt and they have always come to visit me. I was talking to a friend of mine and the topic of how I got here came up and I told her the story and she said "so you're an illegal immigrant?" I said no but then she asked me if I had ever signed anything or actually even spoke to the Italian embassy when I got my passport...that's when I started thinking about it. I did some research and apparently my Italian ancestry isn't direct or recent enough to qualify me for citizenship, I never had to submit any of my birth certificates or any of my parents information, I basically just told the guy my story paid him a couple hundred quid and got my passport. I'm freaking out, I'm not your typical "illegal" I'm american, I've paid taxes the entire time that I have been working here, I pay national insurance, i work a professional career, I got a mortgage to own a home and a I own a new car, the only public funds I've ever used is routine checkups at my doctor's office through the NHS and one hospital visit when I broke my arm. I'm active in the community, I volunteer, I donate to charity and I've never even had a traffic violation. I'm pretty sure if I continue living here I won't get caught but my mother is getting older and she's sick and can't travel to see me and I'd like to be able to fly out and see her just in case something happens to her. I'm afraid that if I leave and try to fly back in that they will either bar me from entry because the visa on my US passport is way expired or I'll get arrested because I'm assuming that my Italian passport is well...fake. My job isn't eligible to sponsor immigrants for a work visa and even if it was I would have to explain my situation to my employer which would undoubtedly lead to me getting fired, I have no one to marry me to stay in the country but I really don't want to leave. I'e spent my entire adult life here, my career is here, my friends are here, I own property here, what are my options?


----------



## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Well you haven't spent the whole of your adult life in the UK - you have spent 5 years at the most and you are only 23.

You ARE an illegal immigrant - you bought your Italian passport from some guy in an office. 

If you don't want to spend the whole of your life in the UK without the ability to leave I would suggest you get some advice from a good immigration lawyer.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Crawford said:


> Well you haven't spent the whole of your adult life in the UK - you have spent 5 years at the most and you are only 23.
> 
> You ARE an illegal immigrant - you bought your Italian passport from some guy in an office.
> 
> If you don't want to spend the whole of your life in the UK without the ability to leave I would suggest you get some advice from a good immigration lawyer.


I agree with you. Is there any precedent to someone in my situation being able to stay? And I got here a bit after my 18th birthday and I've been here ever since, so basically my entire adulthood has been spent in Britain.


----------



## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Ledzepfan1991 said:


> I agree with you. Is there any precedent to someone in my situation being able to stay? And I got here a bit after my 18th birthday and I've been here ever since, so basically my entire adulthood has been spent in Britain.


Oh please...... if you were over 50 and had been in the UK for 30 years, then that would be an entire adulthood!

Plenty of precedents of people with false passports being in the UK - usually they end up in jail!

Sorry can't be more sympathetic - even at 18, and being an American and not a _typical illegal _- one would have thought you would have had the intelligence to know that buying a passport from some guy in an office is not how one acquires a passport. 

Go and see a lawyer.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Crawford said:


> Oh please...... if you were over 50 and had been in the UK for 30 years, then that would be an entire adulthood!
> 
> Plenty of precedents of people with false passports being in the UK - usually they end up in jail!
> 
> ...


Okay, semantics. My adulthood _thus_ far. I know I was stupid but I didn't see it as "buying a passport from a guy in an office", I thought he was a relocation agent who helped people legally immigrate. That's how he presented himself, I was lead to believe that the £750 was the cost of the paperwork to acquire the citizenship, the cost do the passport, and his fee for expediting the process. You see? I don't want to go to jail if I knew that was the case I would've never done this...but my whole life is established here. Any qualifications I have are useless in America, I have no one in America, I have no professional connections in America. I own property here...


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

To be quite honest I'm afraid contacting a lawyer and pursuing this in court would lead to criminal charges, professional ruin, and deportation..


----------



## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi,

I would normally refrain to comment on this type of posts, but I felt sick in my stomach just by reading it.

You have impersonated another person and whilst it isn't unlawful in UK, it is impossible not to commit an offence in the process: Criminal, civil, etc. You have -literally, stolen someone else's life! You have committed fraud, have stolen from us, taxpayers!!!! You have lied, and yet are still an unlawful alien, also known as: illegal alien.

My professional advice: 

1) Sell your assets OR
2) Retain an Estate managing company to do so
3) Return to your birth country *OR*
4) Retain a very good Lawyer

Your only "semi-logical" option is to enter in a REAL relationship with an EU National to stay in UK under EU regulations. But still, I am 100% sure your are subject to criminal charges, as you used someone else's identity to access to the NHS services and deceived with bad intend a financial institution to obtain a mortgage and a car loan.

"_Not a typical Illegal_" what an insult to any hard working migrant worker.

Animo
(Cheers)


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

If you don't take responsibility for yourself, sooner or later someone will shop you to the authorities and you will be prosecuted, jailed and deported with a ban of at least 10 years. Or when you go through UK border (they are experts at spotting fakes or frauds) or if you have to renew your Italian passport. Perhaps your passport doesn't have a biometric chip - impossible to forge, so detection is easy. Or you become a victim of crime and come into contact with the police. Possibility is endless. So it's only a matter of time till the day of reckoning.


----------



## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Ledzepfan1991 said:


> Okay, semantics. My adulthood _thus_ far. I know I was stupid but I didn't see it as "buying a passport from a guy in an office", I thought he was a relocation agent who helped people legally immigrate. That's how he presented himself, I was lead to believe that the £750 was the cost of the paperwork to acquire the citizenship, the cost do the passport, and his fee for expediting the process. You see? I don't want to go to jail if I knew that was the case I would've never done this...but my whole life is established here. Any qualifications I have are useless in America, I have no one in America, I have no professional connections in America. I own property here...


You've had the advice - go see a good lawyer. Or continue your life of deception.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Jrge said:


> Hi,
> 
> I would normally refrain to comment on this type of posts, but I felt sick in my stomach just by reading it.
> 
> ...


Okay, maybe I've been grossly misunderstood. I've never intentionally defrauded anyone, and I'm not insulting migrant workers I have nothing hut respect for people who want to work. By "typical illegal" I was referring to the sensationalist stories in the guardian and such that talk about Eritreans smuggling themselves in through Calais, moving into council houses and claiming Jobseekers Allowance and child benefit etc. I don't know much truth there is to those stories but from someone who interacts with people in this country every day, that is generally the perception of illegal immigrants in this country. I stole nobody's identity, my documents are in MY name with my birthday and my picture. My NI number was assigned to me from the government. I haven't stolen. My mortgage and car loan was given to me in my name based upon the credit rating I earned in my name. Up until a very short time ago I actually believed I was legally allowed to be in this county, there was never any bad intent I was just trying to live my life. I pay income tax, National Insurance, council tax, VAT, car tax,etc so I haven't stolen anything from the taxpayer...I am the tax payer! If in order to regularise my status I have to repay for NHS services I will but I must say that I'm not really appreciating the way you're trying to paint a picture of me as some scheming welfare queen trying to steal from the people of Britain or even lie. I was told everything was legitimate, I wouldn't have stayed if I knew that I was being made into an illegal migrant.

So you're pretty much staying I have to leave? Is that really fair? I'm not tooting my own horn but even though I can't say that I make sic a great contribution to this country I definitely do more than many people who come torn his country and don't pay taxes, sell drugs and they're allowed to stay because they come from a war torn country or something.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Crawford said:


> You've had the advice - go see a good lawyer. Or continue your life of deception.


Thank you. Will I be able to continue my life/job etc while any kind of court proceedings are pending? Or will I have to sit in an immigration detention centre?


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Joppa said:


> If you don't take responsibility for yourself, sooner or later someone will shop you to the authorities and you will be prosecuted, jailed and deported with a ban of at least 10 years. Or when you go through UK border (they are experts at spotting fakes or frauds) or if you have to renew your Italian passport. Perhaps your passport doesn't have a biometric chip - impossible to forge, so detection is easy. Or you become a victim of crime and come into contact with the police. Possibility is endless. So it's only a matter of time till the day of reckoning.


I appreciate your sentiment. That's why this fear came up because I know if the papers are fake that ukba will know which is why I'm avoiding leaving the country even though my mother wants to see me. Otherwise it wouldn't be so pressing. No one knows about my current situation save for a few close friends and I have had police contact actually. I was questioned as a witness during the riots, not once did they even ask about my status and even if, I was under the impression I was legal.


----------



## Kamarj (Mar 28, 2014)

If you are on a fake passport, you are illegal. Sorry to hear about your situation, but i highly doubt that you will ever gain legal status in the uk. For one you will have to prove that you did not know your passport was fake and how would you do that? You probably would have to contact the guy who did it and have him write a letter saying that he provided you with a fake passport which you were unaware.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Kamarj said:


> If you are on a fake passport, you are illegal. Sorry to hear about your situation, but i highly doubt that you will ever gain legal status in the uk. For one you will have to prove that you did not know your passport was fake and how would you do that? You probably would have to contact the guy who did it and have him write a letter saying that he provided you with a fake passport which you were unaware.


Thank you.
A letter? Really? I don't think that's possible. As soon as I became suspicious I tried to call him but the number no longer works, I went to the office block where I met him and his office was occupied by someone else, I'm thinking that this man is a professional at this and just lets office space temporarily..and I'm doubtful the name is real. Will my good character work in my favour? By all definitions I haven't been a burden on the state, a danger to society, or anything other but a contributing tax payer. I was defrauded by this guy. I'm still in contact with the woman who introduced me to him, but I don't know if she would say anything in my defence as it might negatively affect her status in this country as well..
Does anyone know anything about Article 8 of the European Human Rights Charter? I've been reading and it seems that people have won leave to remain in this country through this because of a right to "family and private life" but it seems most of these cases involved illegal immigrants with British born children. Can anyone shed some light on this?


----------



## Kamarj (Mar 28, 2014)

As they all said, the best advice you may get is not on this forum, but from a really good immigration lawyer


----------



## ash.naz (Jul 29, 2011)

Ledzepfan1991 said:


> Thank you.
> A letter? Really? I don't think that's possible. As soon as I became suspicious I tried to call him but the number no longer works, I went to the office block where I met him and his office was occupied by someone else, I'm thinking that this man is a professional at this and just lets office space temporarily..and I'm doubtful the name is real. Will my good character work in my favour? By all definitions I haven't been a burden on the state, a danger to society, or anything other but a contributing tax payer. I was defrauded by this guy. I'm still in contact with the woman who introduced me to him, but I don't know if she would say anything in my defence as it might negatively affect her status in this country as well..
> Does anyone know anything about Article 8 of the European Human Rights Charter? I've been reading and it seems that people have won leave to remain in this country through this because of a right to "family and private life" but it seems most of these cases involved illegal immigrants with British born children. Can anyone shed some light on this?



Are you for real??? Despite getting all those people in this forum telling you what you have done is a crime and subject to Jail term, which part of their English you didn't get?
You were 18 not 8 to begin with, which ever passport you have it validity of 10 years, and after that you are really done!!!!!!!!!! Save yourself the real pain and walk into Police station and report yourself, Perhaps they will look at your case mildly, in any case its matter of time when they catch up with you, I did not mean to be offensive here but you really have to wake up and smell the beans..

Good luck


----------



## Kamarj (Mar 28, 2014)

How long ago did you find out that your passport was fake? And why didn't you try to get some help then?

All you good behavior wouldn't count because it would just seem than you've maintained a good character so you didn't get into any run-ins with the law, that would bring your immigration status to light.


----------



## Ledzepfan1991 (May 15, 2014)

Kamarj said:


> How long ago did you find out that your passport was fake? And why didn't you try to get some help then?
> 
> All you good behavior wouldn't count because it would just seem than you've maintained a good character so you didn't get into any run-ins with the law, that would bring your immigration status to light.


I found out about 3 days ago....I'm glad I found out then because I was literally about to book my flight to NYC
A lawyer I will go to, but wouldn't it be stupid to walk into a police station? I honestly don't know if some of you are trying to give honest helpful advice or if you just want me out of your country...it's not like I'm a murderer or a crack dealer I'm a victim of deception. And a hard worker and contributor to this country to boot.


----------



## lovestravel (Apr 9, 2012)

I can recommend Kingsley napley in London. They are excellent immigration solicitors.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Remember, immigration/criminal solicitor/advisor cannot tell you to continue breaking the law. They may be able to accompany you to a police station, and may help you avoid being detained or get a bail, but you have to take your own responsibility.


----------



## ash.naz (Jul 29, 2011)

I think you got it wrong buddy, we don't want you out of our country, we just want you in as legal permanent member of our society.. rest is your choice.


----------



## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

This is really outrageous. You're full of excuses but even at eighteen I knew that one does not buy a passport in some guy's office. You're illegal and an insult to all of us who have gone through the visa process, spent the money, and done things legally.


----------



## ash.naz (Jul 29, 2011)

AmyD said:


> This is really outrageous. You're full of excuses but even at eighteen I knew that one does not buy a passport in some guy's office. You're illegal and an insult to all of us who have gone through the visa process, spent the money, and done things legally.


Bravo AmyD


----------



## modzy78 (Jan 15, 2010)

This is going to sound really harsh, but you are coming off as an over-entitled snobby little brat. Your attitude appears to be, "I'm an American, so I'm better than THOSE PEOPLE (i.e. non Westerners) you read about in the Daily Mail who intentionally come here illegally. I'm the victim in this situation, so I should get special treatment." Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. You really have an insulting view of a group of people that you are, quite honestly, willingly a part of. 
While youth can be used as an excuse for stupidity at times, it seems to me that on some level you knew what you were doing wasn't legit. You asked someone who didn't seem to have a valid reason to be in the country how she managed to stay, and you went to an "agent" that you had reservations about. At that time and your age, I would have fully expected you to have at least Googled the information. I find it kind of odd that you suddenly decided to do this when you're thinking of leaving the country on a fake passport instead of years ago (before you spent a rather large sum of money).

Right now, you are at best a fraud, and at worst a criminal. While you would be allowed to buy property without legal residency (foreigners do it as investments frequently), you fraudulently obtained a mortgage from a UK bank. You've also fraudulently obtained services from the NHS without paying for them. It sounds like your fraudulently received qualifications, as well And you're working in a job that you have no right to have. Right now, your employer could be in HUGE trouble for employing you, and all you care about is yourself.

You need to be prepared for the very high likelihood that you will be deported, and you need to do what you can to lessen the possibility of being jailed. Getting a good lawyer is a big part of that. You will need to cooperate with the police and should definitely report the lady who set you up for the fake passport. If she did it for you, she's likely "helping" others break the law in the same way. It's possible they might be able to find the guy who scammed you, but even if they do, it isn't likely to help you stay in the country.

You also need to figure out a way to make up for what you have taken illegally. You'll need to contact your bank about your mortgage and be prepared to sell your place to settle the loan. You also need to contact the medical providers you've used to find out about paying for your treatment. Also, how did you gain qualifications? Did you take courses/training under home student fees or with a student loan? If so, those were also obtained fraudulently and need to be paid back at the correct rate. And you need to let your employer know that you're not eligible to work in the UK. Yes, you will lose your job, but that is only fair.

I know that none of these options are what you want to hear, but they are the right thing to do. Sometimes stupid mistakes can haunt you, and this is going to be one of those times. You need to accept responsibility for your actions and do whatever you can to right the wrongs you have done. It won't be fun or easy, but you can recover from this mistake. However, I can all but guarantee it won't be in the UK, and you have to accept it. You had fun while it lasted, but it's time to pay the piper.


----------



## Kimi2490 (Nov 8, 2012)

I should not even have been lurking on this page as it has now given me high blood pressure! I imagine what the OP here means, by 'typical illegal immigrant' is someone originating from my neck of the woods? Anyway , that I can forgive even, but to compare his situation to asylum seekers from war torn areas and say- oh they get to stay because they come from warn torn areas and i don't?- YES, EXACTLY, they DO! If they go back to where they came from, they will likely face death. I highly doubt anyone or anything is waiting to kill you back in USA? 

Please do not cheapen the plight of many poor asylum seekers who often leave their homelands in fear of their lives by comparing their situation to a well off American travelling teenager who made 'foolish' mistakes and now expects everything to work out for him like a dream.

Listen to people on this forum, get a lawyer and do the right thing. And please educate yourself a little on matters of migration. Good luck.


----------



## Hertsfem (Jun 19, 2013)

With all due respect I fail to see how you could possible use article 8 of the human rights act? What right to family life if you family is in another country? and what right to privacy if you should not even be in the country?


----------



## Kimi2490 (Nov 8, 2012)

"So I asked her and she told me that she came here on a student visa to learn English and then used an "immigration agent" to get her status legalised after the course was up. It sounded sketchy but I was young and stupid so I had her arrange for me to meet him. I thought it would be me meeting some dodgy character in an alleyway or something stereotypical but instead I was sent to an office in the City where I met with a very professional looking English dude who seemed very official and legit. He asked me a bunch of questions where I answered honestly, I'm not European but I'm of partial distant Italian descent on my dad's side and I have an Italian last name. He said I could get an Italian passport through ancestry which would enable me to live anywhere in the EU for as long as I'd like with the same rights as citizens. I didn't ask too much because that sounded awesome, paid him £750 and a couple of weeks later I picked up an Italian Passport with my real name, birthdate and picture on it. It looked real and I honestly believed that I was now an Italian citizen and could stay in Europe forever, like I said I was an idiot."

And your claim that you had no idea this was dodgy dealings is clearly untrue. Your own quote up there says that you were expecting it to be a meeting in a dark alley with a sketchy character. So clearly, you wholly knew things were not above board and were planning to go ahead with them anyway. That the person then happened to not be your average sketchy guy in a back alley, is a different issue altogether. And while you are doing some introspection, please re-evaluate your ideas of stereotypes as that seems to be what has got you here in the first place! Your idea of the 'stereotypical illegal immigrant' and 'stereotypical back alley dodgy dealings'.


----------



## ash.naz (Jul 29, 2011)

NOt forget that Moderator has already perhaps reported this matter to the correct authority who will track down the IP address where this Scam was originally written by the person, and god help it was from the Mortgage taken home and it should be fairly easy to track him and Deport the person in Question here..

as far as all the advice is concern I do not believe any of the above by me or anyone else he will take it up, so if you are little bit sound in the head and reading this, Vacate the house walk into police station and try to lessen your misery....

I feel for you that you have nothing to go back home to, but rest assured if you do not help yourself likelihood of you ever seeing England is Next to nil.

so make yourself welcome by the right way through the right channel..


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

ash.naz said:


> *NOt forget that Moderator has already perhaps reported this matter to the correct authority* who will track down the IP address where this Scam was originally written by the person, and god help it was from the Mortgage taken home and it should be fairly easy to track him and Deport the person in Question here..
> 
> as far as all the advice is concern I do not believe any of the above by me or anyone else he will take it up, so if you are little bit sound in the head and reading this, Vacate the house walk into police station and try to lessen your misery....
> 
> ...


*there would be no reason for a moderator to do this - we make sure people follow the rules of the forum, no more, no less - we are not police/immigration advisors/lawyers
*
the forum owners wouldn't share IP addresses unless required to by a legal agency such as the police, where a crime had been committed


now whether the OP just made a really stupid mistake, or deliberately broke the law, we will never know

on the basis that they have been given the only & best advice that can be given in the circumstances, & that any further discussion would be pointless, I'm closing the thread



:closed_2:


----------

