I have a 8000 pounds credit card debt in UK in 2009, will I be arrested if I return it back to UK this year? I haven’t got any court letter at home even now the bank has no more chased me for this debt by letter ( they used to send me a lot of letter to settle down the debt, however, I had not been umemployed for 3 years, so I did not have the ability to pay my debt.). I heard some of the cases that people have more that 10k debt in UK, but still can return it back to UK for short period. The only thing is that I’m worrying if I will be arrested at tge airport?

Please help me with my concern please!

Million thanks!

As others have said being in debt is not an arrestable offence, yes technically if they’ve gone all the way, they might get a court order out on you… but for 600 quid it won’t be warrant for arrest .. only big deliberate fraudsters and VAT/Tax fiddlers get that kind of treatment.

The banks won’t have a clue that you are coming back, that debt has probably been written off and your credit report black-marked for 7 years. So your chances of getting a UK credit card or mortgage are zero, but getting nicked at customs…. no.

Won’t happen, do you really think they can be arsed to check every passenger who comes into the country for credit card defaults ?

I only wish the government were capable of such efficiency !

Having said all that, there’s nothing like a bit of good karma and paying off what you owe.

It is more likely that your outstanding debt has been notified to the Immigration Service. On arrival in the UK, you would then be held at Immigration Control pending further investigation (if you were held overnight, then it will be in the cells!) If the debt still exists, then you will be deported back to your airport of origin on the next available flight of the airline that brought you here, on the grounds of unsatisfactory character. Until that flight, you will be held in the cells. If deported, then the chance of your ever getting back into the UK becomes almost non-existant. If, during this incarceration, the debt is settled, you will still be deported!

To avoid this hassle, you need to settle the outstanding debt (plus interest and charges) well BEFORE you start your journey AND take a copy of the settlement with you on the flight. Even then, a stay in the Immigration cells could still become a possibility, pending confirmation that no other debts exist.

On the whole I would think the chance of you having any problem on a short visit is negligible. Just don’t look nervous as you approach Immigration and Customs!