Arriving In The UK
Customs & Immigration
On arrival, Customs and Immigration procedures need to be successfully completed. Signs should direct you to Immigration, where there will be two lines to queue in - for EU passport holders (UK and European Union citizens), and for those in possession of a Non-EU passport holders (including New Zealanders, Australians, South Africans, and Canadians). Chances are you'll be in the latter queue, although if you have a Certificate of Entitlement to a Right of Abode in your passport you may enter via the EU line. Unfortunately the Non-EU line is often the long and crowded one, and it can be frustrating to see EU passport holders pass quickly through immigration while your own queue moves at a snail's pace.
A common sense rule is to always be polite to the Immigration officials, and ensure that you have all relevant documentation at hand. Remember that if you are entering on a Working Holiday Visa that work is supposed to be incidental to your travel plans, and your answer to any enquiries from immigration officials on this point should reflect that fact. It is not uncommon to be asked a number of questions, and officials can also make you undertake a medical examination prior to entry, although this relatively rare. Remember to remain polite, persevere, and keep SMILING!.
Once you have successfully negotiated the Immigration procedures, you can then collect your luggage from the carousels. The number of your carrier should be clearly displayed so that you can identify the correct carousel.
With your luggage, you will then be required to proceed through Customs. Operating on a declaration system, you must decide at this stage which Customs exit to proceed through - the 'Nothing to Declare (Green) exit, or the 'Goods To Declare' (Red) exit. The majority opt for the Green exit, but do so only if you are confident that an inspection would leave you in the clear. Random checks of luggage are undertaken by officials, so make sure that you are not carrying anything illegal or incriminating to your visa status.
Once through Customs, you have effectively satisfied the official formalities and are free to begin your Big OE. Chances are, your next challenge will be Getting Into London.
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