Transit London without a visa. Transfer in London: do you need a transit visa to the UK? Visa refusal

Basic rules for visa-free transit through the UK:

transit is carried out within the same airport without access to the city;

transit is carried out on the same day (until 23:59).

♦ Types of transit through the UK

Transit in the airport transit area (Airside Transit):

Transit passengers connecting at the same airport do not need to go through border control to enter the UK.

When flying to countries in the Common Immigration Space with the UK ( Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man) transit is not possible IN THE TRANSIT ZONE - passengers will need to go through border control.

To travel directly through the UK, a passenger must meet the following requirements:

  • arriving and departing by plane;
  • have air tickets in hand to depart from the United Kingdom at the same day from the same airport (tickets must be confirmed);

Example when a transit visa need not:

Flight Moscow - London (Heathrow), London (Heathrow) - New York. Departure from London on the same day (before 23:59) as arrival.

Landside Transit:

Transit with access to a public area involves passing border control to enter the UK:

  • in case of a change of airport;
  • to pick up luggage;
  • if transit in the airport transit area is not possible.

Passengers, for visa-free travel through the UK in transit with access to the public area, must meet the following criteria:

  • travel strictly by plane;
  • have in hand air tickets for the next flight with a departure time no later than 23:59 the next day after arriving in the UK;
  • have Required documents for entry into the destination country (for example, a visa).

Passengers are not prohibited from visa-free transit when they have one of the following documents in their hands:

  • valid visa to enter Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the US and a valid air ticket via the UK as part of a trip TO that country;
  • a valid visa to enter Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA; wherein this country(for which the passenger has a visa to enter) must be part of the passenger's trip; the passenger must be traveling FROM this country, and no more than 6 months have passed since the date of last entry into this country;

Example: If a passenger went to study in Canada a year ago and did not leave Canada for a year, then when returning home through the UK he will not be able to use visa-free transit

  • a valid residence permit issued by a state belonging to the European Economic Area or Switzerland;
  • a valid D visa issued by a country belonging to the European Economic Area or Switzerland;
  • a valid Irish biometric visa (for citizens of the Russian Federation visas without biometrics are currently issued) with the BC or BC BIVS stamp, provided that the destination country is Ireland;
  • a valid residence permit issued by Australia/Canada after 28 June 2002/New Zealand;
  • a valid US permanent resident issued after April 21, 1998; or a valid I-551 temporary immigrant visa (stamps will not be counted border service); or an expired I-551 residence permit (card), along with an I-797 renewal letter; or US Immigration Form 155A/155B (attached to a sealed brown envelope).

Important: e-visas and residence permits for transit entering public areas are NOT accepted.

Please note: the transit route must be justified and logical. For example, there are no direct flights from your country of permanent residence to your destination country, or flights via the UK are much cheaper or take less time. That is, a flight from Moscow to Amsterdam via London is unlikely to look convincing.

The decision as to whether a passenger is allowed visa-free transit with the right to exit the transit zone is made by the UK Immigration Officer. The officer must be satisfied that the passenger is indeed traveling through the United Kingdom for the purpose of transit. In other words, the possibility of transit depends on the decision of a particular person and there is no guarantee that visa-free transit will not be denied.

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International travel is not complete without flights, some of which require transfers. Moreover, by purchasing airline tickets with transfers you can save a lot of money. Some inconveniences associated with changing flights are compensated for by competitive rates.

The traveler’s task is to choose the best transfer option in order to allow for the time required to move around the terminals (if flights are organized in different places). You should also include the time for receiving, checking in luggage, checking in, customs control. Additional time will be required to obtain a transit visa. Thinking that transit entry will not require a visa, the traveler makes a mistake.

How is transit with transfers organized in London?

A visa for transit travelers is valid for 2 days, and must be processed before the start of the trip. Permitted transit through London is convenient because it makes it possible to visit the capital of the United Kingdom legally, without exceeding the limits of its validity. Before 48 hours have passed, the transit tourist must leave England.

When visa control is not expected, it is not necessary. However, specialists working at the Embassy strongly recommend preparing permits, since the decision whether to allow a transit passenger into Britain will be made by the visa officer at his own discretion. There is always a risk that the visa officer will not allow the traveler to pass, and as a result the trip will be disrupted.

There are several situations in which a visa is required when going through control:

  • flight with a change of terminal and exit from the airport;
  • need in independent receipt baggage and check-in for another flight;
  • the passenger transfers to a flight scheduled for another day, which requires an overnight stay at a hotel.

You can only travel through London without a visa under certain circumstances:

  1. The traveler travels exclusively by plane, and the next flight is scheduled for the same day. The final destination of the trip is the state for which a visa permit has been obtained.
  2. Start or end of the trip in one of the following countries: USA, Australia, New Zealand, with a visa or resident permit. A citizen traveling by plane is the holder of a category D visa open to an EU country.

A transit visa may not be required if you have biometric visa for a trip to Ireland.

Considering such circumstances, the visa officer makes a decision, often leaning toward allowing the transit passenger through without issuing an additional visa.

In case of a ban on exiting the airport, the transit passenger is in the transit zone on the airport territory, if pre-registered travel documents on new flight. ov for the next flight.

To organize transit through London, you must remember the following information:

  1. Transit zones are organized only at Heathrow and Gatwick (the two main airports).
  2. Leaving the transit zone is prohibited.
  3. The final decision as to whether the transit traveler can be allowed to wait for the next flight is at the discretion of the visa officer.

Due to the high risk of problems when flying with a transfer in London, visa experts strongly recommend applying for a transit visa, which will allow you to safely plan your trip and take the opportunity to get acquainted with the sights of the English capital.

Choosing a visa: tourist or transit?

Britain takes a tough stance on immigration issues. For this reason, it is so difficult to achieve a positive verdict when considering a visa application. A 48-hour permit to visit London requires no less careful preparation than applying for a visa as a tourist.

Obtained through a similar procedure, a tourist visa provides more advantages:

  • obtaining access to the territory of the United Kingdom as a tourist for a period of 6 months;
  • gaining the right to travel without limiting the number of trips;
  • the opportunity to take a tour, get acquainted with history, monuments, cultural traditions capital of the transit country.

The differences in the amount of the consular fee for the two categories of visas are insignificant, but the benefits are much greater. The processing time for documents is approximately the same. Having issued a tourist visa, a traveler does not need to be limited to a 48-hour wait, planning a visit to the capital if necessary.

To determine the best option for a visa permit, you need to analyze the specific situation, take into account the characteristics of the trip and the needs of the person.

Transit is a fairly common occurrence for travelers. Firstly, prices for tickets with transfers are usually lower, and secondly, not every city can be reached by direct flight, especially from Russia. We have already talked about transit visas and the most popular countries for transit, and now let’s look in more detail at the UK and how to apply for a transit visa to the UK.

UK airports are a fairly popular transfer point when traveling from Russia to other countries North America, which has become popular recently in Iceland and many other countries. Until recently, the UK government was flexible and allowed transit without a visa for a limited period in quite a large number of cases, even giving the right to go into the city. Now the country's migration rules have become stricter, and Russians planning a layover there must, in most cases, obtain a transit visa to the UK.

Before you worry about how to apply for a UK transit visa, you first need to make sure that you really need a visa. You can count on transit without a visa only when you fly through Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London, as well as through Manchester Airport, and do not plan to leave the transit area at the airport. Please remember that baggage claim and check-in counters are located outside the transit area. Additionally, your next flight to a third country must depart before midnight the day after your arrival.

It is worth noting that in order to undergo transit without a visa, Russian citizens must fall under one of the following conditions:

  • Travel to Australia, New Zealand, the United States or Canada with a valid visa from that country
  • Arrive from Australia, New Zealand, the United States or Canada after staying in that country for less than six months
  • Have a residence permit in Australia, New Zealand, one of the EU countries or Switzerland, Canada (issued no earlier than 06/28/2002) or the USA (issued no earlier than 04/21/1998)
  • Hold a European or Swiss visa category D
  • Fly to or from Ireland (less than 3 months after entry) and have a valid Irish biometric visa (only relevant if you are obtaining an Irish visa outside of Russia, as biometric data is not collected for this visa in Russia)

Electronic visas and electronic residence permits are not accepted for consideration and are not a reason for allowing visa-free transit.

Although it is still possible to make a connection without a transit visa in the UK, whether you will actually be allowed to do so is always at the discretion of the immigration officer at the airport. If a visa is required at the airport, the cost will be £30, and you will need to have a passport, tickets and visa for the destination country, as well as an immigration form.

How to apply for a transit visa to the UK

A UK transit visa gives you the right to stay in the country for 48 hours. Applying for a visa takes place in several stages:

  • filling out an online form,
  • payment of the cost of the visa (92 US dollars according to the official website),
  • registration on the website of visa centers and entering all the details of your application,
  • interview.

At the interview you will need a printed and completed application form, tickets to the third destination country within 48 hours of arrival in the UK, a third country visa (if applicable), and 2 color photographs.

Applying for a transit visa to the UK may take some time, so it is better to do this in advance (no earlier than 3 months before the trip).

Now you know how to apply for a transit visa to the UK and when planning your next trip, you can include, for example, London in your itinerary. You can also read about how to apply for other categories of visas to the country of the Beatles and Sherlock Holmes on our website. Aviasales is always ready to help you find cheap tickets.

Have a nice trip!

 

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