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Transit visa — direct airside or visitor in transit

United KingdomTransit

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in United Kingdom Read the five questions ↓

Which travellers require a transit visa/permission and which officially documented exemptions are important?

Whether a transit visa is needed depends on nationality and on whether the traveller needs to enter the UK. No transit visa is needed if the traveller has an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), an EU Settlement Scheme family permit, a Home Office travel document (for example as a refugee or stateless person), a Standard Visitor visa or a Marriage Visitor visa. For travel through the UK to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, no UK visitor visa is needed with a valid visa for the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or a valid Irish biometric visa marked 'BC' or 'BC BIVS'.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page defers the nationality list to the 'Check if you need a visa' tool; the list of nationalities requiring a Direct Airside Transit or Visitor in Transit visa was not captured.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You may not have to apply for a visa. What you need to do depends on your nationality and whether you need to enter the UK.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You do not need a transit visa if you: have an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit have a Home Office travel document, for example you’re a refugee or stateless person have a Standard Visitor visa have a Marriage Visitor visa
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You do not need a UK visitor visa if: you have a valid visa for the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man you have a valid Irish biometric visa (marked ‘BC’ or ‘BC BIVS’ in the ‘Remarks’ section)

Can the traveller remain airside, and under what circumstances must immigration control be crossed?

It depends on whether the traveller goes through UK border control. A Direct Airside Transit visa covers changing flights in the UK without going through UK border control. A Visitor in Transit visa covers going through UK border control (for example to check in luggage for a connecting flight) while leaving the UK within 48 hours and not working or studying. The airline can tell the traveller whether they will go through border control.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    The visa you need depends on whether you’re going through UK border control when you arrive in the UK. Your airline can tell you if you’ll go through border control.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    Apply for a Direct Airside Transit visa if you’ll be changing flights in the UK and will not be going through UK border control.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You might need a Visitor in Transit visa if you’re: changing flights in the UK on your way to another country going through UK border control, for example to check in your luggage for a connecting flight leaving the UK within 48 hours not working or studying while in the UK

What officially documented baggage collection, terminal, separate-ticket or self-transfer situations affect the immigration requirement?

Going through UK border control to check in luggage for a connecting flight is given as an example of a transit that needs the Visitor in Transit visa (leaving the UK within 48 hours) rather than the Direct Airside Transit visa. The official source does not state separate-ticket, self-transfer or terminal-change rules.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The source does not address separate tickets, self-transfer or terminal changes explicitly.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You might need a Visitor in Transit visa if you’re: changing flights in the UK on your way to another country going through UK border control, for example to check in your luggage for a connecting flight leaving the UK within 48 hours

What maximum transit period, overnight, airport-change or multiple-stop rules matter?

The Visitor in Transit visa is for leaving the UK within 48 hours. A Standard Visitor visa is needed instead if the traveller needs to stay more than 48 hours in the UK or to frequently pass through the UK over a period of over six months (not needed if the traveller has an ETA). A long-term Standard Visitor visa for regular transit allows a maximum of 6 months on each visit and can last for 2, 5 or 10 years. A traveller going to or from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man must apply for another type of visitor visa. Overnight and airport-change rules are not stated.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Overnight stays and airport changes are not addressed explicitly on the source.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you’ll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You’ll need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa instead of a Visitor in Transit visa if either: you need to stay more than 48 hours in the UK you need to frequently pass through the UK over a period of over six months If you have an ETA, you do not need to apply for a Standard Visitor visa.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You can also apply for a long-term Standard Visitor visa if you need to pass through the UK in transit regularly over a longer period. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit and your visa can last for 2, 5 or 10 years.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You must apply for another type of visitor visa if you’re travelling to or from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

If permission is required, what permission is it, where/how is it obtained, and what core onward-travel evidence is required?

The permission is a Direct Airside Transit visa (costs £41.50) or a Visitor in Transit visa (costs £74.50); fees may change slightly depending on the country. Both are applied for online, followed by an appointment at a visa application centre to give fingerprints and photo; a decision usually takes 3 weeks. Documents: a current passport or other valid travel document; if not a national of the destination country, evidence of being allowed to enter it (such as a residence permit, green card or valid visa); the applicant may be asked to prove the onward journey is booked or confirmed (flight booking email, ticket or boarding pass, or travel agent confirmation). The visa and documents must be carried when travelling through the UK.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    A Direct Airside Transit visa costs £41.50. This may change slightly depending on which country you’re in.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    A Visitor in Transit visa costs £74.50. This may change slightly depending on which country you’re in.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    Apply online for a Direct Airside Transit visa or a Visitor in Transit visa.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You must have a current passport or other valid travel document. If you’re not a national of the country you’re travelling to, you need to provide evidence that you’re allowed to enter that country, such as a: residence permit green card valid visa If you’re not a resident or national of the country you’re travelling to, you may need to explain why you’re going there. You may need to provide details of where you’re staying. You may be asked to prove that your onward journey is booked or confirmed. You can use evidence such as: a flight booking email a ticket or boarding pass, either printed or on your phone confirmation from a travel agent Bring your visa and documents with you when you travel through the UK.
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You’ll need to go to an appointment at a visa application centre. You may have to travel to get to your nearest centre - it could be in another country. At the centre you will: have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken
  • https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/print
    You’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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