Tourists who travel to the UK have to apply for a tourist visa, as the government is strict about entering the country as a whole. Visa requirements have also been tightened for those who are passing through England.
Today it is impossible to leave the territory of the airport without an appropriate document, while obtaining a transit visa, if a transfer in London is planned, is not always necessary. It depends on the goals of the traveler.
There are several factors that affect the need for a pass when visiting London. To understand whether a visa is needed, it is enough to think over the goals and duration of stay in England.
Transfer airport
There are three airports in Britain where tourists from several countries, including Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Kazakhs, do not need to issue a pass. These are Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester terminals, they are in London. Most of the flights connect here. If you fly to another airport - obtaining a permit is required.
Transfer between terminals is organized so that travelers do not leave transit zone (airside transfer). Therefore, additional permits from the British Embassy are not required.
But even if you are at the capital's air terminals, this condition does not guarantee that the customs inspector will let the tourist through. There can be many reasons for refusal, even personal suspicion is enough. In any case, the official reason will be indicated as follows - non-compliance with migration rules.
It is worth knowing that a transit pass cannot be issued directly at the airport, even if a short-term transfer is planned there.
Other conditions
In the case when the UK is an intermediate point of travel, a visa is not required. But for this, the tourist must meet one of the following conditions:
- Be a citizen of the European Union or Switzerland.
- Have refugee or stateless status.
- Use the same mode of transport before and after the change.
- Do not plan to stay in the kingdom for more than a day.
- Mandatory presence of a visa to the final country of the route.
In addition, when connecting in London, a transit pass is not required if the passenger has a standard visitor, tourist visa or residence permit for the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland or Australia.
Transport change
Travelers sea \u200b\u200bcruisesthat pass through Britain, you do not need to issue a transit document if you do not plan to walk around the city. Even during a daily stop in the port, only those tourists who have made a pass for themselves in advance will be able to enter the capital.
In the case of a change of aircraft, a passenger can transfer to another flight without a visa only if the aircraft are at the same airport. You cannot get to another terminal by car or train without a document.
Registration
A visa can be opened at the consulate, but the package of documents is the same and does not depend on its type. All papers must be translated into English and certified by a notary.
Documents
In addition to the questionnaire, originals and copies of all passports, you need an insurance policy, a 35x45 mm photo, a certificate from work and documents confirming income.
Additionally, some categories of citizens may be required to:
- pensioner's ID;
- student ticket;
- confirmation of hotel, hostel reservation;
- certificate of seniority;
- copies of visas that were received earlier.
Procedure
After preparing the papers, you need to fill out an electronic application form, then the date of visiting the consulate will be set. All originals and fingerprints will need to be submitted there. Next, the tourist will have a personal interview.
If the route of the planned trip is completely accidental or quite thoughtfully (which is not surprising at all) lies through the UK, then such a trip needs to be very carefully prepared. Everyone knows that the British migration and transit systems have rather stringent requirements, which it is advisable to familiarize with before issuing tickets.
The need for a transit visa depends on two main factors:
- how the transit is made - airside or landside
- which group of countries does the passenger belong to (according to the List of visa national countries or the so-called black and red lists of countries)
Airside transit
If your air tickets are for a transit flight with a transfer at Manchester International Airport or Heathrow or Gatwick, which are in London, then you can relax and calmly pack your bags - you do not need a visa. The layout of these airports allows you to move or move from one terminal to another (within the same airport, of course) without leaving the transit zone.
That is, the passenger does not need to go through passport control, therefore, no one will request a visa either. But there are some nuances here. For example, citizens of Ukraine (which is blacklisted) can carry out airside transit through Britain without a transit visa only if the following conditions are met:
- arrival / departure by air (this can be a through ticket or several air tickets of different companies, but for the entire route)
- air tickets for the next flight, the departure of which must be before 23:59 of the day of arrival (the time indicated in the tickets is taken into account, regardless of the delay / cancellation of the flight)
- air tickets must be on international flights (exception - flight to Ireland)
- availability of all documents that are required to enter the country of destination
- the traveler cannot leave the airport transit area
Landside transit
Passengers often choose air tickets to travel around London, or have to purchase air tickets with transit through the UK due to the lack of a more convenient or cheaper way to get to their destination. During a landside transit, the traveler must leave the transit area, for example, to receive / drop off baggage, change the airport, spend the night at a hotel or change to domestic flight or a flight to Ireland.
Usually, in such cases, customs officers require a transit visa, but there are exceptions to each rule. The absence of this document during a landside transit is allowed only if the passenger meets the following conditions:
- arrival / departure by plane only (this can be a through ticket or several air tickets of different companies, but for the entire route)
- availability of air tickets for the plane, the takeoff of which must be before 23:59 the next day after arrival (the time indicated in the air tickets is taken into account, regardless of the delay / cancellation of the flight)
For example, a passenger arrived on June 11 at 22:00, and must leave Britain before 23:59 on June 12. Please note, using this rule, it is quite profitable to buy air tickets for night flights. For example, a passenger flew in on July 15 at 00:15, tickets must be for the next flight with a departure before 23:59 on July 16. In fact, the traveler has two whole days in the UK.
- a valid visa to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA and a plane ticket to one of the listed countries
- expired visa to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, but not yet six months have passed since entering one of the listed countries
- a valid biometric visa to enter the Republic of Ireland (the remarks must indicate "BC" or "BC BIVS"), as well as airline tickets to Ireland
- a valid Irish biometric visa (the remarks must indicate "BC" or "BC BIVS"), air tickets confirming that he is flying from Ireland - and more than three months have not passed since the moment of entry into this country
- long-term visa category D issued by one of the countries of the European Union or Switzerland
- residence permit in Australia
- Residence permit in New Zealand
- Residence permit in Canada (issued after 28.06.2002)
- Residence permit in the United States (issued after 21.04.1008), including a valid visa US I-551 Temporary Immigrant Visa (note that British border officials will not accept the agreed document with a seal made with wet ink), permanent residence card residence), expired I-551 card (must be accompanied by a valid I-797 letter that authorizes renewal), US Immigration Form 155A / 155B (which is presented with a stamped brown envelope)
- Residence permit in Switzerland or in any country that is part of the European Economic Area
- availability of all documents that are required to enter the country of destination
Note! visa-free landside transit will not be possible if the passenger has e-visa (e-visa) or electronic residence permit (e-residence permit), and do not count on luck with a US visa type "YY" or "ZZ" marked "Not a visa. Foil prepared at DHS request ”or stamped“ Processed for I-551 ”.
Also note that even meeting these conditions does not provide a 100% guarantee for visa-free transit through the UK. It all depends on the decision of the immigration officer to passport control, which has every right to refuse you. Therefore, it is in your interests to carefully prepare for communication with the officer.
For example, if a passenger has purchased tickets for a plane that arrives in London in the evening, and the next flight is tomorrow morning, then an additional argument confirming the need to leave the transit zone will be a document (printout) confirming booked room in a hotel near the airport.
If your air tickets include a route with a change of airport (for example, you are arriving in Luton, and air tickets departing from Heathrow), then it would be prudent to book bus or train tickets in advance and present them to the immigration officer.
And remember - if you do not want to immediately nullify all your dreams of a visa-free landside transit, you should not tell the passport control officer that you specially selected air tickets for flights with a long connection in London in order to see the city.
What you need at passport control:
- international passport
- valid visa to the country of destination (if necessary)
- air tickets for flights with the appropriate route (for example, air tickets for a flight Kiev-London-Toronto look much more convincing than air tickets with a route Kiev-London-Berlin. The UK immigration officials will clearly guess that you have chosen this route on purpose in order to walk around London . The risk of staying at the airport increases dramatically)
- a fully completed immigration form (the form is taken at the counter in front of control or on the plane of some air carriers)
In what cases it is advisable to obtain a visa in advance:
- the passenger has already been denied a UK visa
- deportation or refusal to enter any country
- problems with the law (in any country)
- during a previous visit to Britain, the traveler violated visa regime (I worked illegally on a tourist or student visa, etc.
Up-to-date information on the migration policy of the country,
check in official sources - visa center and consulate.
England, as the most attractive European country for tourism and business travel, stands apart in political, economic and international relations. Recently, relations with the European Union were severed, and Brexit took place. The state closes the borders more tightly, the reason for this is the flows of illegal migrants, the difficult political situation, the threats of Islamists against the government, and a lot of other reasons. Relations with Russia have cracked, and there are few hopes for their stabilization. Transplanting in London requires knowledge of the rules established by the UK immigration authorities, officers of diplomatic missions have the right to consider each case individually.
Short stay rules
Despite the rigid migration system, British customs officials still differentiate between the possibilities of staying in the United Kingdom depending on the reasons, timing, and status of the person. The current 2017 was marked by the introduction of new customs rules in relation to Russia. They have not become easier, but the circle of persons eligible for transit through London has become wider. The innovations have not touched the paperwork, the UK remains one of the countries that is not easy to enter.
For citizens of Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, there is a concession regime: compliance with the instructions allows them to stay in the transit zone for 24 hours without applying for a visa to England. The concession has not been declared, therefore, with the slightest suspicion, the British customs officer has the right not to let the traveler enter the border area. The latest data show that such cases are not uncommon, the slightest suspicion of someone who wants to travel through the country will close it for a long time.
Important! An unspoken list of airlines has been compiled in which employees do not allow passengers on board without a stamp in their passport allowing them to get off at a British airport: WizzAir, EasyJet, RyanAir. Airlines value their reputation for not wanting to get in trouble with the law.
Short-term stay without going to the consulate
The requirements of the United Kingdom authorities in relation to passing through it without a transit visa are as follows:
- delay at Heathrow or Gatwick airports lasting 24 hours, no more (only Heathrow and Gatwick are equipped with zones where air passengers are waiting for a flight to a third country);
- boarding is scheduled at the same airport;
- if the transfer takes place in London, the traveler will not leave the territory of the air harbor;
- the air passenger will not leave customs zone, he has no planned exit to the city limits;
- one type of transport is used: an airplane or a ship.
In addition, one of the following conditions must be met:
- flight or return to Russia from the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland;
- residence in these countries for no more than six months;
- the presence of a residence permit in America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, European Union states.
Short stay
A stay in the UK for more than a day, without observing the above requirements, will make you wonder whether you need a visa when connecting in London? Russians wishing to stay on the shores of foggy Albion for more than a day will have to contact the embassy with an impressive set of papers.
Important! Since 2017, the UK authorities have banned transit passengers from Russia and the CIS countries from walking into the city. Previously, they had the opportunity to travel to the metropolis on an excursion.
A short-term visa is issued for a period not exceeding 48 hours and cannot be extended. Stays beyond this time require obtaining permission from diplomatic missions. Not all air harbors in England are equipped with transit zones, for example, they are absent at the major transfer hubs Stansted and Luton.
Paperwork takes from 14 days to 2 months. The increased tariff of the English consulate will allow you to issue them faster, but this will not give a 100% guarantee of affixing the coveted mark. Documents are provided to english language... A visa to London costs 80 euros. Efforts to obtain permission to travel through Britain will yield results if the paperwork is correct.
Collection of documents
England is traditionally considered a country that strictly follows migration policy. Foreign policy of governments also influences attitudes towards compatriots. The paperwork continues, the requirements are becoming more stringent, however, strict adherence to the requirements of the receiving party will save you from possible failures. Russians are required to submit a package of documents to the consulate.
- International passport valid six months after travel with two blank pages and a copy of the first. Attach old passports or their copies.
- One photograph is required, taken in a specialized studio on photographic paper, other options are rejected. Children under six are allowed to be photographed in any position: standing, sitting, smiling, up to the age of one, even sleeping in strollers. A child who has reached the age of six is \u200b\u200bconsidered a full citizen, must be photographed as a father and mother. No smiles, antics, only serious officials. One photo is attached to the profile.
- A certificate from work on the company's letterhead, it indicates the date of issue: paper is valid for a month. It is obligatory to mention the name of the company, the position of the applicant, the terms of work for the position, the average monthly salary (not less than 30 thousand rubles). They write about the provision of vacation for the duration of the trip. The document is signed general manager and chief Accountant. A citizen who submits a certificate to a diplomatic mission does not have the right to sign it himself, being the head. It is done for him by another official with authority.
- A certificate from the place of study of students with the stamp of the university or college is officially certified. Prescribe the name of the university or school, the course of study. A sponsorship letter, written in any form, is attached to the certificate, which guarantees the young man's solvency during the trip.
- A visa to England is issued upon confirmation of the applicant's financial solvency. There must be sufficient funds on the accounts, starting from £ 100 per day. Provide bank statements on the availability of money, their passage in three months through the applicant's accounts, statements are valid for 30 days.
- Proof of marital status: certificates of marriage, divorce, death of a spouse or spouse.
- Filling out the questionnaire provided by the embassy website.
- Availability of purchased round-trip air tickets.
- Confirmation of residence in England: hotel reservation, Airbnb, stay with relatives, other options.
The questionnaire, certificates, account statements are provided in paper form, electronic document management is prohibited.
Important! At an interview at the consulate, sometimes it is necessary to prove that the route through the Kingdom is optimal: a cheap, short route or there are no direct flights to the country of destination. If there are identical routes, bypassing the Kingdom, the request to cross its borders may be refused.
Registration through the agency
When planning your trip, it is important to understand if you need a visa when transit through London. Tourists often combine a flight to distant continents with the opportunity to stay in foggy Albion, turning to a diplomatic mission for transit. Travelers go sightseeing, stay overnight at a hotel, and experience British metropolises. The journey does not seem tiresome, it becomes filled with impressions.
A UK transit visa is not easy to obtain - you need certificates, financial solvency, clear filling out of the form, visit the consulate. Migration officers rarely make concessions to Russians; one mistake in the questionnaire gives them the right not to put a mark in their foreign passports. Therefore, a long-planned trip may be under threat. It is sometimes difficult for a tourist to cope with the collection of certificates and certificates.
It is better for him to do it by professionals of special agencies who have experience in obtaining permits for short-term entry, who know the nuances that British migration services require to take into account.
Agents will help assess the chances of getting the coveted sticker by reviewing a set of papers. They will correct mistakes in them, most importantly, they will carry out a long procedure for filling out a questionnaire for a tourist, there are 100 points in it, some of which are not clear to Russians. Moreover, you need to fill in the columns in English. Agents track the movement and exit of the passport from the diplomatic mission, receive it by power of attorney, without the participation of the owner.
Is one of those points on the world map that instills vague doubts and anxiety in the hearts of travelers. In view of the strict immigration policy, the British approach the visa issue with all caution. As a result, there is an ambiguous situation with a transit visa when transferring from flight to flight.
The good news is that you may not need a visa (but don't count on it too much), the bad news is that there are many pitfalls in customs control. We'll tell you everything you need to know for a successful connecting flight in the capital of Foggy Albion.
How to check if a visa is needed if I am flying in transit?
The first question that arises for those traveling in transit is whether you need a visa? For a complete guarantee, we recommend that you check the information about transit flights on the official website of the British Migration Service.
Another way to check is to look at TIMATIC. This is a unified information system of the International Air Transport Association IATA (International Air Transportation Association). Here, with all the scrupulousness and accuracy, all the rules for those who travel by plane are collected. So, to double-check the need for a transit visa, use TIMATIC on one of these resources:
The development of events also depends on the airport of arrival: if you arrive at international Airport Manchester or Heathrow - life is great and you definitely don't need to worry about a visa. The layout of these airports allows you to move from one terminal to another without leaving the transit area. This type of transit is called airside.
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The second type of transfer is landside transit. In a landside transit, the traveler leaves the airport area, and therefore the transit area. At this time, you can visit: in a couple of hours you can see the legendary sights of London, better understand the history of the city and feel its special atmosphere. Usually in such cases, a transit visa is required, but you may not need it if you comply with the following:
- you have tickets for a flight that departs on the day of your arrival or before midnight the next day;
- arrival and departure by plane only;
- an open visa to the country that is the final goal, or, if a visa is not needed, a receipt for the payment of the hotel.
BUT, in addition to this you have necessarily there must be one of the following documents:
- a valid visa to New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States and a plane ticket to one of the listed countries;
- expired visa to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, but six months have not passed since the moment of entering one of the listed countries;
- a valid biometric visa to enter the Republic of Ireland (the remarks must indicate "BC" or "BC BIVS"), as well as airline tickets to Ireland;
- a valid Irish biometric visa (the remarks must indicate "BC" or "BC BIVS"), air tickets confirming that he is flying from Ireland - more than three months have not passed since the moment of entry into this country;
- long-term visa category D, issued by one of the countries of the European Union or Switzerland;
- a residence permit in Australia;
- Residence permit in New Zealand;
- Residence permit in Canada (issued after June 28, 2002);
- Residence permit in the United States (issued after April 21, 2008), including a valid visa US I-551 Temporary Immigrant Visa (note that British border officials will not accept the agreed document with a seal made with wet ink), permanent residence card residence), expired I-551 card (must be accompanied by a valid I-797 letter that authorizes renewal), US Immigration Form 155A / 155B (which is presented with a stamped brown envelope);
- Residence permit in Switzerland or in any country that is part of the European Economic Area;
- availability of all documents that are required to enter the country of destination.
But there is a nuance - a visa concession does not yet guarantee trouble-free transit. If you suddenly seem suspicious to a customs officer, he may deny you a visit to the UK, justifying this in non-compliance with migration rules. In general, your fate at this moment entirely depends on his decision.
Therefore prepare for customs control: It will not be superfluous to print out your hotel reservation if you are staying with an overnight stay, and during the interview itself, you should not be frank about the fact that you specifically chose a long transfer in order to see the city. You will not be denied a stay at the airport, but you may not be allowed to go to the city.
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At passport control you will need:
International passport;
Air tickets for flights with the corresponding route. For example, air tickets for a Kiev-London-Toronto flight look much more convincing than air tickets with a Kiev-London-Berlin route. Immigration officials in the UK will clearly guess that you deliberately chose this route in order to walk around London;
A valid visa to the country of destination (if necessary);
Fully completed immigration form (the form is taken at the counter in front of the control or on the plane of some air carriers).
What are we doing?
First you need to print boarding passes for all connecting flights along your route.
- On departure, during check-in for the flight, you need to affix a stamp from the airline employee stating that the airline has no questions about your documents. To do this, you need to tell him that you are flying in transit, show a boarding pass for a flight from London and a passport with a valid visa of the country of arrival.
- Go through passport control and fly to London.
- Fill out the landing card on board.
- Upon arrival in London at passport control, present your passport, landing card and boarding pass for a flight from London.
- When boarding the next flight, you will be checked for a visa to visit the country you are going to.
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It should be remembered that you only have 24 hours for everything about everything. For a stay longer than 24 hours, a transit visa is already required - it allows you to stay in the UK for up to 48 hours.
