What sort of visa do I require for a layover in London, Heathrow Airport, UK? [duplicate]
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I am an Indian citizen, travelling to USA by an American Airlines flight (which is operated by British airways for the first leg). I have a valid tourist/business visa (B1/B2) for USA. My flight will arrive at Terminal 5 at 7 am, and leave from Terminal 3 at 9.30 am at Heathrow, giving me 2.5 hours to make the connection.
I had the following questions -
a) Do I need a direct airside transit visa (DATV) or a visitor-in-transit visa for this connection?
b) Both flights will be on a single ticket. Given this, will I have to pass through UK borders, customs or immigration?
c) Given that I need to move from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 - are 2.5 hours sufficient to make the connection?
Best Answer
Heathrow has airside transfer buses between the terminals for flight connections, so if you have your baggage checked through, you do not need to pass through the UK immigration or customs control.
Having a valid USA visa exempts you from the airside transit visa requirement that usually apply Indian nationals.
2½ hours should be plenty for an airside connection.
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Do I need a visa if I have a connecting flight in London?
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.Do I need visa for connecting flight in LHR?
Yes, transit visa is a must. My friend wasn't allowed to board a flight from Amsterdam to Mumbai via LHR because he didn't have transit visa. If u hv connecting flight then no need of transit visa. If you have just one connecting flight, then no need.Do I need transit visa for layover in London Heathrow?
If you are passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country, you may need a UK transit visa. Transit visas are required by some nationals who are passing through the UK en-route to another country within 24 or 48 hours.Do I need a visa to catch a connecting flight?
In general, travelers in transit through the United States require valid C-1 visas.Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 Inside Departure Lounge
More answers regarding what sort of visa do I require for a layover in London, Heathrow Airport, UK? [duplicate]
Answer 2
As Henning said, you will not need a UK DATV since you have a US visa. In fact, even if you did need to enter the UK to pick up baggage (which you won't because it's on one ticket), you could do so on the basis of your US visa.
Also, since your trip is on one ticket, you need not worry about the connection time at all. Even if you were to miss it due to your inbound flight being late, American is obliged to take care of you without you paying a penny
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