UK Transit Visa for South Africans
Travelling from South Africa and via the UK and feeling a little confused about whether you need a visa or not? You’re certainly not alone, since Britain introduced the requirement of a visa for South Africans, transiting the UK has quickly become the murkiest of waters in the immigration world. Here is some info which might shed some light on this:
What is a transit visa?
Citizens of certain countries, like South Africa, require visas to enter the UK and in most cases to travel through a UK airport to another country. The transit visa is a slightly cheaper visa which allows the holder the opportunity to pass through the UK but not to enter Britain for any purpose other than to transit through it.
When is a transit visa not needed?
In certain circumstances one does not need a visa to transit via the UK (Transit Without Visa or TWOV), the rule for this is, in technical speak, as follows:
Visa required, except for Passengers who may be granted permission by the Immigration authorities to enter the United Kingdom, for a stay not exceeding 24 hours. [...] and have no purpose in entering the United Kingdom other than to pass through in transit.
Nationals of South Africa may only use this administrative concession (TWOV) above if holding:
- a visa which allows entry into (or transit through) either Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA; and
- holding a valid ticket for travel from a third country or territory via the UK as part of a journey TO (or through)
Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA.
In plain speak, you can only enter the UK without a visa if:
- You enter on a ticket which departs from South Africa and the destination of that ticket is either the US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand
- You’re holding a visa for one of the countries mentioned above (point A)
- You are staying in the UK for no longer than 24 hours, in transit, to either the US,Canada, Australia or New Zealand
- You have no reason to be in the UK other than transiting there (eg no business to conduct sites to see or people to visit) while on your way to either the US,Canada, Australia or New Zealand
If you do not meet all of the above criteria, you will need a visa to transit the United Kingdom.
Transiting between London Heathrow and Gatwick
You’ll find very few people who will give you a straight answer about transiting between Heathrow and Gatwick, mostly because the repercussions of giving you the wrong information are high – you won’t be allowed onto your flight, or worse yet, you will be detained and deported upon arrival in the UK. Officially you are allowed to travel between Gatwick and Heathrow without a visa, provided the above rules are met, and we do know of people who have successfully done this. But getting a direct answer out of the High Commission is very difficult, so here are your options:
- Risk it, as no where does it say you cannot travel between the two airports if you’ve met the above criteria.
- Apply for a transit visa (R638 at the time of this post) and avoid all the risk.
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My wife and I want to visit our children and grandchildren in UK. How much is the cost of our visas? (6 month). We then want to go across to Holland to visit my sister, do we need a visa? If so where will we get this and how much will it cost?
Thankyou
Hi Dave, sorry for the delayed reply, been away from the blog for a few days on leave. The visa will cost you R950 each for the UK visa. You’ll need a schengen visa to go to the Netherlands which you will need to apply for before you leave South Africa, this costs an additional EUR60 (about R660) per person. You’ll need to get a series of documents in order, eg proof of accommodation in the Netherlands, return tickets to that country, travel insurance, application forms, photos, proof of sufficient funds to travel. For more info on the application process, click here: http://southafrica.nlembassy.org/Config/Right_column/Directly_to/Visa
Hi Nick
My fiance and I are planning and booking our honeymoon overseas for next year. Our flights are going to take us from JHB via Frankfurt on to Paris where we will spend a few nights before moving to the south of France. We will then make our way across to Manchester and London before flying from London back to JHB via Frankfurt again. What visas will we need and the costs involved both travelling on SA passports?
Hi Terrance! Sounds like a great trip you’ve got planned!
You’ll need a visa for the UK and for France, the French visa is a multiple-entry Schengen visa and will cost 60 Euros (about R640). The UK visa will cost around R988. The prices are per person. I hope this helps
Hi Nick,
Please help – my husband is travelling to Dublin in February. He is not staying over in the UK and from my research I see he needs a visa to transit landside. I’m battling to find any further info in terms of what the requirements are to obtain this visa, as well as costs. He has a South African passport.
Can you help me please?
Hi Debbie, yes, if he’s going to Dublin via the UK he will need a visa for the UK. The fee is R689 for the transit visa, he can find more out about fees here: http://bit.ly/v1jLvc and click here to find out more about applying for one: http://www.vfs-uk-za.com/ . Although I find there’s actually more information available through the first link. Hope this all helps
Hi Nick.
If one has a BA ticket Johannesburg/Paris via London Heathrow but only transit via this airport (i.e does not get out of the airport), do we need a UK visa?
Thanks so much
Hi Alan, for that flight you will need a transit visa. It’s only if you travel on to the USA or Canada where you won’t need a transit visa. It’s unfortunate, but true I’m afraid! Hope this helps!
hi Nick want to visit my friend in the UK for a month and go visit some family in USA for 2 weeks and back to SA via UK my question is do i need 2 visas (UK & USA)how much will it costs
Hi Julia! Sounds like a nice trip you’ve got planned! To answer your question, yes you will need 2 visas for that trip, one for the UK and one for the USA. The UK visa will cost R1,026 currently, the US visa is USD140 currently.
Hi Nick
I am getting so confused. I have a SA passport and will be travelling from USA (B1/B2 visa) via London to Spain (valid Schengen visa). Please advise if a transit visa is required. Also, I have previously been denied a visitor visa for the UK. Help please
Hi Gwyn, thanks for getting in touch. If you’re going to Spain via the UK, you should need to have a UK transit visa, the visa-exemption is only if the US is your destination. If you’ve been denied a visa for the UK, to my knowledge, they still review each application on a case to case basis and provided that you were not denied for a some gross infringement in the past, they should consider your application again. Have you looked at direct flights from the US to Spain? It might save you some grief at the Embassy. BA and Iberia are now one company so there’s a chance they’ll let you reroute your ticket (if you’re on BA currently), they may not, but it could be worth a shot.
Hi Nick
I’m planning a trip to Canada with a transit stop at Heathrow. From what I understand, a transit visa won’t be necessary, but what happens for the return trip? Is a transit visa then required?
Also, the info on the UKBA website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/customs-travel/transitthroughtheuk/visa-to-transit-landside/#) refers to “Additionally, if you are a national of country covered by the DATV system, you must hold…” What does DATV refer to?
Thanks!
Hi Lee-Ann, that’s a good question, luckily it’s easy to answer! Because it’s all on one trip and you’re returning from that trip to your home country, you don’t need a transit visa to go via London if you’re just transiting and you’re spending less than 24 hours in the country.
The DATV is a Direct Airside Transit Visa, that’s the UK visa you’d need if you were flying to say, Amsterdam via London. South Africans don’t need a DATV if they are going to the USA or Canada, hold a visa for that country, are spending no longer than 24 hours in the UK, are only in the country for the purposes of transit and are continuing on the next available flight. Hope this helps!
Hi Nick, I am travelling on a SA passport and returning to Athens from Dallas USA via Heathrow – 3 hour stopover. I live in Greece and have a temp residency permit (for Greece – renewable every year) and a USA visa in my passport. Do you think I would need a transit visa for UK.
On the way over I flew via Madrid. i am leaving in 2 days – should I just wing it?
Many thanks,
Janet
Hi Janet, that’s a tough one, but I think it should be okay if you have the temporary residence permit and a visa for the USA in your passport (and the trip is the one where you utilised that visa)
Hi Nick
We are working in France with valid work visas for the country. We are planning a trip to the Canary Islands which we don’t need additional visas for since the French ones are valid for the Canary islands. We are travelling via Gatwick, just stopping over for1.5hours. Does this mean we will not need transit visas for the UK since we hold valid visas for the country we are travelling to? (point B in your article above).
Thanks a million. Oh yes we are SA’s.
Hi Nick
Im due to travel overseas via the UK and want to apply for a DAT visa. How long would I need to wait for an appointment in SA and do I have enough time to apoly for one if I leave the beginning of Feb?
Hi Danielle! The wait time varies depending on the time of the year, but usually it’s only a few days you need to wait, and then a further few days until getting the visa. If you apply now, you should be safe
I don’t need a transit visa travelling CPT-PHL via LHR. Does this mean I can leave the airport to sight see on my 8 hr stopover or does it mean I am restricted to Heathrow?
Hi Rosemary, I typed up a whole response to you the other day and it seems it got deleted somehow! Terribly sorry!
Your visa to the UK only allows you to transit there, you can’t enter the UK for any reason other than to transit the country – according to the rules. I suppose you could always ask the immigration officials if you could go through to the city, but I don’t know if they’d allow it as technically it’s not permitted. Also you don’t want to have trouble coming back in to the airport, since by leaving the airport, you aren’t technically in transit and they may interrogate you as to what you’ve been doing since you were here in transit.
I would say that you’re probably going to be restricted to Heathrow unfortunately
Hi Nick, I am a RSA resident. I plan on visiting the Netherlands in March, going to the UK for a few days and returning to the Netherlands. Here is the catch. I plan to travel with the Eurostar to the UK. I need to travel from Amsterdam to Brussels to be able to do that. After my stay in the UK I will then reverse my steps via Brussels, ending in the Netherlands again.What type of visas do I need. Do I also need a seperate visa for Belgium?
Hi Tersia! Sounds like a great trip. Luckily the answer to your question is quite simple – you will need 2 visas, one for the UK and one for the Schengen states (Netherlands, Belgium etc). The Schengen visa allows you entry into multiple countries in Europe including Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Greece, Poland and many more. You’ll apply for a multiple entry Schengen visa and you’ll likely need to show when and how you’re leaving the Netherlands and when and how you’re coming back – they’re a little pedantic. You’ll need to show this with your return train tickets. The UK will probably ask you if you to show how you’re getting to Europe and then on to the UK too! So it may be best to apply for the Schengen Visa first so that you have everything booked which you need for your visa. Hope this helps!
Thanks Nick!!
Hi Nick
I’m travelling back home from the USA on a SA passport on a flight via London. Would I need a transit visa? I have a valid B1/B2 visa.
Hi Mia, if I’m not mistaken, the B1/B2 visa is the tourist/visitor visa. Basically if you hold a visa for the USA and your trip is for the purposes of visiting the USA (as in, you can’t hold a visa for the USA, transit the UK and go to Ireland instead, your trip must be for travel to/from the USA), then according to the info at my disposal, you don’t need a visa to transit the UK:
“TWOV (TRANSIT WITHOUT VISA):
VISA REQUIRED, EXCEPT FOR PASSENGERS WHO MAY BE GRANTED
PERMISSION BY THE IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES TO ENTER THE UNITED
KINGDOM, FOR A STAY NOT EXCEEDING 24 HOURS.
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE COMPLIED WITH:
- PASSENGERS HOLD CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS FOR AN ONWARD FLIGHT
WITHIN 24 HOURS; AND
- CONTINUE TO A THIRD COUNTRY; AND
- HAVE NO PURPOSE IN ENTERING THE UNITED KINGDOM OTHER THAN TO
PASS THROUGH IN TRANSIT; AND
- HOLD ALL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE NEXT DESTINATION.
– ***WARNING*** NATIONALS OF SOUTH AFRICA MAY ONLY USE THIS
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCESSION (TWOV) ABOVE IF HOLDING:
– A VISA WHICH ALLOWS ENTRY INTO (OR TRANSIT THROUGH)
EITHER AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR THE USA; AND
– HOLDING A VALID TICKET FOR TRAVEL FROM A THIRD COUNTRY OR
TERRITORY VIA THE UK AS PART OF A JOURNEY TO (OR THROUGH)
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR THE USA, WHICHEVER THE
VISA IS APPLICABLE TO (E.G.: DEL-LHR-JFK, DEL-CDG-LHR-JFK,
DEL-LHR-CDG-JFK OR DEL-LHR-JFK-MEX).
OR:
– A VALID VISA FOR ENTRY INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW
ZEALAND OR THE USA; AND
– A VALID AIRLINE TICKET FOR TRAVEL VIA THE UK AS PART OFA
JOURNEY FROM THE COUNTRY IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE VISA IS
HELD TO ANOTHER COUNTRY OR TERRITORY.
OR:
TRAVELLING AS PART OF A JOURNEY FROM EITHER AUSTRALIA,
CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR THE USA, PROVIDED TRANSITING THE UK
LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE THEY LAST ENTERED
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR THE USA WITH A VALID VISA
FOR THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRY, EVEN THOUGH THE VISA MAY HAVE
EXPIRED AT TIME OF TRANSIT THROUGH THE UK (E.G.:
JFK-LHR-DEL, JFK-CDG-LHR-DEL OR JFK-LHR-CDG-DEL).
NOTE: THIS DATV EXEMPTION IS NOT APPLICABLE IF HOLDING A US
VISA FOIL TYPE “YY” OR “ZZ” ENDORSED “NOT A VISA. FOIL
PREPARED AT DHS REQUEST” NOR THE US ADIT STAMP WORDED
“PROCESSED FOR I-551″ (TEMPORARY FORM I-551).”
hi there. my family and i are south african passport holders with indefinate leave to remain in the uk. we are going to south africa on hols in april flying via madrid. we wont be leaving the airport and so was wondering if we need transit visas for our stopover there? many thanks
Hi Kelly! On a South African passport, you will never require a visa to transit through an EU airport, provided you don’t stay longer than 24 hours, don’t leave the transit area and are continuing on the next flight available. From the sounds of it, your trip doesn’t break any of these rules, so you should be fine
We hold rebate ( Airline discount ) tickets to travel Cape Town – London – Houston and return 2 weeks later. This is a valid airline ticket but we are not allowed to book a confirmed seat on a flight. This means that we are on standby for the next flight after arrival in Heathrow 8 hours later. The airline which we are travelling Cape Town – Houston has told me there are 72 seats available on the sector London – Houston. We were issued with a 10 year B1/B2 USA visa. Is there any legal document available to show to the Airline in Cape Town that we have authority to stay in transit for 24 hours. I spoke to the British Consulate in Cape Town which informed me that I only need a valid ticket, not a booked ticket and a valid visa for the USA. PLEASE HELP. The airline concerned does not what to accept us without a transit visa. We planned to start our yourney on 17 January 2012. Thank you
Hi Arno, thanks for getting in touch. At the end of the day, it is up two parties if you’re allowed to go in this flight. 1) The British Consulate/Embassy, they have to be happy that you meet all the requirements – it seems they are. 2) The Airline has to be happy to board you as well, they get hefty fines if you arrive in London and aren’t allowed to enter the airport by immigration, so they will be wary.
From what you’re saying I understand it as you won’t have confirmed seats for the London-Houston leg of your trip either. I take it, it’s British Airways you’re flying with too? It would make sense that they’re wary as there’s a very real risk of you arriving in London and then you cannot continue within 24 hours to Houston, if the flight fills up. So what I would say here is, officially, you don’t need a visa to do this trip, but if the airline is insisting they won’t let you board, you may need to check with them if getting a transit visa would make them let you board the flight.
The rule states as follows:
“THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE COMPLIED WITH:
- PASSENGERS HOLD CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS FOR AN ONWARD FLIGHT
WITHIN 24 HOURS [...]
- A VALID AIRLINE TICKET FOR TRAVEL VIA THE UK AS PART OFA
JOURNEY FROM THE COUNTRY IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE VISA IS
HELD TO ANOTHER COUNTRY OR TERRITORY.”
It’s a tough one but ultimately both parties need to be satisfied, the UK Border Agency and the Airline, in order for you to travel, if one says they’re happy but the other is not, you have to check with the unhappy party what you can do to make this trip happen.
Hope this helps, even if just a bit.
I am a South African working in Kuwait and I intend visiting the US via London (purely transit and no airport change). return will be the same route. I have the US visas, do I need a UK visa?
Hi Haroon!
So long as you have all the documents proving you have the right to remain and work in Kuwait, and documents proving you have the right to do so upon your return, all the information at my disposal says you won’t need a visa for the UK, if you comply with all the above-mentioned rules (see comment by myself to Mia). I would suggest getting a letter from your employer in Kuwait too, explaining that you are on leave and are expected back at work on X date.
Hope this helps!
Hi Nick!
I’m going to Europe on a Contiki trip in June and our flight arrives in London the day before our trip starts and leaves for the Netherlands. We’re planning on spending that evening before the trip with friends in London, as well as a night with them after our tour ends and we fly back to South Africa. I’m getting a Schengen visa for the Contiki tour, will I need a visa in order to overnight in the U.K. before we leave for the tour? This visa process has me a little confused!
Hi Sunette, thanks for getting in touch. For that trip, you’ll need 2 visas, the Schengen visa for Europe and a UK visa. For the UK visa, you’ll need to apply through VFS first: http://www.vfs-uk-za.com/ I find the UK government’s site a little more user-friendly personally, so check it out too (you’ll still need to apply through VFS): http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/general/ Hope this helps!
Do you still need a transit visa for London (going to Dubai) if you are living/working in Europe but doing so on a South African Passport?
Hi Lindy, according to our info, you will need to get a visa for the UK even if you are living and working on continental Europe. If you’re residing in a Schengen state you will be allowed to visit any other Schengen states without another visa, but the UK is not a Schengen State. If you are a European National (as in have a European passport) you won’t need a visa to visit or travel via the UK.
Hi Nick
I will be travelling to Canada in July 2012. I will have a Canadian and USA visa. On my way there I will be in transit at Heathrow – which from reading the posts above, I wont need a transit visa. However my return trip will be via Frankfurt. I will also be in transit for 9 hours, do I need a transit visa for Germany?
Thanks
Hi Sandra, you seem to be all in order for your trip. The good news is that the British are the picky ones! The Germans are happy for any South African to transit in their country without a visa regardless of the destination, so you’ll be fine there. All in all, you seem set (visa-wise) for your trip!
Heard that one now requires a direct airside transit visa even if in possession of US/Canada Visa
Hi James, thanks for the heads up. All the official sources still say a visa is not required. Will keep an eye out for this.
Hi Nick
I am traveling from S.A. to Geneva, with an hour and a half stop over at Heathrow. then coming back a week later via heathrow again. Do i need another in transit visa for the return trip? If so how much will it be?
Hi Warren, thanks for getting in touch. You’ll need just one visa. What will happen is the UK embassy will give you a transit visa valid for the duration of your trip which allows you to transit the UK at any point(s) during that time. Hope this helps
I am South African I am travelling to Canada in April via Heathrow , I will be in transit for 5 hours I have a canadian visa Do I need a transit visa for UK , If I previously have been refused entry into the UK 2004 and have been refused visa .The agency kept on convincing me that I will have no problem. I still am not convinced that I will have no problems. And should I Apply for a transit visa I dont think they will give the visa even should I Meet the requirements .
Hi Famida, this is a tough one. According to the rules, if you’re holding 1 ticket for a journey through from South Africa via London to Canada and are transiting the UK for less than 24 hours and have a visa for Canada in a South African passport you will be allowed to travel that way. No where does it mention anything about previously being denied a visa for the UK as a criteria for denying entry for transit.
According to that you’d be safe to travel this way. I do however understand your reservations. I would suggest contacting VFS, the UK visa handling service on http://www.vfs-uk-za.com/callcentre.html to get some more official advice.
Hi Nick
My wife and I are South Africans, but with permanent residency cards for Canada (we have a house there and I work between here and Canada). I normally only transit through the UK, which is fine, but if I want to enter into the UK, as Canadian PR, would I still require a visa? The British Consulate in Halifax, Canada does not think so, but I suspect they were misinformed…..?
Hi Danie, thanks for getting in touch! According to my info, you do need a visa to enter the UK, even if you are a Canadian permanent resident – though this does sound silly to me. It seems to be linked to the passport you’re holding rather than your residency. If you can get it in writing from the consulate then it should be good for entry into the UK, but if they won’t do this for you, you’re going to have to apply for a visa for the UK.
Hi Nick,
Thanks for the great website! I am planning a trip to the UK in May (travelling on a SA Passport) and know that I will need a visa for my stay in London. But my partner and I are considering taking a trip from there to France. What visas do I need? Many thanks!
Hi Natasha! Thanks for getting in touch. For this trip, you will need a UK visa for London and a Schengen visa for France. The UK visa costs around R1000 and you will need to apply for it here: http://www.vfs-uk-za.com/ . The French Schengen visa costs about R650 and you can apply for it here: http://www.myeuropevisa.com/FR-ZA/ Hope this helps!!
Hi Nick.
My grandmother and I are travelling to the UK in April. We have got our UK visas but now I need to know whether we need inter transfer visas. We are travelling form SA to Frankfurt to London and back via London, Zurich, SA. Please advise urgently as we are leaving on the 1st of April.
Kind regards,
Isabelle Kinnear
Hi Isabelle, for this trip, if you have your UK visa, you don’t need a transit visa for any Schengen European countries (this includes Germany and Switzerland). I hope this helps!
family of 5 – 2 adults and 3 children (17 – 14 – 11 years old) travelling : 1st April 2012 Jhb – London, London – Athens (2.14 hours in transit) and then returning on 15th April 2012 Athens – London (n transit for approx 6 hours) London – Jhbo be taken regards a transit visa. Thank you – Sharon
Hi Sharon, thanks for getting in touch.
For all travel via the UK to Europe, a transit visa is needed.
According to my information, the UK requires each passenger to pay, regardless of age, this is currently R663 per person travelling.
You will require a Schengen visa for Greece, that is currently approx R650 per traveller over 11 years and R400 for 6-11 year olds.
Hope this helps.
Hi, I hope I am right. I fly home to SA via London. I am on a SA passport, but have Permanent Residence for Germany and NOT a Schengen Visa. I haven’t applied for a transit visa since I think I fall un TWOV concession. Am I right? Thanks!
Hi Joe, according to my info, you are correct providing that:
“(TWOV) PERMITTED PROVIDED HOLDING A VALID,COMMON FORMAT RESIDENCE PERMIT ISSUED BY AN EEA MEMBER STATE ”
Germany is an EEA state. Hope this helps!
Thanks for your help! Yes my Residence Permit was issued here in Germany and is without an expiration date.
Thanks Nick! Great website.
Hi Nick
I have bought a last minute flight to Miami via Heathrow. I gave the visa no thought…
Do I require one? And if so, how long does it take to arrange one? I have 48hrs…
Thank you
Christiaan
Hi Christiaan, thanks for getting in touch. If you’re on a permanent South African passport and are only in the UK for the purpose of transiting and are there for no longer than 24 hours and hold a valid visa for the USA and you are travelling there only on this trip, you will not need a transit visa for the UK.
Hi Nick
Im planning a trip to Barbados via London, i am a South African passport holder, do i need a transit visa for the UK, i also have a C1d visa.
Hi Haroldine, if you are travelling via the UK on a regular permanent passport, you will need a transit visa for the UK. As far as I know, unless your destination is the USA on this trip the C1/D visa will not count towards you transiting the UK visa-free. If you are merely going from SA – London – Barbados, to my knowledge, you will need a transit visa for the UK.
Hi Nick,
My mother booked a ticket on Iberia from Johannesburg to Amsterdam via Madrid
Iberia decided to pull out of SA. BA is will apparently honour these tickets and her flight to Amsterdam will be rerouted via London.
Does she have to get a transit visa for this whole exercise?
Hi Jason!
Thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately the airline doesn’t have the power to issue these visas so they can’t throw in a free visa for her unfortunately. It really is a very unfair situation indeed.
What the airline will do is allow a full refund, but you’ll have to see if it’s going to be worth buying a new ticket to Amsterdam, or just paying in the R600 odd for the transit visa and be done with it.
Contact whoever you booked the ticket with to find out about the refund and how much a new ticket might cost, if it’s less than R600 more it might be worth going that route.
Hi Nick,
I would like to visit a friend on the Isle of Man. I’m on a South African passport. Would I need a transit visa or general visitor visa if I go via the UK? There is also a route from Dublin, Ireland and am wondering if I can get the Isle of Man that way without any visa?
Many thanks
Hi Carolyn, as far as I am aware the Isle of Man falls within the UK’s borders so is governed by the UK’s border control rules meaning you need to have a visa as a normal South African passport holder to visit the Isle of Man. I believe you can apply either for a UK or a Manx visa, though these are identical and the UK visa allows you entry into both the Isle of Man and the UK. This would be the regular UK visa.
I hope this helps!
Hi Nick,
I have dual citizenship with passports from SA and EU.
I am on transit through Heathrow from Johannesburg to Madrid. I’m sure
I don’t need a visa, is that right?
Hi Manuella, if you have a valid EU passport you will not need a visa to travel via or to anywhere in the EU, provided that you enter any of those countries on that passport.
Hello Nick,
I am traveling from New Delhi, India to Montreal, Canada via London/Heathrow. Stay in London airport is about 5 hours. I have valid passport of Indian citizenship and a valid VISA for the destination country Canada. VISA type is Work permit.
Do I need to have a transit VISA for London/Heathrow stay on airport ?
Thanks for help !
Hi Vinay, I’m afraid I only really have experience dealing with South African passport holders and would advise you to check with the local visa handling agency for the UK there in India.
To my knowledge though the process is the same meaning you would not need a UK visa for this trip. But please double-check locally too.
Hello,
My name is Reza. My wife and I are from Iran. We live in Malaysia. We are postgraduate students in University of Malaya. Our parents live in Dublin, Ireland. We want to visit them, and we have already applied for Ireland visa. We want to transit from Heathrow Airport in London to Dublin. Our flights information is as follows:
Depart
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
London ‑ Heathrow
Dublin
Malaysia Airlines
11:40 PM (02 Jul)
5:50 AM (03 Jul)
Biritish midland International (BMI)
21:50 (03 Jul)
23:10 (03 Jul)
Return
Dublin
London ‑ Heathrow
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Biritish midland International (BMI)
07:00 AM (31 Jul)
08:20 AM(31 Jul)
Malaysia Airlines
10:00 PM(31 Jul)
5:25 PM(01 Aug)
As you can see, in our depart and return flight, we stay in London less than 24 hours, and in UK website for visa it is mentioned that we don’t need to apply for transit visa. This information is provided in the following link in which it mentions:
[ http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/transitthroughtheuk/visa-to-transit-landside/# ]
[If you are a visa national or recognised as stateless, you may be able to transit the UK landside without a visa. To qualify for this exemption:
o you must arrive and depart by air;
o your onward flight must be confirmed, and must depart within 24 hours; and
o you have proper documentation for your destination, including a visa if necessary]
My question: Referring to this information, we do not need to apply for transit visa (landside). Yes?
Please reply my email
Thank You
Hi Reza, thanks for getting in touch. I am afraid my area of experience is with South African passport holders departing South Africa. I won’t be able to accurately advise you on the visa requirements for your unique situation.
I would suggest contacting the official visa handling agency appointed by the UK government there in Malaysia, they should be able to advise you accordingly.
Hi Nick.
Does a UK 6-month tourist visa cover transiting as well?
Here’s my situation: I’m flying to Spain via London, in transit for 2 hrs. Two weeks later, I return to London, but this time to stay there for 5 days before coming back to SA.
So, do I have to apply for a transit visa as well as a tourist visa? Or can I just apply for a multiple-entry UK tourist visa (even though that first entry is just in transit).
Please help. Nothing on the UK Border Agency site seems to cover my situation?
Thanks.
Hi Sanjiv,
to my knowledge the tourist visa trumps the transit visa in that it allows you multiple entry to the UK, which includes transit.
Hi Nick. You might have answered this question before seeing that I have not read all responses on the website. I am travelling from Cape Town (SA) to New Jersey (USA) via Heathrow and will return the same route. My US Visitors Visa (B1-B2) is valid till 2022. My stopovers at Heathrow are 3 hours and on return 8 hours. I am totally flabbergasted by the Airside, Landside, Visitors Visa debacle. If I’m off to USA then I’m OK right? I fear some lady saying ‘Access Denied…you have no Airside Visa!’
Hi Natasha,
thanks for getting in touch. I think you will be safe as you’re departing from SA and returning to SA and are just in the UK for the purposes of transit and you hold a visa for the USA and are travelling to that destination on this trip. Seems to me you meet all the requirements.
Hi Nick,
I’m travelling to the US next week Thursday and on my way back to SA I have quite a long layover. Can I leave the airport on my way back to South Africa or is this only will in transit to the US?
Thanks,
Neil
Hi Neil,
sorry for the delay in responding to you.
If you have a valid US visa on a normal South African Passport and you are travelling via the UK and are only there to transit the UK and are travelling to the US on this trip and are returning to SA directly on the return trip then you will not need a visa to transit the UK.
Hi Nick,
I’m organizing a couple cricket players from Zimbabwe and South Africa to come to Canada. They have applied for their temporary Canadian visa already.
Their flight has a stop over in Amsterdam… so they will NOT need a transit visa for the trip here and back?
Thanks!
Hi Shalene,
I am not too clued up on the requirements for Zimbabwean nationals, but the South Africans if they have a valid visa for Canada they should be fine. (I’m not sure what you mean by temporary visa though, so you may need to double check this info if this is not a proper visa which they have).
The info I have at my disposal says they they won’t need a transit visa for the UK or Netherlands if they are only transiting there and are there for more than 24 hours. They may not leave the airport.