Applying for a UK
Transit visa
UK Transit visas explained
You may need a visa to pass through the
UK in transit – i.e. travelling through the
UK on the way to another country. To be
eligible for a transit visa you must be:
• in transit to another country with
enough funds and the intention to
travel on
• able to prove you can enter that
country
• able to show that the only purpose of
your visit to the UK is transit
You should first check if you need a visa
at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Not leaving the airport
Apply for a Direct Airside Transit visa
if you will be changing flights in the UK
and won’t be going through UK border
control. Direct Airside Transit visas last
for up to 24 hours.
You cannot apply for this visa if you need
to go through UK border control, for
example to check in your luggage on to a
connecting flight or to change airports –
apply for a Visitor in Transit visa instead.
Leaving the airport
Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you
will be going through UK border control
but leaving the UK within 48 hours. You
can also apply for a long-term Visitor in
Transit visa if you can prove you need
to frequently pass through the UK in
transit over a longer period.
Fees
Direct Airside Transit visas cost £34.
Visitor in Transit visas cost £62. The
cost may vary slightly depending on
which country you’re in.
Transit without a visa
If you do require a visa to transit via the
UK – either to pass airside through the UK
or to pass through the UK border - you
may be eligible for transit without a visa if
you hold one of a specified range of transit
visa exemption documents. Check if you
are eligible by using the Visa Checker Tool
at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
Visitor in Transit visa
You may need a Visitor in Transit visa
if you’ll be going through immigration
control but leaving the UK within 48
hours and you’re:
• from outside the European
Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• not going to work or study while in
the UK.
You should first check if you need a
transit visa at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Visitor in Transit visa
documents
You must provide:
• a current passport or other valid
travel identification
Direct Airside Transit visa
You may need a Direct Airside Transit
visa if you will be changing flights in
the UK without going through
immigration control and you are
from outside the European Economic
Area (EEA) or Switzerland.
You should first check if you need a
transit visa at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
You don’t need to apply for one if you:
• hold an EEA family permit
www.gov.uk/family-permit
• hold a valid Home Office travel
document www.gov.uk/apply-
home-office-travel-document
• hold a valid UK visa
• are eligible for transit without a visa
You should check your eligibility for
transit without a visa before applying
for a direct airside transit visa.
Direct Airside Transit Visa
Documents
For a Direct Airside Transit Visa you
must provide:
• a current passport or other valid
travel identification
You may need to provide additional
documents depending on your
circumstances – read the guidance
for a full list available at www.gov.uk/
government/publications/visitor-visa-
guide-to-supporting-documents
Long-term visit visa
You can also apply for a long-term visit
visa if you can prove you need to pass
through the UK in transit regularly
over a longer period. You can stay for a
maximum of 48 hours on each visit and
your visa can last for 2, 5 or 10 years.
You must prove that:
• you have an ongoing need to pass
through the UK in transit
• the reason for your need to pass
through the UK is unlikely to change
significantly while the visa is valid
• you plan to leave the UK at the end
of each transit within the 48 hour
period allowed
You should apply for another type of
visitor visa if you are travelling to or
from Ireland, the Channel Islands or
the Isle of Man.
05/2017
