Transit Without Visa (TWOV) Concession
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Do I qualify for transit without visa (TWOV)?
If you are a visa national or a DATV national (see below) who is exempt, you can transit without visa if you will:
- arrive at a UK port on a ship and leave on the same ship within 24 hours; or
- arrive and leave by air within 24 hours and have no intention
of staying in the UK (you can travel by rail or road between two
airports); and
- have a confirmed onward booking that will leave within 24 hours of your arrival in the UK.
You must also have the documents you need:
to enter the country you are travelling to; and
for any other country that you may pass through on your journey.
You are advised to contact your carrier before departure. Some Airlines may refuse to board passengers without visas.
This waiver does not apply to:
1. Nationals of these countries:
Afghanistan |
Lebanon |
Albania |
Liberia |
Algeria |
Macedonia |
Angola |
Malawi |
Bangladesh |
Moldova |
Belarus |
Mongolia |
Burma (Myanmar) |
Nepal |
Burundi |
Nigeria |
Cameroon |
Palestinian Authority |
China, Peoples Republic of |
Pakistan |
Colombia |
Rwanda |
Congo |
Senegal |
Congo, Dem. Republic of |
Serbia and Montenegro (including documents issued by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo) |
Ecuador |
Sierra Leone |
Eritrea |
Sudan |
Ethiopia |
Somalia |
Gambia |
Sri Lanka |
Ghana |
Tanzania |
Guinea |
Turkey |
Guinea – Bissau |
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus |
India |
Uganda |
Iran |
Vietnam |
Iraq |
Zimbabwe |
Ivory Coast |
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Kenya |
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If you hold a passport from one of these countries, you will need a Direct Airside Transit or a Visitor in Transit visa unless you qualify under one of the exemptions.
2. Anyone intending to visit friends, family, go shopping or sightseeing etc. You will require a visit visa.
3. Anyone holding STAFF or OPEN dated tickets. You will also require a visit visa.
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Visa FAQs
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For further visa enquiries please contact Worldbridge, our commerical partner, at these numbers:
1 900 656 5000 - calls cost $US3 per minute
OR
1 212 796 5773 - $US12 flat fee (residents outside the US will need to call this number)
Please note: Worldbridge is NOT able to provide information on the status of an application that has already been submitted.
Telecommunications |
Exemptions:
EXEMPTIONS:
Certain
exemptions to this requirement have been introduced and apply to all
DATV nationals. The following categories of traveller are not required
to hold a DATV and may still benefit from the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) concession.
YOU ARE EXEMPT IF:
- You
are travelling FROM the US with a valid US visa and a valid airline
ticket for travel via the United Kingdom to another country; or
- You are travelling TO the US from another country and hold a
valid airline ticket for travel via the United Kingdom and a valid US
visa; or
- You last entered the US with a valid US visa which has now
expired but you hold a valid airline ticket for travel via the United
Kingdom to another country and you are intending to transit the United
Kingdom within 6 months of your last date of entry to the US; or
- You have a valid US I - 551 Permanent Residence Card (Green
Card) issued on or after 21 April 1998 (but see Note 1 and 2 below); or
- You have a valid US Immigrant Visa packet (form 155A / 155B); or
- You have an expired I - 551 Permanent Residence Card (issued on or after 21 April 1998) and a valid I-797 letter issued by the Bureau of Citizenship authorising its extension (but see Note 1 and 2 below); or
- You have a valid Canadian Permanent Residence Card issued on or after 28 June 2002; or
- You have a valid common format Category D visa issued by EU/EEA member states; or
- You have a valid common format EU residence permit issued under Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002;
- You hold a diplomatic or a service passport issued by the People's Republic of China; or
- You hold a diplomatic or an official passport issued by the government of India; or
- You hold a diplomatic or an official passport issued by the government of Vietnam.
Note:
- Holding an I-512 Parole letter or an I-797C (Notice of Action) instead of a valid US visa; or a Transportation Letter instead of a valid US Permanent Resident Card issued on or after 21 April 1998 or a U.S. Visa Foil endorsed, "NOT A VISA. FOIL PREPARED AT DHS REQUEST" does NOT qualify you for exemption from the DAT visa requirement.
- Holding a valid travel document with an ADIT stamp
- worded "PROCESSED FOR I-551. TEMPORARY EVIDENCE OF LAWFUL ADMISSION
FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE VALID UNTIL ......EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED" - does
NOT qualify you for exemption from the DAT visa requirement.
- Whether holders of non-national (including refugee travel
documents) require a DATV depends on their nationality and whether they
qualify for one of the exemptions listed above. So, for instance, the
holder of a non-national travel document (eg. a refugee travel
document) who is a national or a citizen of one of the countries listed
on the DATV list (eg. Afghanistan) will require a direct airside
transit visa if they are travelling to the UK to transit onto a third
country.
There are separate exemptions for holders of Australian, Canadian and New Zealand visas. Please click here for details.
If
you do not qualify from one of the above exemptions you should apply
online and submit the following documents to your nearest entry
clearance issuing post.
All
visa nationals wishing to transit the UK but spend longer doing so than
the 24 hours permitted under the TWOV condition must obtain a visitor
in transit visa for stays up to 48 hours or a visit visa.
Please click here for frequently asked questions regarding Direct Airside Transit Visas
Transiting to the Republic of Ireland:
Passengers
must pass through immigration control in order to take a flight to
Ireland. Visa nationals (and passengers qualifying for DATV exemption
above) may transit without visa providing they fulfil the TWOV
conditions and are properly documented for entry into Ireland. DATV
nationals transiting to Ireland must obtain a visit visa - NOT a
Visitor in transit visa which is only for transit to destination
outside the Common Travel Area.
Supporting Documents:
You will need to supply all of the following in original form:
- A completed online application
- Your passport (note: It should be the original document and have ample validity).
- One passport size photograph - no scans (Click here for example).
- Evidence of your Immigration Status in the USA. Please submit
the original document. Copies will only delay your application. For
example:
-Alien Registration Card (Greencard)
-H1-B Visa
-Advance Parole Document
-Employment Authorisation Card
-Valid IAP66/DS 2019
-Valid I20, signed on the reverse by designated school official
-Valid I-94
- Confirmed Flight Reservation - Do NOT purchase the ticket before the visa is issued
Please provide original documents and copies of all requested documents in support of your application.
http://www.britainusa.com/visas/articles_show_nt1.asp?a=41448#exemptions