UK transit visa: What do you think? Any personal experience?

[Samer2010]

Hi Forum,

A non-EU national who holds a Finnish EC long-term residence permit wants to travel from Helsinki to somewhere. However, The trip to the desired destination will require a transit in London Heathrow airport for 23 hours, then, The flight continues from London Heathrow airport to the destination.

I checked the official site (https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa) and I am allowed (Without transit visa) to stay in London Heathrow airport waiting for my next flight, But 23 hours of waiting is too long.

My question is: If I wanna use the waiting time (23 hours) to go outside the airport and spend some time in London - Am I allowed to do so without transit visa ?

When I checked the official site about this matter, I noticed that it provides a very confusing answer which states:

You’ll need a visa to pass through the UK in transit
You should apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you arrive on a flight and will pass through immigration control before you leave the UK.

Transiting without a visa
You might be eligible for the ‘transit without visa concession’ if:

- You arrive and depart by air
- Have a confirmed onward flight which leaves within 24 hours
- Have the correct documents for your destination (eg a visa for that country)

Note: The ‘transit without visa concession’ is decided by the immigration officer at the border. You won’t be allowed to transit if they decide you need a visa, so you might want to apply for a transit visa before you travel.


You see what am talking about?
Yes, It says that I need a visa, But again it also states that I might be allowed without visa if 3 conditions are met and I actually do meet all of them.

So, What do you think? Any personal experience to share ?

Thanks !

[foca]

I once took a wrong bus while changing terminals in Heathrow and ended up in an area beyond the passport control zone. When I went back to get to my flight they really could not understand how it all happened, so they stamped a 24 transit visa in my passport and let me go...
Frankly if I were you I would try to go without visa. Getting one in Finland is complicated and expensive. You might have to give your fingerprints (it is about 200 EUr if u use the mobile clinic). Just arrive there and ask .

[Samer2010]

@foca
Thanks for your post. But when they stamped a 24 hrs transit visa on your passport, did they ask you to pay anything (The cost of the visa)?

I really wanna go without a visa, But am afraid that the immigration officers there will tell me to stay in the airport the whole 23 hours and that is something I cannot do. My hope was to go without a visa and spending the 23 hours in London but not all of it in the airport, but again there's a risk that I might not be allowed....

[rinso]

but again there's a risk that I might not be allowed....

Indeed. And it depends on the officer at the immigration desk. So whatever anybody says there is no guarantee.

[Samer2010]

And it depends on the officer at the immigration desk

Sadly, True. But, Isn't it wrong?

I mean, Rules should be very clear and well-defined: black and white. I am really surprised why on earth there are some situations (Like mine) which will be decided by the officer at the immigration desk... If s/he was happy with his coffee that day then s/he may let me out without visa, or maybe if s/he was in a bad mood, then, s/he may force me to stay in the airport.... come on... isn't that ridiculous ?

[DMC]

I guess there is always a balance to be struck between very clear-cut rules and giving officials the power to use their initiative to "do the right thing". For example, suppose your planned stopover was 3 hours, so you didn't plan to leave the airport. Then you arrive and find your onward flight is delayed by 20 hours. You might want to leave the airport and book into a hotel. If the rules were such that the official could not let you do that without a visa you might take a different view about whether the current system is ridiculous.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it. Turn up without a visa and attempt to leave the airport. If you are not able to do so you will have to stay there. Is that really so bad? It doesn't seem to be a major catastrophe to me.

[rinso]

I mean, Rules should be very clear and well-defined: black and white.

A black and white rule would be: "no immigration without a visa, not even for a couple of hours".
Think of it this way:
Buy a transit ticket, visit London without visa, stay and return the ticket and collect the money.
That way you could circumvent the whole visa system.

[DMC]

That way you could circumvent the whole visa system.

I guess that is why the official has the power to prevent entry without a visa but is not forced to do that. He can use his judgement to decide if the person is genuinely on a short stopover or trying to circumvent visa/immigration controls. That way he can do the decent thing and let in people who really are going to be travelling onwards in a few hours. The flexibility in the current system introduces some scope for error but in many cases is better than a hard and fast rule.

[foca]

It did not cost me anything, but it was quite a few years back.if you decide to apply for the visa, remember that it might take up to two weeks . The nearest visa section is in Stockholm. As I understand the immigration officer decision will be based on a number of factors. In case that you previously held a British visa (and it is still in your passport), or if you travel to the USA and have a valid US visa , the decision will most probably be positive. But there is always a chance of a bad cup of coffee ....