Transit visa question...London

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We are checking into buying oru tickets for the Ukraine trip this summer and I found some super-low fares NYC to KBP through London. Half the cost of anything else I could find. BUT (there is always the "but") it requires a transfer of airports in London from Heathrow to Gatwick. A bus is provided, but will Alla and Pasha need some sort of transit visa? Anyone ever experience this? Your experience is appreciated if you have done this.

Thanks in advance

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

What I found so far, it appears that US residents are exempt from transit visas even between airports for up to 24 hours. If anyone has any actual experience it is greatly appreciated.

Am I exempt from the DATV requirement?

You will be exempt from the DATV requirement and may be able to transit without visa if you hold one of the following.

A valid visa for entry to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America and a valid airline ticket for travel through the UK as part of a journey from another country or territory to the country for which you have the entry visa.

A valid visa for entry to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America and a valid airline ticket for travel through the UK as part of a journey from the country for which you have the visa to another country or territory.

A valid airline ticket for travel through the UK as part of a journey from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America to another country or territory, as long as you do not transit (pass through) the UK on a date more than six months after the date on which you last entered Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America with a valid visa for that country.

A valid USA I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998.

A valid Canadian permanent resident card issued on or after 28 June 2002.

A valid common format category D visa for entry to an EEA state – see our 'EEA and Swiss nationals' leaflet for a list of EEA states.

A valid common format residence permit issued by an EEA state under Council Regulation (EC) number 1030/2002.

A diplomatic or service passport issued by the People’s Republic of China.

A diplomatic or official passport issued by India.

A diplomatic or official passport issued by Vietnam.

Notes on DATV exemptions

1.A valid US immigrant visa packet (form 155A/155B) is a 'valid visa' for DATV exemption.

2.If you have an expired I-551 permanent resident card issued on or after 21 April 1998 with an I-797 extension letter issued by the Bureau of Citizenship, you do not need a DATV.

3.If you have either:

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;

you are not exempt and need a DATV.

4.If you hold a valid travel document with a US ‘ADIT’ stamp saying – 'Processed for I-551. TEMPORARY EVIDENCE OF LAWFUL ADMISSION FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE VALID UNTIL [date]. EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED', you are not exempt and need a DATV.

5.If you hold either 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 Residence Card issued on or after 21 April 1998, or a US visa foil endorsed, "NOT A VISA. FOIL PREPARED AT DHS REQUEST", you will not qualify for exemption and will need a DATV.

6.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 (such as a refugee travel document) who is a national or a citizen of one of the countries listed on the DATV list (for example, Afghanistan) will need a direct airside transit visa (DATV) if they are travelling to the UK in transit to a third country.

Back to top

Do I qualify for transit without visa (TWOV)?

If you are a visa national or a DATV national who is exempt, an Immigration Officer may exercise discretion and allow you pass through the UK on your way to another country outside the Common Travel Area (the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland collectively form a common travel area) without a visa providing that you:

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.

Please note, however, that this concession is at the Immigration Officer’s discretion and there is no guaranteed right of entry.

Edited April 23, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[James And Oksana 19]

I checked on this for my fiancée. I even emailed the UK immigration because it was less clear that a fiancée with a K1 could do this. The communication I received back was that it is ultimately up the the border guard at crossing. From everything I know, if you hold a green card, that is treated in visa waver countries as pretty much the same as being a US citizen. I believe that so long as the people traveling have a green card with their passport, they will not have an issue as indicated above.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I checked on this for my fiancée. I even emailed the UK immigration because it was less clear that a fiancée with a K1 could do this. The communication I received back was that it is ultimately up the the border guard at crossing. From everything I know, if you hold a green card, that is treated in visa waver countries as pretty much the same as being a US citizen. I believe that so long as the people traveling have a green card with their passport, they will not have an issue as indicated above.

This seems right for UK for transit visas only (note 24 hour time limit) Entry is always at the discretion of the border officer, here, there, everywhere. That is a boiler plate statement and applies even to someone with a K-1 entering the US. People with K-1s CAN and HAVE been denied entry into the US. It is rare, to be sure. ALL countries reserve this right.

But it appears that for treansit visas the green card gets the job done. FYI, I know that for other visits you need to get them visas, even for UK for more than 24 hours, but it becomes much easier to obtain visas once they have a green card.

[Katiedog 6]

I am a member of an excellent international forum known as Russian Ukrainian Adventures. Many of the members are UK residents. There are some people with lots of native knowledge about such things on the forum. You might give it a visit. Here is the link: http://ruadventures.com/

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I am a member of an excellent international forum known as Russian Ukrainian Adventures. Many of the members are UK residents. There are some people with lots of native knowledge about such things on the forum. You might give it a visit. Here is the link: http://ruadventures.com/

Thanks!

[Julia&Joseph 8]

Gary & Alla,

I saw your post concerning a transit visa and it reminded me of an article I saw last year in the Kyiv Post which is an English language paper here in Kyiv with a 50k circulation. It seems there was a Ukrainian writer for the Kyiv Post who is also a student at Michigan State University (my home state and my alma mater) and he was flying from America to Ukraine via Paris last year and because of the volcano ash he missed connecting flight and tried to get a transit visa to leave the airport to go to a hotel until his next flight. I know its not London, it happened in Paris but he talks about Ukrainians and how they are treated concerning transit visas (or not having them in the EU), so you might want to have a look. You can also put "transit visa" in the papers online search and might find more articles concerning transit visas. I don't know if it will help but he does share some information about Ukrainians and travel in the EU.

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/67286/

All the best

Julia & Joseph

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary & Alla,

I saw your post concerning a transit visa and it reminded me of an article I saw last year in the Kyiv Post which is an English language paper here in Kyiv with a 50k circulation. It seems there was a Ukrainian writer for the Kyiv Post who is also a student at Michigan State University (my home state and my alma mater) and he was flying from America to Ukraine via Paris last year and because of the volcano ash he missed connecting flight and tried to get a transit visa to leave the airport to go to a hotel until his next flight. I know its not London, it happened in Paris but he talks about Ukrainians and how they are treated concerning transit visas (or not having them in the EU), so you might want to have a look. You can also put "transit visa" in the papers online search and might find more articles concerning transit visas. I don't know if it will help but he does share some information about Ukrainians and travel in the EU.

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/67286/

All the best

Julia & Joseph

Ukrainians have as difficult a time getting visas to the UK and EU as they do to the USA. The good news is that once they are US residents such difficulties seem to evaporate and getting the visas is much easier.