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Anyone has experience in long layover in London Heathrow Airport?

R

rajesh1986

Star Member
Mar 3, 2018
83
6
Hi Friends,

I am facing a situation where I have to book a flight with 16 hrs layover in London for my first landing to Ottawa. This route was in my radar because to reduce long flight time. I am with my family.

My plans are

- Obtain a visa for transit
- Book a transit hotel for one night (we land London around 8 in the night)

But transit hotels are around 4 Kms away but seems to have easy access it seems.

I just want to check with you whether anyone of you has any experience of surviving this much time in London.
Any risk of taking these actions? We have no experience in this much bigger airports or in Europe.

Appreciate if you can provide some comments or suggestions.
 
H

heynow

Star Member
Jan 16, 2017
135
61
No risk at all. Just hassle, but no risk.
We were with a 2 year old, we did 4-5 hours layover in Europe. Thats was enough for a good meal and shower for everyone. Also we did business class. That helped in every stage.. specially with lil one.
 
G

Grizz

Star Member
Nov 13, 2018
150
121
rajesh1986 said:
Hi Friends,

I am facing a situation where I have to book a flight with 16 hrs layover in London for my first landing to Ottawa. This route was in my radar because to reduce long flight time. I am with my family.

My plans are

- Obtain a visa for transit
- Book a transit hotel for one night (we land London around 8 in the night)

But transit hotels are around 4 Kms away but seems to have easy access it seems.

I just want to check with you whether anyone of you has any experience of surviving this much time in London.
Any risk of taking these actions? We have no experience in this much bigger airports or in Europe.

Appreciate if you can provide some comments or suggestions.
Click to expand...
You won't need a transit visa for the UK if you have a confirmed ticket for Canada the next day, regardless of your nationality
 
B

Bs65

VIP Member
Mar 22, 2016
13,187
2,420
Agree with Canuck fly to Toronto, complete immigration formalities there including customs clearance of luggage, then drop your luggage off at a connections desk for the domestic sector to Ottawa. Your luggage should already be tagged through to Ottawa at home country checkin with a through ticket so nothing more to do other than drop off. Allow 3/4 hours to clear immigration and make the connection, could be less time but to be safe.

Compared with clearing UK immigration and doing an overnight at a London Heathrow off airport hotel , taking the Toronto to Ottawa option is really no contest in terms of hassle.
 
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I

ishq74

Champion Member
Jul 18, 2017
1,103
1,314
rajesh1986 said:
hi, what if we go to a hotel nearby? We need visa?
Click to expand...
mowaiskhalid said:
I think that was before but has changed...

https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/visitor-in-transit-visa
Click to expand...
Transiting without a visa
You might be eligible for ‘transit without visa’ if:
  • you arrive and depart by air
  • have a confirmed onward flight that leaves on the day you arrive or before midnight on the day after you arrive
  • have the right documents for your destination (eg a visa for that country)
One of the following must also apply:
  • you’re travelling to (or on part of a reasonable journey to) Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA and have a valid visa for that country
  • you’re travelling from (or on part of a reasonable journey from) Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA and have a valid visa for that country
  • you’re travelling from (or on part of a reasonable journey from) Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA and it’s less than 6 months since you last entered that country with a valid entry visa
  • you have a residence permit issued by Australia or New Zealand
  • you have a common format residence permit issued by an European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
  • you have a residence permit issued by Canada issued after 28 June 2002
  • you have a uniform format category D visa for entry to a country in the EEA or Switzerland
  • you have an Irish biometric visa (marked ‘BC’ or ‘BC BIVS’ in the ‘Remarks’ section) and an onward flight ticket to the Republic of Ireland
  • you’re travelling from the Republic of Ireland and it’s less than 3 months since you were last given permission, on the basis of holding a valid Irish biometric visa, to land or be in Ireland
  • you have a valid USA permanent residence card issued by the USA on or after 21 April 1998
  • you have a valid USA I-551 Temporary Immigrant visa issued by the USA (a wet-ink stamp version will not be accepted)
  • you have an expired USA I-551 Permanent Residence card issued by the USA on or after 21 April 1998, with a valid I-797 letter authorising extension
  • you have a valid standalone US Immigration Form 155A/155B issued by the USA (attached to a sealed brown envelope)
You won’t be able to transit without a visa if a Border Force officer decides you don’t qualify under the immigration rules. You can apply for a transit visabefore you travel if you’re unsure whether you qualify for transiting without a visa.

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/yes
 
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N

nelsonroyar

Newbie
Mar 8, 2020
6
2
Hi Guys,

I'm currently a Canadian Permanent Resident for the last 1 year staying and working in Toronto. Planning to visit India through British Airways and on my way back from India to Toronto I have a layover of around 20hrs in London Heathrow .

I'm planning to do some shopping and visit some near by places in the 20hrs I've got in London. I wanted to know if I need a "Visitor in transit Visa" or can by PR Card help me cross the border control. Kindly advice.
 
F

forevermore76

Hero Member
May 19, 2024
604
178
Sharry1111 said:
@nelsonroyar Were you able to leave airport without visitor in transit visa?
Click to expand...
That post is from 2020. As OP was a PR and not a citizen, they might not have been able to travel back on the same route due to COVID restrictions at the time. Travel from Asia was restricted to Europe and back is what I remember so it might not be relevant to you.
 
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