Dubai - London - Vancouver ? TRANSIT Visa to UK is required?!!!

[ahmedj83]

Hi guys,

I have a problem now, just a week before the departure date. I have emailed the British Embassy in Dubai just to check if i need transit visa to the UK, as i will stay in the UK airport for 5 hours waiting for the flight. I have emailed them and they replied with the following:

"Dear Sir
 
Thank you for your email dated 19 August.
 
I can confirm that you will need a transit visa for the UK you should look at the VFS website on www.vfs-uk-ae.com for further information on how to apply.
 
Visa Section "

I have looked into the website that they have provided to me and found the below statement about DATV (Direct Air Transit Visa)

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.


(Note that i have valid canadian visa and valid airline ticket for travel through the UK). What should i do now ? there is contradiction between the email and the information in the site...!!

Thanks in advance.

   

[BobbyB]

Did you explain to them that you have both of the above in your letter/email of enquiry?
If yes, then quote what is on the web-site and email them again.

[ADA]

Why are you flying thru UK? UK needs transit visa..
Why not thru amsterdam..

Which airlines are you flying..? As long as you are taking the same flight and secluded in a secure zone you should be ok)

[ARK]

personal experience of mine. I have never applied for a transit visa

since you would not be allowed out of the terminal.Secondly if you are going through a transit flight the flight management people would take you guys separately to a waiting lounge or departure terminal which is a secluded area.

[ahmedj83]

Why are you flying thru UK? UK needs transit visa..
Why not thru amsterdam..

Which airlines are you flying..? As long as you are taking the same flight and secluded in a secure zone you should be ok)

I am flying with British Airways.....the path is Dubai...London....Vancouver.
Note: i am an international student..

[ahmedj83]

Did you explain to them that you have both of the above in your letter/email of enquiry?
If yes, then quote what is on the web-site and email them again.

I have sent them an email with these statements, i am waiting for their reply.

[professional 1]

My personal experience, i traveled to canada from jeddah to london to halifax, and have never been asked for any transit visa , i didn't also check with any other embassy, because the airlines already wouldn't have booked me a ticket if i was not allowed to pass through london airport (heathrow).

I traveled from jeddah - saudi arabia to london heathrow, and waited for 6 hours in heathrow airport without any transit visa.

By the way my visa was a student single  entry to canada, with 3 months validity only.

[sicko86]

Dear Ahmed,

I am same as you International Student at Canada (I am Jordanian Citizen) I travel through UK I never faced any problems, First Travel I waited in the airport normally and second Travel I applied for Transit Visa to go down to London as I have to wait for 1 day and I got it in 2 days.

I think as you have Visa to Canada (Canada is last destination) you dont have to worry, and you don't need a visa as long as you don't want to go outside the airport

Passengers exempt from the DATV requirement (http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa/visadatvnationals)


Holders of certain documents are, regardless of nationality, exempt from the requirement to hold a Direct Airside Transit Visa when transiting the UK.

A transit passenger is not required to hold a transit visa if he holds, or a person with whom he arrives in the United Kingdom holds on his behalf:

a.a valid visa for entry to Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America and a valid airline ticket for travel via the United Kingdom as part of a journey from another country or territory to the country for which the visa is held;

So this is clear.

[Nit4canada]

You do not need a transit visa for UK if you have a valid canadian visa and you are not intending to go out of the air port in UK.

[BobbyB]

You do not need a transit visa for UK if you have a valid canadian visa and you are not intending to go out of the air port in UK.

This is true.

[aanbaan]

no need for UK transit visa if you have valid visas of USA or Canada. I have flown that sector many times and have never required a transit visa  @  LHR.

don't worry about that.

[aanbaan]

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa/visadatvnationals

see section - Passengers exempt from the DATV requirement

[simplesimon]

ahmed

I travelled 2 yrs ago to canada and transited thru UK for 5 hours- I did not get a Uk transit visa. But what i did was made a printout of the copy of the DATV exemption rule from the website and took it with me incase i was questioned. However... no questions were asked. !

It worked for me !

[deep117]

its always depends on airline normaly if you choose british airline or Amrican airlines then you need transit visa ...i am telling you with solid proof..becuase my family have face this situation..... even you can call to customer services of airlines....
Best way via Amsterdam or Paris..