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Heathrow airport - Long transit? Staying in hotels

shadowtwixy

Star Member
Dec 13, 2015
61
21
Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
Yes you’ll need a visa to leave the transit area if you aren’t from a visa exempt country. You would also need to meet their covid quarantine and testing requirements
 
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YVR123

VIP Member
Jul 27, 2017
6,548
2,503
Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
It depends on what passport you hold. Being PR of Canada will not give you visa exemption.
 

steaky

VIP Member
Nov 11, 2008
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Wouldn't there be pay lounge in LHR? One might be able to take nap and eat there. There were packages that you can use up to 10 hours.
 

arhue

Star Member
Aug 17, 2020
172
65
Category........
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Ottawa
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Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
I exited LHR for a long transit recently. If you have Canadian PR or any other Canadian visa and are travelling to Canada within 24 hrs you don't need a visa. I used this to enter UK, but please check visa rules on UK immigration website to be sure. You are also exempt from testing or quarantine for landside transit. You need to indicate this in passenger locator form.
 
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shadowtwixy

Star Member
Dec 13, 2015
61
21
I exited LHR for a long transit recently. If you have Canadian PR or any other Canadian visa and are travelling to Canada within 24 hrs you don't need a visa. I used this to enter UK, but please check visa rules on UK immigration website to be sure. You are also exempt from testing or quarantine for landside transit. You need to indicate this in passenger locator form.
Just what I wanted to hear. UK gov website says visa required but then says exempt if you hold canadian pr. Glad you were able to step out. Any recommendations for day stay hotels and moving around (Tube, bus, taxi)?
 

Ajkenniek

Star Member
Nov 16, 2019
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Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
Yes of Course.
 

Ajkenniek

Star Member
Nov 16, 2019
83
42
Calgary
Med's Request
May 27,2017
Med's Done....
June 3,2017
VISA ISSUED...
Student Visa in 2011 for Postgraduate at Niagara Ontario
LANDED..........
June 29, 2017
Good day

Has anyone had a long transit through Heathrow and rested in the nearby hotels? We will be in transit in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours.

As permanent residents of Canada, did you require a visa to get day rooms in hotel nearby (sofitel, novotel, holiday inn) which is just outside the terminals?

Thank you
As a permanent residence of Canada you need visa. It only Canadian citizens with passport that doesn’t need visa. You need visa to USA/UK/Australia but USA will issue 10 years visiting visa for you till you get your Canadian passport.
 

arhue

Star Member
Aug 17, 2020
172
65
Category........
STUDY
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
Just what I wanted to hear. UK gov website says visa required but then says exempt if you hold canadian pr. Glad you were able to step out. Any recommendations for day stay hotels and moving around (Tube, bus, taxi)?
I stayed at a hostel and used Oyster card(available at airport tube station) to use the tube, bus etc.
 

arhue

Star Member
Aug 17, 2020
172
65
Category........
STUDY
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
As a permanent residence of Canada you need visa. It only Canadian citizens with passport that doesn’t need visa. You need visa to USA/UK/Australia but USA will issue 10 years visiting visa for you till you get your Canadian passport.
I have an Indian passport with a Canadian student visa and managed to enter the country for 24 hr transit without visa. There is an exemption for landside transit.
 

Edmonton1990

Member
Nov 4, 2015
11
0
I have an Indian passport with a Canadian student visa and managed to enter the country for 24 hr transit without visa. There is an exemption for landside transit.
Did you get your Covid testing done on landside? How much time did it take? We have a 10 hour transit break and are wondering if we can go on landside and do the covid test there? I have a Canadian Passport and my wife has Indian Passport.
what is the exemption you're talking about?
 
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ziffyasif

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May 3, 2015
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I have a question on covid testing if the layover in Heathrow is less than 2 hours. We have booked our flights to India via BA and did not realize canada requires a covid test from a 3rd country in case of an indirect flight. Is less than 2 hour enough time to get a test at Heathrow and would the results in time for us to board the flight from LHR to CAN. If we cannot get tested at Heathrow, can we still travel to Canada and do the test at Pearson?
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
I have a question on covid testing if the layover in Heathrow is less than 2 hours. We have booked our flights to India via BA and did not realize canada requires a covid test from a 3rd country in case of an indirect flight. Is less than 2 hour enough time to get a test at Heathrow and would the results in time for us to board the flight from LHR to CAN. If we cannot get tested at Heathrow, can we still travel to Canada and do the test at Pearson?
No you must do your covid testing in London. 2 hours in unlikely to be enough time to do testing and I don’t believe they offer PCR testing in transit area. You’ll need to verify with BA whether there are PCR testing centres available in the transit area and how long does it take to get results. Without proof of the negative PCR test you should be denied boarding in London.
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Did you get your Covid testing done on landside? How much time did it take? We have a 10 hour transit break and are wondering if we can go on landside and do the covid test there? I have a Canadian Passport and my wife has Indian Passport.
what is the exemption you're talking about?
Does your spouse have a visa to enter the UK?
 

arhue

Star Member
Aug 17, 2020
172
65
Category........
STUDY
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2173
Did you get your Covid testing done on landside? How much time did it take? We have a 10 hour transit break and are wondering if we can go on landside and do the covid test there? I have a Canadian Passport and my wife has Indian Passport.
what is the exemption you're talking about?
No, did not get the covid test done. There is an exemption from testing and quarantine if landside transit is for <24 hours. Please go through the passenger locator form for UK. Your wife won't need a visa for UK if you are flying to Canada.
 
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