United Kingdom · Visa guide
United Kingdom · Visa guideUnited Kingdom UK Transit Visa
The Visitor in Transit visa — to pass through the UK on the way to another country.
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United Kingdom UK Transit Visa — overview
The UK has two transit visas, and which one you need depends on a single question: will you pass through UK border control? If you stay airside and only change planes, it is the Direct Airside Transit visa. If you go through the border — to change airports, collect bags or stay overnight — it is the Visitor in Transit visa, and you must leave within 48 hours.
Many travellers need neither. A valid UK Standard Visitor visa already covers transit, and so do several other documents GOV.UK lists.
One question decides it: do you cross the UK border?
When
- Direct Airside Transit visa
- Changing flights without going through UK border control
- Visitor in Transit visa
- Going through border control, leaving within 48 hours
Typical case
- Direct Airside Transit visa
- Same-terminal connection, bags checked through
- Visitor in Transit visa
- Changing airports, collecting and re-checking bags, an overnight stop
Fee
- Direct Airside Transit visa
- £41.50
- Visitor in Transit visa
- £74.50
The fee "may change slightly depending on which country you're in", in GOV.UK's words.
Whether you cross the border is not always your choice. It depends on your airline, whether your bags are checked through to the final destination, and whether your connection leaves from the same airport. Heathrow to Gatwick is a border crossing. Two tickets on two airlines usually means collecting bags — another border crossing. Check the itinerary with the airline before you choose the visa, because the cheaper one is useless if you are then made to land.
You may not need one at all
GOV.UK lists the people who need no transit visa. You are exempt if you hold:
- a valid Standard Visitor visa;
- a valid electronic travel authorisation (ETA);
- an EU Settlement Scheme family permit;
- a Home Office travel document;
- a Marriage Visitor visa.
If a UK visitor visa is already in your passport and still valid, the transit is covered.
The 48-hour ceiling
A Visitor in Transit visa is for leaving the UK within 48 hours. A longer stopover — a weekend in London on the way to Toronto — is a visit, and needs a Standard Visitor visa (£135). Work and study are not permitted on a transit visa.
Frequent transits
If you pass through the UK regularly, GOV.UK's answer is the long-term Standard Visitor visa — 2, 5 or 10 years — which covers transit and also lets you break the journey for up to six months. For a family that flies Punjab–UK–Canada every year, one long-term visa is usually better value than a transit visa each trip.
Source: GOV.UK — Visa to pass through the UK in transit; Direct Airside Transit visa; Visitor in Transit visa, read 21 September 2026. Fees and rules change; confirm on GOV.UK before you apply.
6 items
Documents you need
Valid passport
A passport or travel document valid for your transit through the UK.
Confirmed onward journey
Evidence of your onward travel from the UK to your destination country, normally within 48 hours.
Right to enter the destination country
A visa or entry document for the country you are travelling on to, where one is required.
Funds for the transit
Evidence you can support yourself during the short transit stay.
Proof you will leave the UK
Evidence you will leave the UK to continue your journey.
Travel itinerary
Your full itinerary showing the UK as a transit point.
5 steps
How the process works
Typical processing: Standard service is usually around 3 weeks — apply in good time before your travel date.
Step 1
Free eligibility review
We confirm whether the Visitor in Transit visa or a Standard Visitor visa fits your itinerary.
Step 2
Build and verify the file
Onward-journey bookings, destination-country entry documents and funds evidence are checked.
Step 3
Apply online on GOV.UK
The application is completed and paid on the official UK government website.
Step 4
Biometrics at the UK visa centre
You attend a UK visa application centre in India for biometrics.
Step 5
Decision & passport return
UK Visas and Immigration decides the application and your passport is returned.
Transparent
Costs & fees
Item
Amount
Direct Airside Transit visa
Changing flights without passing through UK border control. The fee may vary slightly by country.
GBP 41.50
Visitor in Transit visa
Passing through border control and leaving within 48 hours. The fee may vary slightly by country.
GBP 74.50
UK visa centre & optional services
Plus priority service if you choose it.
Confirmed at booking
Government and third-party fees change often — we confirm the exact current amounts for your case before you pay anything.
5 answers
Frequently asked questions
If you are changing flights and will not go through UK border control, a Direct Airside Transit visa. If you will go through border control but leave the UK within 48 hours, a Visitor in Transit visa.
GOV.UK lists the Direct Airside Transit visa at £41.50 and the Visitor in Transit visa at £74.50, noting that the amount may change slightly depending on the country you apply from.
No. GOV.UK says you do not need a transit visa if you hold a valid Standard Visitor visa. The same applies to holders of an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), an EU Settlement Scheme family permit, a Home Office travel document or a Marriage Visitor visa.
No. The Visitor in Transit visa is for leaving the UK within 48 hours. For a longer stop you need a Standard Visitor visa.
GOV.UK points frequent transit passengers to the long-term Standard Visitor visa, valid for 2, 5 or 10 years, which covers transit as well as visits of up to 6 months.
Why it matters
Going it alone vs filing with us
On your own
- Guessing the document list — one missing or wrongly formatted paper triggers a refusal.
- Generic cover letters copied from the internet that officers recognise and flag.
- No read on peak rejection windows or what this visa post is strict about.
- Government and VFS fees are non-refundable — money lost if you are refused.
- A refusal stamp follows you and weakens every future visa application.
With Lifeset Overseas
- An honest case assessment before you spend a rupee on government fees.
- A file built to the embassy's exact checklist and in the exact order.
- Weak finances, ties or purpose identified and fixed before submission.
- Previously refused? We can rescue and rebuild the file.
- Every case handled by one consultant, end to end.
Refused before?
A refusal isn't the end
A refusal is not a permanent bar — but it only improves if the actual reason is found and answered, and nobody can tell you a second application will succeed. If a United Kingdom visa has been refused, we:
- Read the actual refusal letter and pinpoint the real gaps.
- Advise whether to pull the officer's notes (CAIPS / GCMS) for the true reason.
- Identify which part was weak — funds, employment, purpose or ties.
- Tell you honestly whether to reapply now or strengthen the file first.
- Refused? Your fee back, or a rebuilt application free — your choice.
Guides
United Kingdom guides worth reading first
- UK Now Bars Travellers Without Digital ETA — Effective 25 February 2026
- UK Tightens University Visa Rules: Sponsors Face Bans Over Student Drop-Outs
- Study in Europe vs Canada: What a First Year Really Costs
- A Fat Bank Balance Won't Get You a Visa. Here's What Actually Does.
- How to Prove Strong Ties to India for a Visitor Visa (the #1 Refusal Reason)
- UK Visitor Visa Refused from India: Finances, Ties & How to Reapply (No Appeal)
Other United Kingdom visas
UK Standard Visitor Visa
The Standard Visitor visa — to visit the UK for tourism, holidays and visiting family or friends, for up to 6 months.
Settlement (Permanent Residence)
The UK has no direct PR visa. Permanent residence is Indefinite Leave to Remain, reached after years on a qualifying route such as the family, Innovator Founder or Skilled Worker route. We file the routes we are licensed for.
UK Business Visitor Visa
The Standard Visitor visa used for business — meetings, conferences, negotiations and trade fairs in the UK.
UK Short-Term Study Visit
The Standard Visitor visa used to study a short course of up to 6 months at an accredited UK institution.
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