Has anyone else gotten out of Heathrow (layover) with their PR card?

[lukeortolani]

I have booked a flight home with London as my layover. Just want to know if it's really as simple as showing your PR card to get out of Heathrow?

 

[steaky]

I have booked a flight home with London as my layover. Just want to know if it's really as simple as showing your PR card to get out of Heathrow?

Do you mean transit or you would be going through British immigration, exit the airport and get some fresh air?

 

[Naturgrl]

Is home Canada if PR? Check the UK website about layovers. If transiting, should not be an issue. If leaving the airport, then whether you need a visa depends on the country of citizenship.

 

[lukeortolani]

Do you mean transit or you would be going through British immigration, exit the airport and get some fresh air?

Exiting the airport. I am stopping over in London for 15 hours and leaving on the same day to India (I'm Indian). I have a PR. On here (https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/yes), I selected I would be passing through border control (You always pass through border control if you:
leave the main airport building for any reason)

It said:

Transiting without a visa
You may be eligible to transit without a 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 have a permanent residence permit issued by Canada on or after 28 June 2002

 

[lukeortolani]

Is home Canada if PR? Check the UK website about layovers. If transiting, should not be an issue. If leaving the airport, then whether you need a visa depends on the country of citizenship.

Sorry! Home is India. From my understanding of this (https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/yes) I should be able to leave the airport given that I have the PR?

 

[Naturgrl]

Sorry! Home is India. From my understanding of this (https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/yes) I should be able to leave the airport given that I have the PR?

That is for transiting. Transiting is not leaving the secure area. You get off the plane and then go to your next flight. You want to leave the airport so leave immigration and then re-enter. That is based on country of citizenship. So you need to change your answers as you are leaving the airport so you say leaving as a visitor.

 

[lukeortolani]

That is for transiting. Transiting is not leaving the secure area. You get off the plane and then go to your next flight. You want to leave the airport so leave immigration and then re-enter. That is based on country of citizenship. So you need to change your answers as you are leaving the airport so you say leaving as a visitor.

I understand but why does the questionnaire ask if I'm passing border control when I select transit and mentions leaving the airport? Granted if I select yes, it says I need a visitor in transit visa, but it also says I'm exempt since I'm traveling from Canada, hold a PR and arrive and will depart on the same day.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-visitor-transit-without-visa-scheme
https://www.reddit.com/r/ukvisa/comments/12sp32j
Just very confused by all this. I will probably apply for the visitor visa just to be safe but I would also prefer to save money if I don't actually need it.

 

[vkamath]

I am an Indian Citizen and I have transited via Heathrow airport you do not need to cross border control of UK and you do not need a Visa if you have a Canadian PR/Visa or US Visa.

Now if go out of the transit area you will need to cross border control and then depending upon the country of your citizenship you will need a Vist Visa.


If your purpose is just transit dont get confused save money dont get a visa. If you have a Canadian PR

 

[lukeortolani]

I would like to get out of the airport.

Immigration rules for Visa Nationals transiting the UK landside without a visa.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-visitor-transit-without-visa-scheme

Based on the info I've got:

The TWOV appendix quoted above is for persons who will be entering the UK -- in other words, passing border control (as mentioned in the questionnaire) and free to move about the country though subject to practical limitations, such as being on a departing flight by 23:59 the next day.

The UK immigration rules recognise two types of ‘layovers’:

• Airside – when you do not pass through UK immigration control for your connecting journey
• Landside – when you do pass through UK border control, but return shortly (usually within 24 hours) to leave the UK

Airside, as a general rule, cannot involve leaving the airport, while landside can.

Based on the TWOV scheme, I believe there is no need to apply for any visa provided I meet the requirements listen in the appendix which I do.

 

[lukeortolani]

For anyone else wondering, I was able to get out of Heathrow without a visa. I didn't even say anything. Just went to the officer, showed my passport and PR card, she asked a few questions like where I work, how I got my PR, what I plan on doing and when my departing flight was. She did seem a bit confused but asked her colleague who was seated next to her. Ultimately, she stamped my passport and let me go through. Process took 3 mins at most. Was able to get out, explore London and meet my friends after years

I should have just trusted my gut and what was actually written on the UK Gov website instead of getting conflicting answers online.