6

I'm a Sri Lanka national and traveling to Bahamas. The route is Sri Lanka (Sri Lankan Airlines) to Heathrow (British Airways) to Nassau. Sri Lankan airlines will arrive in Heathrow around 4PM. The flight to Nassau from Heathrow will be the next day at 11am.

Sri Lankan airlines will arrive at Terminal 2 and I need to go to Terminal 5 to take British airways next day.

  1. Do I actually need a transit visa? I researched this and got very conflicting answers. Some people say that you don't pass through immigration from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 etc.

  2. If I actually need one, which transit visa do I need? DATV or Visitor in Transit? Does the DATV allow staying in direct air side until next day?

Improve this question
4
  • You will need a visa as even if you can stay airside (which I’m not sure you can overnight), citizens of Sri Lanka need a DATV for that (unless you qualify for one of the exemptions). You probably need a full visa, but I’m not sure.
    – jcaron
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 0:34
  • Are both flights on the same booking/ticket (same PNR, same ticket number)? If not you will most definitely need a full visa.
    – jcaron
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 0:39
  • 1
    We need more information: 1) where do you live; 2) do you have a valid visa/residence permit from another country; 3) is the trip in a single booking?
    – Crazydre
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 15:05
  • Sri lanka, no visa or resident permit from another country, single booking.
    – zwdev2
    Commented Jan 10, 2021 at 0:40

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
12

Yes you will need a visa, specifically the Visitor in Transit visa, but you may have a chance at transit-without-visa (as you fit some of the criteria there) although I wouldnt recommend just chancing it.

Being that your flight leaves the next day, you cannot stay in Heathrow terminals overnight as they close to passengers and there are no airside hotels at either terminal - this means that even though you can transfer airside between Terminal 2 and 5, you need to enter the UK to stay at a hotel before either of those terminals close for the night.

Improve this answer
6
  • 1
    According to Timatic, to be eligible for TWOV Sri Lankan nationals transiting through LHR must have a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day, in addition to the other criteria.
    – Traveller
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 1:44
  • 1
    @Traveller im just going by the gov.uk guidance, but Im aware that airlines may have different guidance, hence my advice not to chance it.
    – user29788
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 1:54
  • Unless OP has a residence permit from either of EEA countries, CH, US, CA, AU or NZ I don’t see how they would qualify for transit without a visa if they have to go through immigration.
    – jcaron
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 12:49
  • @jcaron again, just going by the govt advice in the link I provide and the nice big list in there of possibilities for the OP to check out.
    – user29788
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 20:14
  • 1
    @Moo the nice big list is just permanent residence permits from those countries in their various shapes and forms (and visas for some of the same countries when travelling to or from the same country, which isn’t the case here). It’s unlikely OP has any of them (would likely have mentioned it if it were the case). I’m not sure what makes your think OP fits the criteria listed and has any chance of being able to TWOV. I think your wording is may too optimistic. They need a visa, unless they happen to match one of the exemptions, there’s nothing about chance involved.
    – jcaron
    Commented Jan 9, 2021 at 23:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .