Travel to India via London on valid stamped F1 visa (But currently on H1 Status)

[hemanthray]

Hello Folks,

I am traveling to India via London from USA. As i am traveling through multiple airlines, i have a 2 hrs stop at Heathrow airport London for a connecting flight. I am going for my H1 visa stamping to India, but i have a valid F1 visa till JUN2012. In this situation should i take a transit visa to fly through London. Are they checking for a stamped visa only or the supporting documents as well? Are they checking I-20 if we are traveling with F1 stamped visa. I am getting confused with all these questions, Please help.

Thanks in Advance.

[txh1b]

Your status in US is not of concern at all to them as once you leave the US, technically you DO NOT hold a status.

As long as you have a valid US visa, you can transit in the same terminal without a DATV.

[hemanthray]

Thanks For the response, You mean I don't need to get one transit Visa in my travel to india correct?

[txh1b]

Yes, with ANY unexpired US visa.

[hemanthray]

Please find the response below : The bold text is confusing me do I have to get a visa since it's been more than 6 months that i have left USA or did it say people who are transiting twice in 6 months need a transit.

Holders of certain documents are, regardless of nationality, exempt from the requirement to hold a Direct Airside Transit Visa when transiting the UK. This applies to transiting to the UK where the person does not need to exit the airport and is not intending to visit the UK as part of their travels.

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 valid airline ticket for travel via the United Kingdom as part of a journey from Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America to another country or territory, provided that the transit passenger does not seek to transit the United Kingdom on a date more than six months from the date on which he last entered Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the United States of America with a valid visa for entry to that country;

- a valid USA I-551 Permanent Resident Card issued on or after 21st April 1998;

- a valid Canadian Permanent Resident Card issued on or after 28th June 2002;

- a valid common format Category D visa for entry to an EEA State;

- a valid common format residence permit issued by an EEA State pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No. 1030/2002;

- a diplomatic or service passport issued by the People’s Republic of China; or

- a diplomatic or official passport issued by India; or,

- a diplomatic or official passport issued by Vietnam.

Please kindly contact the issuing autority of your residency permit in order to verify whether it is common format or not.