UK transit visa - Mass confusion, please clarify

[Massihk]

There is so much confusion about who and when you need a UK transit visa. It has caused lots of pain both mental and financial.

A family member (Indian National) who has a valid H1B visa till 2010, bought 2 tickets from British airways for June 4, 2009, for a family visit from Atlanta to London Heathrow to Chennai, India. Only 3 hours stop off in Heathrow. No change of airport.

Morning of June 4, 10 hours before the flight time, she was told that she may need a transit visa. Some friends, her travel agent and even the receptionist at UK consulate in NY, said the same thing.

She ended up cancelling her ticket from BA and bought new Air India ticket from NY to Mumbai to Chennai. Last minute cancellation and new ticket caused loss of money and terrible mental anguish. British airways flat out declined any comments for visa requirements.

Long story short. Now when I read up in your forum and even the guidelines from UK consulate (which are somewhat confusing too), i think she NEVER needed a UK transit visa. She had a valid US H1B visa, a valid ticket and travelling from USA to India and coming back to USA in 3 weeks.

CAN you PLEASE PLEASE clarify what the rules are. DID she really needed a transit visa?

[gramesmith]

not at all

[bettavisa]

Yes, you need something called Direct Side Transit Visa if you have Advanced Parole or expired H1-visa, it will cost $90 including postage. And to top this all you need to go to some near by center for biometrics data.
To get the bio-metrics done you will have to take off from work if needed pay for the parking if this is in the center of the city. The final cost of all this Transit visa drama is not worth it, even if the BA ticket prices are dirt cheap.

Not to mention all the mental fatigue this will cause you will be better off flying other airlines even they are may cost some extra dollars. I have decide I will never to fly british aiways via UK as my transit point.

THIS IS NOT FAIR COLLECTING EXCESS MONEY( NOT TO MENTION THE STRESS) FOR TRANSIT VISA WHEN YOU ARE NOT EVEN STEPPING OUT THE AIRPORT. I SUGGEST FLY TO OTHER TRANSIT AIRPORT OTHER THAN THE ONES IN UK.