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Transit visa for Indian applicants
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Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, Visa counsellors, Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd, Patiala. Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024. Last verified .
Home Office fee
£41.50
about ₹5,492 at 132.33 INR/GBP, effective 8 April 2026
Verified 8 October 2026 · source
Health surcharge
Not payable
This route is exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge
Verified 8 October 2026
Processing time from India
3 weeks
Priority 5 working days, super priority 1
Verified 8 October 2026
Our filing price
Information only
Referral to a regulated adviser for applicants in the UK
Verified 8 October 2026
Summary
In short
Indian passport holders changing planes in the UK need a Direct Airside Transit visa at £41.50, about ₹5,492, if they stay airside, or a Visitor in Transit visa at £74.50, about ₹9,859, if they pass through border control and leave within 48 hours, under the fee table effective 8 April 2026. A valid Standard Visitor visa, or certain valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visas used in line with the exemption rules, removes the need. Decisions take about 3 weeks from India, and priority at £500 is offered but super priority is not. The common mistake is relying on the airline's word about an exemption instead of checking the conditions before booking a UK connection.
Home Office data
How Indian applicants fare
This page exists to route you. Lifeset Overseas already publishes a full transit visa guide for Indians, with the exemption list and the VFS process, and we do not duplicate it here. The short version: an Indian passport is a visa national passport, so connecting through Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester needs either a transit visa, a Standard Visitor visa, or one of the exemption documents such as certain valid visas for the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand used in line with the rules. Check the guide before booking a UK connection.
The rules
Eligibility
- You are an Indian national transiting the UK to another country and will leave within 48 hours (Visitor in Transit) or without passing border control (Direct Airside Transit)
- You hold a confirmed onward ticket and any visa needed for your destination
- You are not exempt under the transit without visa rules or through a Standard Visitor, Marriage Visitor or other qualifying document
Checklist
Documents, named the Indian way
- Passport
- Onward ticket and destination visa
- Evidence of any exemption document you rely on
In rupees
Cost from India, in rupees
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) application fee | £41.50 | ₹5,492 |
| Required Home Office charges | £41.50 | ₹5,492 |
Fees from the Home Office table effective 8 April 2026, verified 8 October 2026; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (8 October 2026). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk; card and bank margins extra. Optional lines are not in the total.
Risk
Why Indian applications are refused
- Onward travel not shown
- Officer not satisfied you will leave the UK within the time allowed
- Previous UK immigration breach
Exclusion or deportation order in force
A mandatory refusal: you were deported from the UK or formally excluded, and that order is still in force. No visa can be granted until the order is revoked.
What to fix: apply for revocation of the deportation order (normally after 10 years, earlier only in exceptional cases) with a UK regulated adviser; do not submit new visa applications while the order stands; each refusal adds to the record.
Decode 9.2.1Presence not conducive to the public good
The officer considers your behaviour, character or associations make you unsuitable, for example extremism, serious dishonesty not covered by other paragraphs, or a pattern of conduct abroad. Used rarely but it is mandatory.
What to fix: obtain the full reasons (ask for the decision notice and consider a Subject Access Request); character evidence and clearance certificates; this ground usually needs legal representation.
Decode 9.3.1Criminality: custodial sentence of 12 months or more, persistent offender, serious harm
A mandatory refusal for a prison sentence of 12 months or more anywhere in the world, or for repeat offending or serious-harm offences. Sentences under 12 months are considered under 9.4.2 to 9.4.5 (discretionary, with time limits for visitors).
What to fix: always declare convictions; non-disclosure leads to a 9.7.1 deception finding on top; for shorter sentences, show the time elapsed and rehabilitation evidence; get the court record and sentence length in English.
Decode 9.4.1Free tools
Tools for this route
Questions
Questions Indian applicants ask
Do Indians need a transit visa to change planes at Heathrow?ShowHide
Usually yes. If you stay airside and your connection is on the same day, a Direct Airside Transit visa at £41.50 applies. If you need to collect baggage, change terminals through border control or stay overnight, a Visitor in Transit visa at £74.50 applies.
Does a Standard Visitor visa cover transit?ShowHide
Yes. A valid Standard Visitor visa lets you transit without a separate transit visa, airside or landside.
I hold a valid US visa. Am I exempt?ShowHide
Possibly, under the transit without visa concession, which depends on the type of visa, your onward destination and whether you stay airside. The Lifeset Overseas guide lists the exact conditions; do not rely on the airline alone.
How long is a transit visa valid?ShowHide
A Direct Airside Transit visa is for the connection on the day of travel. A Visitor in Transit visa allows up to 48 hours in the UK. Neither can be extended or switched.
Is the fee shown in rupees?ShowHide
The Home Office charges in rupees at its quarterly rate, about ₹5,492 for Direct Airside Transit and ₹9,859 for Visitor in Transit at the rate shown in October 2026. The exact amount appears when you pay online.
Where do I apply?ShowHide
Online on gov.uk, then biometrics at a VFS UK visa application centre in India. Lifeset Overseas tracks appointment availability by city, and its transit guide walks through the form.
- Punjab licence: 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024valid to 22 July 2029
- CIN: U52291PB2024PTC060508Pro Lifeset Overseas Pvt Ltd
Dataset dates: fees 8 October 2026. This page is information, not advice.