# Transit visa for Indian applicants

Indian passport holders changing flights in the UK usually need a transit visa: a Direct Airside Transit visa at £41.50 if you stay airside, or a Visitor in Transit visa at £74.50 if you pass through UK border control and leave within 48 hours (fees effective 8 April 2026). Some travellers are exempt.

Source: https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa · Updated 2026-10-08 · Reviewed by UK Visa Desk counselling team, licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024 · UK Visa Desk, a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, Patiala, India. WhatsApp +91 91155 80911, Mon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST.

## 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.

Information only: we do not file this route. Applicants in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.

Related on our sister site: [Transit visa guide on Lifeset Overseas](https://www.lifesetoverseas.com/countries/united-kingdom/transit-visa)

## 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.

## 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

## Documents
- Passport
- Onward ticket and destination visa
- Evidence of any exemption document you rely on

## Cost from India
| Charge | GBP | INR |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) application fee | £41.50 | ₹5,492 |
| Required Home Office charges | £41.50 | ₹5,492 |

Fees effective 8 April 2026, verified 2026-10-08; converted at 132.33 INR per GBP (2026-10-08). Pass-through charges paid on gov.uk.

## Processing time
Standard 3 weeks; priority 5 working days; super priority 1 working day(s). UKVI figures as of 2026-09-09, verified 2026-10-08.

## Refusal reasons
- Onward travel not shown
- Officer not satisfied you will leave the UK within the time allowed
- Previous UK immigration breach

## Refusal paragraphs decoded (verified 2026-10-08)
### 9.2.1: 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

### 9.3.1: Presence 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

### 9.4.1: Criminality: 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

### 9.7.1: False representations or documents, or failure to disclose (mandatory where deception used)
The Home Office says something in your application was false: a fake bank statement, an edited employer letter, an undisclosed previous refusal, or a document an agent made up without telling you. 'Whether or not to the applicant's knowledge' means you are refused even if the agent did it. Where deception is found, a 10-year ban under 9.8.4 usually follows.
What to fix: get your file: Subject Access Request to UKVI for the verification notes; if a document was genuine, obtain written confirmation from the issuer and a statement from them; if an agent submitted documents without your knowledge, gather the agent's receipts, messages and a police complaint; it does not remove the finding but can matter for later applications; declare every previous refusal anywhere in the world from now on

## FAQ
**Do Indians need a transit visa to change planes at Heathrow?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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?**
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.

## In depth
- [Fees in rupees](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/fees.md)
- [Documents](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/documents.md)
- [Eligibility](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/eligibility.md)
- [Refusal reasons](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/refusal-reasons.md)
- [Processing time](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/processing-time.md)
- [Cost from India](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/cost-from-india.md)
- [FAQ](https://ukvisadesk.com/visas/transit-visa/faq.md)

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UK Visa Desk is a brand of Pro Lifeset Overseas Private Limited, a visa consultancy licensed by the Government of Punjab, India. We are a private company, not affiliated with the UK Government, and we are not regulated by the UK Immigration Advice Authority. We serve applicants who are in India; applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated UK adviser. We do not handle work visas. Information here is general, not legal advice, and no visa outcome is guaranteed.
We do not handle UK work visas. Applicants already in the UK are referred to a regulated adviser.