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6 ways to enter

Guernsey visas

Guernsey transit visa

If you connect through the UK on your way to Guernsey, check whether you need permission to cross the UK border. The airport transit rules below describe UK connections; they do not provide an airside transit route at Guernsey.

Ways to get a Guernsey transit visa

  1. Direct Airside Transit visa

    Visa needed

    Travellers who normally need a visitor visa and do not qualify for an airside exemption use this route for an eligible UK airport connection.

    Stay
    Same-day transit.
    Processing
    Most visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.
    1. Register an online account and complete the application form.
    2. Pay the fee.
    3. Attend a visa application centre appointment.

  2. Visitor in Transit visa

    Visa needed

    Travellers who normally need a visitor visa and must cross UK border control during an eligible air connection need this visa unless exempt.

    Stay
    Until the onward flight, which must leave by 23:59 the following day.
    Processing
    Most visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.
    1. Register an online account and complete the application form.
    2. Pay the fee.
    3. Attend a visa application centre appointment.

  3. Airside transit without a visa

    Transit without a visa

    Citizens of the listed countries, certain stateless people and refugees, and holders of qualifying exemption documents can use eligible airside connections. Common Travel Area connections generally have stricter requirements.

    Stay
    Same-day transit.

  4. Landside transit without a visa

    Transit without a visa

    Travellers with a qualifying visa or residence document can be exempt from a Visitor in Transit visa when all journey conditions are met.

    Stay
    Onward departure by 23:59 the following day.

  5. ETA for transit across UK border control

    eTA needed

    ETA-eligible visitors who cross UK border control during a connection need an ETA or other permission to enter.

    Stay
    For the landside transit route, depart by 23:59 the following day.
    Valid for
    2 years, or until the passport expires if sooner.
    Fee
    £16.
    Processing
    Up to 3 business days; most decisions take a few hours.

  6. British-Irish Visa Scheme transit to Ireland

    Transit without a visa

    Eligible Chinese and Indian holders of an Irish visa marked BIVS can transit through the UK by air on the way to Ireland.

    Stay
    Arrive in Ireland no later than 23:59 the day after arrival in the UK.

    Passports that qualify (2)

Who needs it

Travellers who normally need a visitor visa may need a transit visa unless they hold a qualifying exemption document. Transit to another part of the Common Travel Area, including Guernsey, generally needs a visa even for nationalities normally exempt from an airside transit visa.

Who doesn't

Some travellers qualify through their nationality, an ETA, or specified visas and residence documents. The exemption depends on the route and whether they cross border control.

Changing planes

Can you stay airside?
Yes, without a visa if you stay in the transit area
Leaving the airport
For UK transit that crosses border control, arrive and depart by air. The confirmed onward flight must leave by 23:59 the following day. Leave the airport building only for transit purposes. Hold a Visitor in Transit visa, an ETA where eligible, or a qualifying exemption document.
Transit without a visa
Airside exemptions require a confirmed same-day flight, destination documents and an eligible nationality or exemption document. Airside transit is only at Heathrow or Manchester, without crossing border control, to an international destination other than Ireland. Landside exemptions require a confirmed flight by 23:59 the following day, destination documents and a qualifying visa or residence document. Do not assume an airside exemption covers a connection to Guernsey.

How to apply

  1. Check whether your connection requires crossing UK border control.
  2. Check whether your nationality or existing documents give an exemption.
  3. If a visa is needed, register an online account, complete the form and pay the fee.
  4. Attend a visa application centre appointment.

What to bring

  • Confirmed onward flight.
  • Documents needed to enter the destination, including a visa if required.
  • Relevant transit visa, ETA or exemption document.

Good to know

  • Airside transit requires staying in the airport’s international transit area.
  • Landside transit permission is for transit purposes only.
  • Travel to Guernsey is travel within the Common Travel Area.
  • Airside means staying behind border control. Landside means crossing border control.
  • The deadline of 23:59 the following day is a calendar deadline, not a fixed number of hours.
  • Non-visa nationals connecting airside at Heathrow or Manchester to a destination outside the UK and Ireland do not need an ETA.

Questions

Do I need a transit visa for Guernsey?

Travellers who normally need a visitor visa may need a transit visa unless they hold a qualifying exemption document. Transit to another part of the Common Travel Area, including Guernsey, generally needs a visa even for nationalities normally exempt from an airside transit visa. Some travellers qualify through their nationality, an ETA, or specified visas and residence documents. The exemption depends on the route and whether they cross border control.

What are the ways to get a transit visa for Guernsey?

There are 6 options: Direct Airside Transit visa (a visa from an embassy); Visitor in Transit visa (a visa from an embassy); Airside transit without a visa (transit without a visa); Landside transit without a visa (transit without a visa); ETA for transit across UK border control (an online travel permit); British-Irish Visa Scheme transit to Ireland (transit without a visa).

Can I apply online for Guernsey?

Yes: ETA for transit across UK border control. ETA-eligible visitors who cross UK border control during a connection need an ETA or other permission to enter.

How long can I stay on a Guernsey transit visa?

Airside: same day. Landside: onward departure by 23:59 the following day.

How long does a Guernsey transit visa take?

Most visa applications are decided within 3 weeks.

What documents do I need for a Guernsey transit visa?

Confirmed onward flight.; Documents needed to enter the destination, including a visa if required.; Relevant transit visa, ETA or exemption document..

How do I apply for a Guernsey transit visa?

1. 1. Check whether your connection requires crossing UK border control. 2. 2. Check whether your nationality or existing documents give an exemption. 3. 3. If a visa is needed, register an online account, complete the form and pay the fee. 4. 4. Attend a visa application centre appointment.

Can I stay inside the airport in Guernsey without a visa?

Yes, staying in the international transit area is allowed for most travellers. To leave the airport: For UK transit that crosses border control, arrive and depart by air. The confirmed onward flight must leave by 23:59 the following day. Leave the airport building only for transit purposes. Hold a Visitor in Transit visa, an ETA where eligible, or a qualifying exemption document.

What rules do I have to follow on a Guernsey transit visa?

Airside transit requires staying in the airport’s international transit area. Landside transit permission is for transit purposes only. Travel to Guernsey is travel within the Common Travel Area.

Does my passport change whether I need a transit visa for Guernsey?

Yes. Rules depend on the country that issued your passport. Open the Guernsey visa page and choose your passport for a plain answer.

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