Airport transit visas, eGates, and passing through Ireland

Your travel documents

Keep copies of your travel documents, including boarding passes and every stamped page in your passport. 

You will need to submit proof of arrival to the University at matriculation, and may need your travel documents for further immigration applications, or in case your passport is lost or stolen. 

Students with a student visa

You must enter after the date your student visa becomes valid. If you do, your visa will self-activate. This means a Border Force officer will not have to stamp it at the border, but you should keep evidence of your travel to prove to the University when you arrived in the UK. For example, by showing your boarding passes.

If you travel outside of the UK and then re-enter (for example, after a short trip to a different place in Europe), your entry clearance will be date-stamped when you re-enter (if you do not enter through an eGate). 

Airport transit visa

 You may need an airport transit visa if the following statements apply to you:

•    You are a non-EU national.
•    You are connecting through international transit areas of airports located in the Schengen area. 

The transit visa requirement depends on your nationality, where you are flying from and the airport you are travelling through. For more information, read the European Commission’s guidance on applying for a Schengen visa.

eGates

eGates use facial recognition technology to check your identity at the border. 

You can use the eGates when you arrive in the UK if your passport has a biometric chip and one of the following statements applies to you:

• You are from EU, EEA (European Economic Area), Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.
• You and your dependants are registered travellers. 

Anyone aged 10 to 17 must travel with an adult.

Find out more about eGates and who can use them.  

Passing through the Republic of Ireland

You might travel to the UK through the Republic of Ireland. However, it is important to understand that both countries are part of a Common Travel Area (CTA). The CTA streamlines arrival in the UK from the Republic of Ireland for most travellers because there is no immigration control on arrival in the UK. 

You can choose to travel through the Republic of Ireland, but your passport will not be date-stamped when you enter the UK. You will be required to show evidence of your travel to the UK, for example, showing your boarding pass when you matriculate at the University. If you have a student visa it’s important you can prove you arrived during your visa validity period.

Arriving as a visitor

Some nationalities must apply for a standard visitor visa before entering the UK, but others will receive 6 months permission automatically when they arrive. If you don’t need to apply for a visa before you arrive, you may be asked to show the following documents by Border Control officers:

• passport (valid for your whole stay in the UK)
• confirmation from the University (offer acceptance letter showing your course, duration and cost)
• evidence that:
  • you have accommodation arrangements
  • you can support yourself during your trip
  • you can pay for a return journey  
• a letter from your parents detailing your living arrangements, and giving consent for travel, if you are under 18 and you are travelling alone.

You may also need an Electronic Travel Authorisation if you are coming to the UK for short-term study and are not applying for a visa before arrival.