Transit through Heathrow before visa vignette period

Hello, I have a Tier 4 visa with entry dates 11-20 Jan 2020. My question is whether I can safely transit through London before those dates without putting my visa at risk. I would be at the airport for a few hours on 23 Dec in between flights (purchased separately on different Stupid). I may need to pass through Border Control as I expect to change terminals. I'm a US citizen and therefore am eligible to enter as a tourist. I will then return to the UK on 17 Jan 2020 to activate my visa. Any experience or recommendations to share? Thank you!

farrell5455 wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 19, 2019 3:43 pm

Hello, I have a Tier 4 visa with entry dates 11-20 Jan 2020. My question is whether I can safely transit through London before those dates without putting my visa at risk.

You don't "put your visa at risk" by using the strength of your passport for a purpose you don't need a visa for (airport transfer). That's not in any way a breach of the terms of your visa.

I'm a US citizen and therefore am eligible to enter as a tourist.

You are also visa-exempt for airport transit purposes. That's the purpose of this trip, not tourism (if at any point you are asked that question). Also, you know you can use eGates at some airports (Heathrow included)?

I will then return to the UK on 17 Jan 2020 to activate my visa. Any experience or recommendations to share? Thank you!

When you do come as a tourist, do see an officer (don't simply use the eGate).

Thank you! Very helpful.

kamoe wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 20, 2019 8:55 am

When you do come as a tourist, do see an officer (don't simply use the eGate).

Just noticed a mistake on my previous post. I obviously meant "student" not "tourist" here. When coming as a student, you need to see an officer.

Also, for further reassurance: When I first came to the UK to study I had a number of American peers, one of which I know arrived in the UK about a month or two before the start of the course (and the start of her own student visa) on the strength of her American passport, to visit and get settled beforehand. She never had an issue.

kamoe wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 20, 2019 3:48 pm

When coming as a student, you need to see an officer.

You do not, you use the eGate as normal -- if you are one of the seven nationalities who can use it. You only need to see a Border Force Officer in person if you are wanting to enter under the short-term student provision without a visa.

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... -uk-border, specifically the section "Getting your passport stamped by a Border Force officer".

kamoe wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 20, 2019 3:48 pm

When I first came to the UK to study I had a number of American peers, one of which I know arrived in the UK about a month or two before the start of the course (and the start of her own student visa) on the strength of her American passport, to visit and get settled beforehand. She never had an issue.

It depends what you mean by "an issue". Someone who is a non-visa national (i.e. they do not need a visa to visit the UK, including Americans) can visit before their Tier 4 visa start date, that's true. But they cannot use this provision to simply come way before the visa start date, and then just stay, liaising seamlessly into their Tier 4 visa. They need to be coming for a genuine short visit, separate from their future intentions to come and study, and of course they must leave the UK after their short visit. Then they can re-enter on their Tier 4 vignette during its 30-day validity. If someone simply visited, or "visited", then stayed, they would not be here under their Tier 4 visa. They could not start their course or collect their Biometric Residence Permit.

sah10406 wrote:They need to be coming for a genuine short visit, separate from their future intentions to come and study, and of course they must leave the UK after their short visit. Then they can re-enter on their Tier 4 vignette during its 30-day validity. If someone simply visited, or "visited", then stayed, they would not be here under their Tier 4 visa. They could not start their course or collect their Biometric Residence Permit.

Thanks for clarifying. I was going to add that at some point she left and re-entered; we all did, the course included a trip to Germany about a month into the course.

Actually I think I did something similar, the visa-required version of it: I visited Ireland before arriving to the UK, having a tourist visa for Ireland and a student visa for the UK. When I landed at Heathrow from Ireland there was obviously zero border control for my flight (I was not aware there would not be one) and before I knew it I was already at luggage reclaim. I did try to see if there was somewhere I could present myself but there was nothing, no one, so I just went on. I was beyond surprised by this. Then I just arrived to the university and registered for my course and with the police (also a national from a country required to register with the police) without a problem.

When coming back from Germany on our course trip in October; I explained my itinerary to the immigration officer; he simply asked why I was in Germany and why there was no stamp on my passport, and he was satisfied with my explanation and stamped it as normal, no issues. I have been in the UK for 10 years since, on different visas and residence permits, and always explained in all applications for renewal why my arrival date has no trace on my passport, again, never an issue. I have alternative proof of my arrival date (the first ever accommodation I received, copies of plane ticket, plys I was present in my course from day one). Never an issue.