ETA (travel authorization) for Heathrow layover

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just did this and got the ETA visa and tbh am not sure whether they looked it up or not? I was transferring from terminal 5 to 3 (or maybe the reverse) from a VA flight to a BA flight booked on different tickets. Didn't check bags. Did have to go through security again. It was not clear to me before leaving whether I needed the visa or not, and I have no idea whether the fact that I got us all the visas (4 travellers) was somehow apparent when they scanned our passports or not. Sorry this is totally unhelpful OP but figured it's sort of a data point.

Same situation here- we were told we needed to have it just to transfer through, but who knows. It's confusing.

Yes if on separate tickets, Virgin would require the ETA, because they have no evidence on their side of you transferring to another flight that is leaving the UK. If you were checking a bag, you would be required to go through the UK border control and get your checked bags, because again on separate tickets Virgin wouldn't have a way to check your bag through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just did this and got the ETA visa and tbh am not sure whether they looked it up or not? I was transferring from terminal 5 to 3 (or maybe the reverse) from a VA flight to a BA flight booked on different tickets. Didn't check bags. Did have to go through security again. It was not clear to me before leaving whether I needed the visa or not, and I have no idea whether the fact that I got us all the visas (4 travellers) was somehow apparent when they scanned our passports or not. Sorry this is totally unhelpful OP but figured it's sort of a data point.

Same situation here- we were told we needed to have it just to transfer through, but who knows. It's confusing.

Yes if on separate tickets, Virgin would require the ETA, because they have no evidence on their side of you transferring to another flight that is leaving the UK. If you were checking a bag, you would be required to go through the UK border control and get your checked bags, because again on separate tickets Virgin wouldn't have a way to check your bag through.

We weren't on seperate tickets- our bags were checked through on BA. We did pass through security again. My husband called BA to ask about this, and was told we needed the ETA for going from Schengen zone -> Heathrow -> US. But, this was a few months ago when it first rolled out and it seems that there was conflicting information at that time. At the time even the US embassy in the UK indicated that you needed one (https://uk.usembassy.gov/worldwide-travel-alert-new-entry-requirements-for-us-citizens-traveling-or-transiting-through-united-kingdom-airports-effective-january-8-2025/).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just did this and got the ETA visa and tbh am not sure whether they looked it up or not? I was transferring from terminal 5 to 3 (or maybe the reverse) from a VA flight to a BA flight booked on different tickets. Didn't check bags. Did have to go through security again. It was not clear to me before leaving whether I needed the visa or not, and I have no idea whether the fact that I got us all the visas (4 travellers) was somehow apparent when they scanned our passports or not. Sorry this is totally unhelpful OP but figured it's sort of a data point.

Same situation here- we were told we needed to have it just to transfer through, but who knows. It's confusing.

Yes if on separate tickets, Virgin would require the ETA, because they have no evidence on their side of you transferring to another flight that is leaving the UK. If you were checking a bag, you would be required to go through the UK border control and get your checked bags, because again on separate tickets Virgin wouldn't have a way to check your bag through.

We weren't on seperate tickets- our bags were checked through on BA. We did pass through security again. My husband called BA to ask about this, and was told we needed the ETA for going from Schengen zone -> Heathrow -> US. But, this was a few months ago when it first rolled out and it seems that there was conflicting information at that time. At the time even the US embassy in the UK indicated that you needed one (https://uk.usembassy.gov/worldwide-travel-alert-new-entry-requirements-for-us-citizens-traveling-or-transiting-through-united-kingdom-airports-effective-january-8-2025/).

Yes it changed in April I think. The UK was getting push back from people just transiting, so they removed the requirement for those just transiting, and upped the fee for those who actually needed it from 10 to 16 pounds.

Of course the new US administration never put out new info, they aren't exactly full of the brightest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just did this and got the ETA visa and tbh am not sure whether they looked it up or not? I was transferring from terminal 5 to 3 (or maybe the reverse) from a VA flight to a BA flight booked on different tickets. Didn't check bags. Did have to go through security again. It was not clear to me before leaving whether I needed the visa or not, and I have no idea whether the fact that I got us all the visas (4 travellers) was somehow apparent when they scanned our passports or not. Sorry this is totally unhelpful OP but figured it's sort of a data point.

Same situation here- we were told we needed to have it just to transfer through, but who knows. It's confusing.

Yes if on separate tickets, Virgin would require the ETA, because they have no evidence on their side of you transferring to another flight that is leaving the UK. If you were checking a bag, you would be required to go through the UK border control and get your checked bags, because again on separate tickets Virgin wouldn't have a way to check your bag through.

We weren't on seperate tickets- our bags were checked through on BA. We did pass through security again. My husband called BA to ask about this, and was told we needed the ETA for going from Schengen zone -> Heathrow -> US. But, this was a few months ago when it first rolled out and it seems that there was conflicting information at that time. At the time even the US embassy in the UK indicated that you needed one (https://uk.usembassy.gov/worldwide-travel-alert-new-entry-requirements-for-us-citizens-traveling-or-transiting-through-united-kingdom-airports-effective-january-8-2025/).

Yes it changed in April I think. The UK was getting push back from people just transiting, so they removed the requirement for those just transiting, and upped the fee for those who actually needed it from 10 to 16 pounds.

Of course the new US administration never put out new info, they aren't exactly full of the brightest.

The roll out was pretty confusing, especially for UK dual citizens. It's up to the UK government to put out accurate information, not the embassies of other countries.

[Anonymous]

OP reporting in from Heathrow while we wait for our connecting flight. No ETA was needed to go from one terminal to another at Heathrow. Very clear purple signs to keep you heading to the terminal bus. Went through security at connecting flight terminal but only showed boarding pass, not passport.
As others mentioned, if you arrive one day and leave the next you would need it. You would also need it if the ticket was booked separately or if you were connecting to fly within uk.
Thanks for all the advice.