Heathrow Question

smfxterrsmfxterr
in Travel Tips

We're considering traveling from Orlando to Geneva on Virgin Atlantic connecting in Heathrow. Since both UK and Switzerland are not EU countries, both of our flights would be international. Where would we go through Passport Control?

Comments

  • MCDMCD

    It's the Schengen Agreement not the EU, that determines where you will have to go through passport control. The UK is not in the Schengen Zone; Switzerland is. You will go through passport control in Switzerland. You will probably have to change terminals in Heathrow, though, and may face long security lines. Allow plenty of time to make your connection.

  • smfxterrsmfxterr

    Thanks, We usually travel through a Schengen city on our European trips and haven’t been to Heathrow in many years. Wasn’t sure how they were doing things since Brexit.

  • mfrancismfrancis
    edited July 2023

    What changed with Brexit is UK passengers can no longer go thru the speedy EU passport control in European airports. Expect long lines in Switzerland, that happened to us in Frankfurt as we were traveling on British Airways from LHR with lots of British passengers.

    And, yes, you will have to go thru security at LHR when changing planes, unless your flights are in the same terminal. Allow at least 2 hours for your connection.

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