Visafar / Transit visas / London / Sri Lanka
Do Sri Lankan passport holders with a Gulf (GCC) residence permit need a transit visa in London?
Yes. A Gulf (GCC) residence permit is not on the UK list of documents that exempt you. Sri Lankan passport holders still need a Direct Airside Transit Visa at London Heathrow, unless they hold one of the documents that do count.
Documents that exempt you
- A valid US visa exempts you (an expired one too, if you last entered the US with it less than 6 months ago).
- A valid Canadian visa exempts you (an expired one too, if you last entered Canada with it less than 6 months ago).
- A valid Australian visa exempts you (an expired one too, if you last entered Australia with it less than 6 months ago).
- A valid New Zealand visa exempts you (an expired one too, if you last entered New Zealand with it less than 6 months ago).
- A valid US Green Card (Form I-551) exempts you.
- A valid Canadian permanent resident card exempts you.
- A valid residence permit from an EEA country or Switzerland exempts you.
- A valid Irish biometric visa exempts you.
Only changing planes?
A Direct Airside Transit Visa covers changing planes at London Heathrow without passing UK border control. If your next flight goes to Ireland, or you have to collect bags or change airports, you pass UK border control instead, and visa nationals need a Visitor in Transit visa (up to 48 hours).
Sources: Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014, Schedule 1 · Article 4 exemptions · GOV.UK transit visas. Checked 30 September 2026.
With another document?
Other airports
Not travel advice. From the UK Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014, checked 30 September 2026. Lists change; your airline and the border police decide. Page built 2026-09-30.