What to Expect at UK Border Control

Travelling to the United Kingdom (UK) can be stressful if you’re not sure what to expect at the border.  Brushing up on the rules around entering the region and what you can and can’t take in your luggage will ensure you avoid any high-risk encounters with UK border control agents. 

In this article we cover passport control, choosing the right passport queue, border control interviews, travelling with children, customs and baggage checks. Travel with peace of mind and begin your stay on the right foot!

Selecting
the Ideal Airport

“Sometimes it’s helpful to book your route via Gatwick or one of the other smaller airports, which has fewer travellers than Heathrow – the UK’s largest airport – and therefore shorter queues at border control,” said Ryan Rennison, managing director of UK-specific immigration firm, Move Up.

After disembarking from the plane, travellers must make
their way to passport control before being allowed to proceed to baggage
claim. 

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“The passport control area is divided into sections with an ePassport option for certain passport holders, too.  However, after Brexit the way they divide up these sections could change,” added Rennison. 

Good news for South Africans is that travellers from non-EEA
countries no longer need to fill in a landing card upon arriving at the UK
border.

Passport
Checks

The UK Government’s
website says that passports will be checked on arrival at ports or airports
to make sure travellers are allowed to enter the country.

Passports should be valid for the whole of your stay and even
an extra few months beyond your planned visit.  South Africans are required to have a visitor,
settlement or transit visa attached to a page in their passport, which must be applied
for and granted before leaving South Africa.

“Before you get to the front of the queue make sure you have removed your sunglasses if you are wearing them and remember to move through passport control together with your family members if you are travelling together,” Rennison said.

Once your passport has been examined, scanned and stamped,
you will most likely be questioned by a border control agent.  Agents will ask about your reason for
travelling to the UK to ensure that you are not planning to break the
conditions of your specific visa.  (For
example, visitor visas and certain settlement visas do not allow the bearer to
seek employment). 

“South Africans are often unsure of whether they need a transit visa when their flights have a layover in the UK – unfortunately we are required to obtain transit visas even you are planning to stay in the airport while waiting for your next flight,” he advised. 

ePassport
Gates

If you carry a passport from these nations, you will be able
to use the automatic ePassport gates:  Australia,
Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.  

If you use the ePassport gates you must also:

• Be age 12 years or over (travellers between 12
  years and 17 years must be accompanied by an adult);
• Have a valid visa or a biometric residence
  permit;
• Have a valid passport for the duration of the
  stay;
• Have a passport with a ‘chip’ on it.
• Follow the UK-EEA immigration lanes at border
  control.

You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your
passport if you are from a non-EEA country and entering the UK:

• On a short-term study visa up to six months;
• With a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate
  of sponsorship for up to three months (and would like to enter without a visa);
• On a permitted paid engagement;
• To accompany or join your EEA family member.

Note that you cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates.  Without a stamp, you won’t be allowed to carry out the activities you are visiting the UK for.

Travelling
with a UK biometric residence permit

You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your
fingerprints were taken when you applied.

Your fingerprints will be checked at border control –
they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document.

If you’re joining or travelling with an EEA or Swiss family member you should see a border control officer instead of using the automatic ePassport gates.

If You’re
Refused Entry to the UK

You’ll be told in writing:

• why you’ve been refused entry to the UK
• if you can appeal against the decision
• when you will be removed from the UK
• You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately.

You may be allowed into the UK temporarily (usually for up
to a week) but your passport will be taken from you and you must report to immigration
officers at set times.

| Did you know? Now you can book your flights via our website, too. |

Travelling
with Children

You may be asked at the border to prove the relationship
between yourself and any children travelling with you, if you do not seem to be
the parent; for example if you have a different surname.

You can prove this with:

• a birth or adoption certificate showing your
  relationship with the child
• divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the
  parent but have a different surname from the child
• a letter from the child’s parent giving
  permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if
  you’re not the parent.

Customs

What you may take into the UK will depend on where you are travelling from. Persons must declare to customs:

• Anything over the duty-free allowance;
• Banned or restricted goods in the United
  Kingdom, for example, meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries;
• Goods that are for sale;
• More than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash if
  persons are coming from outside of the EU.

Customs officials may search you and your baggage for
anything that must be declared.

Baggage
Checks

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your
baggage.  If your baggage is checked, it
will usually be checked in front of you.

Customs officers keep a record of:

• all baggage they open and check
• any damage to your baggage or belongings during
  a check

If your things are damaged you may be offered compensation
if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check.

You may ask for the duty manager if you want to complain
about a customs check while you’re at the border.  If you’d prefer to, you may send
your complaint to Border Force later.

EU
Citizens

The UK Government has this notice on their website:

“Please note that there will be no change to the rights and status of European Union (EU) citizens currently living in the United Kingdom until June 30, 2021, or December 31, 2020, if the United Kingdom leaves the EU without a deal. Persons and their families can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the United Kingdom.”

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