Immigration Steps for Arriving passengers - LHR

Going through immigration and passport control is an area which provokes most of the passenger’s impatience. Passengers really find it daunting to stand in the long queue without having any idea on how the process will be. Here are the steps that the passengers will be directed upon the arrival at the London Heathrow airport.

Immigration and Passport

If you arrive on an international flight, you will firstly be directed to the Border Control which will be clearly signposted and also you will find number of staff members to assist you to clear the Immigration and passport control process.

There are two separate queues at the passport control as follows

• One for European Union (EU)*, European Economic Area (EEA), British nationals and Swiss nationals.
• And the other for all other nationalities.

Once you reach the passport control desk, an officer at the border will ask for your passport or other supporting documents for your visit to London. The Border Force uses scanners to ensure that passports, visas and other official documents are genuine. You will end up getting late at these border checks at peak times.

E-passport gates

E-passport gates are an alternative to the conventional border check passport control where the passengers are expected to do self service to scan their passport.

Baggage Reclaim

The signpost will direct you to the Baggage reclaim hall soon after the Passport control. There is a prominent display sign listing all of the arriving flights and displaying the confirmation if your bag is ready under the given carousel number. Now, you can collect your baggage accordingly. In the reclaim hall you will have free baggage carts which you can make use of and avoid carrying your luggage all the way with you. It may take you much more time at the baggage reclaim area if several flights are arriving at the same time.

UK customs

Red Custom point

If you have any goods to declare in excess of the allowance you will have to approach the Red Custom Point.

If there are no declarations you can exit directly.

• If you are a passenger from an EU country, your baggage will have Green edged Tag and you will follow the Blue Channel exit.
• If you are a passenger from a non-EU country, your baggage will have White Tag and you will follow the Green Channel exit.

2Channel Islands arrivals

There is no passport control for the passengers arriving in this channel, but you will enter the HM customs after collecting the baggage.