I have a loved one (Syrian citizen) coming to the US from Europe, and he was stopped in the UK for a layover (transit between flights without entering the UK). The UK flight officer allegedly told him that he did not have a visa to visit the UK, and essentially broke the law, so he will be deported…despite having an accepted US visa.
Then this officer allegedly claimed they contacted the US to reject this individual's visa.
I'm very confused.
There is an excellent page that will tell you if you need a visa for the UK. Feeding in the details from the question indicates that this person doesn't need a visa to transit the UK. However there are a couple of important conditions:
It's also not unknown for these websites to be wrong, and it's up to the immigration official to decide.
I've never heard of a case like this, but it's absolutely up to the US immigration official to decide to admit this person or not. If they were told that the person had been deported recently from a friendly country that coulld affect their decision.
The most probable reasons they were refused are:
Sadly to say, our UK customs are very discriminatory and I feel they have no respect for UK passport holders or people born here even! The UK and US governments see people coming from countries that have been at war with them as very high risk passengers. They worry the passenger will abscond from the airport despite the large number that don't abscond. Here in the UK and the US more people somehow disappear on transit visas than on any type of visa.
My advice is make sure every angle is covered in getting a transit visa. Also, ask your Syrian relative to contact the UK and US embassies before leaving. The consulates can help to get right the paperwork for a transit visa for the UK and maybe any additional paperwork to convince both countries that your relative will return to Syria when stated. Also maybe take personal references from your relative's employers stating they work at [workplace] and what day they are expected to go back to work. Maybe even get a official letter from Syrian police authorities stating your relative has no criminal record.
I know its a pain. My advice is to be open and honest with either customs, to increase the chance you will get to see your relative. Also get every piece of paperwork checked at both embassies too, before your relative leaves, as both embassy have direct contact with customs and visa departments and they will without doubt tell your relative if it's ok to fly though the UK on to the US or not.
