Immigration News, News, Visas
Border Force Strikes
From 23rd to 26th and 28th to 31st of December Border Force will be out on Strike at Birmingham Airport, Cardiff Airport, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Manchester and the Port of Newhaven.
At least 10,000 flights are expected to land at the affected airports between these dates. The strikes will only impact airports – the Eurostar will not be affected.
Employees travelling into the UK over the Christmas period under work permits and for business, or personal reasons, can expect delays and cancellations. Employees should be prepared for long waits, especially non-visa nationals as E-gates may not always work.
Practical steps for employees who are travelling at this time are;
Have a printed copy of your visa approval letter/printed evidence of your status, available in your hand luggage, ready to present to Border Officers to avoid technical delays.
EU settlement applicants who are awaiting their decision should have a printed copy of their Certificate of Application.
Keep up to date on the latest government guidance to monitor changes to the strikes.
You may also wish to consider delaying your travel date to the UK (if possible) to avoid any interruptions on these dates.
Please also note that knock-on disruption at other ports including Eurostar is to be expected, as these ports will be busier than usual.