UK Border Agency: Passengers should expect delays at the border

UK Border Agency has informed British Airports Authority, which runs Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports that arriving passengers should expect delays at the UK border beginning of the evening of Tuesday 29 November until 23:59 on Wednesday 30 November as a result of industrial action by immigration officers.

Advice for customers

The four Home Office unions are participating in a strike which will affect border control from the beginning of the evening of Tuesday 29 November until 23:59 on Wednesday 30 November. Starting times will vary as each port has different shift patterns.

UKBA will aim to keep disruption at a minimum, but their priority remains the security of the border and could see longer waiting times at some ports and airports. They have put contingency plans in place and will work hard to keep delays to a minimum.

Kindly check with your carrier if you are travelling on Wednesday 30 November.

Passengers arriving in the UK can assist us by:

having travel documents, including passports, available and taken out of any wallets;
using automatic e-passport gates (where available);
having landing cards fully completed and ready; and
staying in family groups.

Visa application services overseas might be affected by the strikes in the UK.

Appointments at their public enquiry offices in the UK might also be affected, and they might not be able to process premium applications on the same day. The Solihull and Belfast offices will be closed.

Their other services in the UK, including enforcement, will be as close as possible to business as usual.