Travelling on H4 from US to India via London, do they need transit visa ?

[theja84]

My wife and 2 kids (wife and 1 kid on H4 visa, 1 kid is US citizen) are travelling from USA (SFO) to India (HYD) via London on June 4, 2023. 

The travel is from SFO to DFW to LHR to HYD with American Airlines. 

For wife and kid on H4 visa: 

H4 visa stamp expired May 2022. Both entered US in Aug 2021, Current I-94 is valid until June 3, 2023. 

Recent H1/H4 approved is valid until May 2026 (for wife and kid) so I'm assuming the new I-94 will be valid until 2026.  

 

Do they need TWOV (Transit Without Visa) ? 

 

I entered their information in https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/ and it says: 

Visa required.

Visa Exemptions:

TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London (LHR) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
- have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA, and
- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
- have documents required for the next destination.

Nationals of India with normal passport transiting through London (LHR) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
- have a used, valid or expired visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA, and
- be arriving from the country that issued the visa within 6 months after last entry, and
- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
- have documents required for the next destination.

 

 

[theja84]

I asked the Check-in counter (American Airlines) at the SFO airport and they took 1/2 hour for phone calls and finally said we need "Direct Airside Transit visa" since the H4 visa is expired last year.