Olympic Games Visa in London
It is now possible for people from outside the European Union who are attending the Olympic Games in London this year to apply for a visa. The UK
Border Agency is now processing visitor visas for the Games which will be the biggest event that the UK has hosted and many extra visitors will arrive during the busy summer period in 2012.
‘We will process your application and, if you meet the requirements, will issue your visa with a start date that will cover you for the whole Olympic and Paralympic Games period. This means that you can start your preparations for travelling to the UK for the Games from the beginning of 2012,’ said a spokesman.
If you are going to the UK to watch the Games as a visitor, you will be allowed to stay in the UK for up to six months in most cases. ‘Our standard for processing visitor visas is 15 working days, but you can apply for a visa from 01 January 2012,’ added the spokesman.
For those travelling into Heathrow airport during Olympic Games there will be a dedicated Olympic lanes for Games family members, that is athletes, coaches, officials and accredited media. The lanes will help to ensure that Games family members such as athletes can get to the venues with minimum delay.
Athletes, coaches, officials and accredited media for the 2012 Games (also known as ‘Games family members’) are selectively accredited by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).
If you are a visa national Games family member with accreditation category codes OCOG, S or X and will not be working in the UK, you should apply for an Olympic/Paralympic Games visit visa or another appropriate visit visa.
If you are a visa national or non visa national Games family in accreditation category code OCOG, S or X and will be working in the UK you will need to apply for a visa under an appropriate points based system tier covering the work you will be doing in the UK.
Games spectators and other visitors should pass through the border in the normal way or, if you are a UK or EU/EEA citizens with a chipped passport, using the e-Passport gates.
