Citation and Commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2009.

2.–(1) Subject to paragraph (2) this Order comes into force on 18th May 2009.

(2) Article 3(3)(b) to (d) comes into force on 1st July 2009.

Amendments to the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2003

3.–(1) The Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2003(2) shall be amended as follows.

(2) In article 2, for paragraph (3A) substitute–

"(3A) This paragraph applies to a person who holds a passport issued by the Republic of Venezuela that does not contain biometric information held in an electronic chip.".

(3) In Schedule 1–

(a) after "Belarus" insert "Bolivia";

(b) after "Lebanon" insert "Lesotho";

(c) after "Somalia" insert "South Africa"; and

(d) after "Sudan" insert "Swaziland".

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made under sections 41 and 166(3) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and amends the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2003 (the "2003 Order"). The 2003 Order requires certain passengers to hold a transit visa to pass through the United Kingdom without entering whilst transiting to another country or territory.

This Order provides that a person who holds a passport issued by the Republic of Venezuela that does not contain biometric information held in an electronic chip requires a transit visa.

It also has the effect that nationals and citizens of Bolivia, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland will require a transit visa. It removes the temporary exemption from the transit regime available to certain South Africans with a previous travel history to the United Kingdom.