The build up to the London 2012 Olympic Games is gather pace, with the city ensuring the final stages of preparation are in place for the grand event.
But for those planning on attending the event, there is some personal preparation to be done. UK visas are one of the first things worth considering and the UK Border Agency has urged ticket holders to look in to the issue sooner rather than later.
Anybody holding a passport issued by a country within the European Economic Area or Switzerland will not require a UK visa to attend the Games, but other countries will. It is also worth reminding yourself that the UK is not a member of the Schengen group, so a Shengen visa – which may be applicable in other European countries – will not allow access to Britain.
If you discover that you do need a UK visa, you will need to gather up a number of documents to make your application and then contact the British authorities, perhaps through a UK immigration lawyer if you are having difficulties.
Once everything has been processed, you should find that your time in the country runs smoothly, so long as you ensure that you bring your passport, travel documents and UK visa with you on the trip!
However, do bear in mind that a separate UK immigration lane is to be set up at the major border points to allow participants in the Olympic Games, as well as coaches, officials and the media, to be processed as quickly as possible. This may mean that other travellers need to allow a little more time to pass through immigration control during the Games period in July.