Hi everyone, I hold both Chinese and Canadian status. For winter break I'm thinking of flying YVR–London–Shanghai, with a few days' stopover in London to visit friends. I'd like to ask: if my passport doesn't have a UK visa, will I definitely get caught trying to fly direct? I have a Maple Leaf Card (Canadian PR). Should I go to the trouble of routing through Hong Kong for a transit?
It depends on whether you'll be entering the UK and staying in London. If you're only making an international transit and not changing airports, you'll usually go through the transit channel, but airline ground staff will check your eligibility to enter your destination country. Staying a few days to visit friends means entering the UK, and without a UK visa this is basically not possible—a Maple Leaf Card (Canadian permanent resident card) cannot substitute for a UK visa. Transiting through Hong Kong is just a detour and doesn't solve the UK entry issue.
For the few days you plan to stay in London, you'll need a valid UK visa to enter the country—transit without a visa usually only applies when you're connecting flights without entering the UK. I'd suggest pulling up the airline's and UK Border Force's terms and checking them carefully.
If you're departing from Canada and traveling on a Chinese passport, do UK entry requirements differ depending on your point of departure?
You're planning to stay in London for a few days—are you intending to enter through Heathrow and then transfer to a flight to Shanghai? If so, what visa or status document are you specifically planning to use for the UK immigration checkpoint? Also, could the airline refuse boarding at check-in because you lack a UK visa—have you checked with the operating carrier about this in advance?
First, check whether a transit visa is required for a layover in London. Having a Maple Leaf Card (Canadian permanent resident card) does not mean you are visa-exempt—don't take the risk.