Allow between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Immigration queueing times have increased this week (some groups have been taking nearly two hours to reach arrivals from touchdown) but it's still very inconsistent so Peter's comment above is valid. Hello, I will be arriving at Terminal 4 at about 15:00 on Monday.

In 2026, your wait time at Heathrow (LHR) Customs and Immigration depends largely on your passport type and the terminal. For those with UK, EU, US, Canadian, or Australian biometric passports, the process is usually very fast—often 15 to 30 minutes—thanks to the extensive network of e-Gates. However, if you are traveling with children under 10 or have a passport that requires manual stamping, you must join the "Rest of World" or "All Passports" queue, which can take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes during peak morning arrivals (especially between 6 AM and 10 AM). Terminals 2 and 5 generally have the most modern infrastructure, while Terminal 4 can be slower due to fewer e-Gate stations. In early 2026, Heathrow has faced occasional "Border Force" staffing shortages, leading to rare but widely reported "unacceptable" wait times of up to 3 hours. For a typical day, allow at least one hour from "wheels down" to clearing the terminal and reaching the Elizabeth Line or Heathrow Express.