Transit Visa in Germany?

sujitm

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

My spouse has a H1B visa approval. She will be visiting India and will get the stamping done at the US Embassy in India. On her way to India she will be chaging flights in Frankfurt, Germany. Does she need to have a transit visa for this?

Thanks
 
Nationals of the following countries are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports in Germany:
..
India
..

Exceptions: Nationals from the above list are entitled to transit through the international transit zones without an airport transit visa:

1. If they hold a valid visa for the United States of America
2. If they return from the USA after having used the visa
3. If they hold one of the following residence permits:

* Form I-551 permanent resident card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
* Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
* Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (no expiry date),
* Form I-327 Re-entry document (valid for two years — issued to holders of a I-551),
* Resident alien card (valid for 2 or 10 years or no expiry date. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded one year),
* Permit to re-enter (valid for two years. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded two years),
* Valid temporary residence stamp in a valid passport (valid for one year from the date of issue).



Based on the above, it looks like if you have an expired US visa in your passport like H1 and are traveling out of US via Germany, you don't need a transit visa. The official link is:
http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/.../01__Visa/__Transit__Country__List__Visa.html

Might be a good idea to take a print out of this information if Airline raises any objection.
 
My wife just returned from India through Germany. She did not need the transit visa on her way to India (which was also through Germany). Best wishes.
 
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