France Transit Visa NOT Required with I-551 Stamp

[savant123456]

Since I have been seeing many people spread false rumours here is the scoop from the Horse's mouth: (French Embassy):

**********************************************
Reply from Nathalie BOEUF (French Embassy):

The I-551 stamp on your passport exempts you from the requirements of a
Transit Visa but the stamp has to be valid when you are traveling through
France.

Nathalie BOEUF
Consulate General of France in Boston
Visa Section

"Jean-francois.LABORIE" a écrit :

> -------- Original Message --------
> Objet: Question about Transit Visa
> Date: 04 Nov 2004 17:30:04 +0200
> De: xxxx@hotmail.com
> A: consulat@consulfrance-boston.org
>
> Dear Sir/Madam,
>
> I have a quick question regarding the Transit Visa. I will be traveling
> during from Boston to New Delhi via Air France which has a stop
> over in Paris. I hold Indian Citizenship and my legal status in United
> States is "Permanent Resident". My permanent residence was approved last
> week and my passport was stamped with I-551 (Temporary proof for
> permanent residence till the plastic card arrives.). My plastic card for
> the permanent residence is under process and may not arrive before I
> travel. US government treats the I-551 stamp as the legal proof for
> permanent residence in the absence of the plastic card and allows all
> travel using the same.
>
> My question is that in the situation where I do not get the plastic card
> before I travel, will the I-551 stamp on my passport exempt
> me from the requirements of a Transit Visa?
>
> Please advise me of the same as soon as possible.
>
> Thanks and regards,
> xxxxx
> xxx

 

[no_gc_yet]

All,

There appears to be no consistency in the French consulate's statements related to the need of airport transit visa if one has a valid I-551 stamp on his/her passport.

Earlier last week, someone else posted a similar statement from a representative of the French consulate in Atlanta.

However, both the Washington DC and New York consulate maintain that the I-551 stamp is not a valid visa and that if one does not possess the plastic card, they are required to get a transit visa.

I went to the French consulate this morning to confirm this and was asked to apply for the transit visa. The application process was short and they issued the stamp on the spot (within half an hour of my application).