Important Travel Question

K

Krishna Iyer

Registered Users (C)
All,
My I-485 was approved recently and got my stamping from INS. I DONT have my plastic card yet.

RD : 04/2002
AD : 02/2004
Stamped : 03/2004

I need to travel to India next week.

Can anyone, in the same situation, share their experience of transiting Paris on Air India in the recent past? If so when and what happened?

Do I need a transit Visa for Paris, France?

Thanks & Regards,
Krishna Iyer
 
Hi Krishna Iyer,

I and my wife Travelled to India on 25th Jan and I came back on 23rd FEB and my wife on 15th march.
We took Air INdia, Newark-Paris-Mumbai
We had our APs.
H-1 and H4 both expired

AIr India via Paris, do not need Transit Visa. They will not deplane us so there was no worry.

Still call Air INdia and find out.

I am not sure how it works for Green Card Stamp. I guess no matter what Visa or status you do not need Transit Visa in PAris ONLY on AIr India.

Hope this msg is not confusing.

Parshu

485
RD 09/03/2002
ND 09/13/2002
 
In same boat

I spoke to UK embassy, Greencard stamping is not good enough. ( I dont blame them.. stamping does not have any validity..other than your A#).

So you need to get a transit visa.

I guess same with frankfurt. countries found this another great way to make money:mad:
 
Thanks Guys.

Thanks for the response. I called up Consulate general of France in Washington DC and they said that I will need a transit Visa as I dont have the plastic card yet.

I have to Check with Air India. I dont want to get stuck in Paris even if there is a remote chance. (I had that experience trying to transit London on AP).

I travel on March 31st.

Newark -> Paris -> mumbai -> Chennai
Chennai -> Mumbai -> paris -> Newark.

Parshu,
Can you elaborate the checks at various stages of your onward and return journey??

Thanks again.

Regards,
Krishna Iyer
 
Hi Krishna..

Yes France Consulate says you have to have Transit Visa but Air India will not deplane you. Nobody gets off the plane. Ofcourse except people getting off at Paris.

Basically in Paris, they asked us to Identify the hand baggage which was just a formality.

Then at Bombay no issues this customs guy asked for some "Bakshish"...I picked up a fight and insisted that I talk to his Manager right away. he had no other choice but to let me off.

If you are flying to chennai from Bombay DOmestic, DOnt go out of the airport for the buses to transfer. They have started a new service which takes you to DOmestic airport from within the airport. (go right after you claim your baggage. Left is Airport Exit)
These new buses are very very good.

WHile coming back. In Paris , no deplaning again. One security person checks the passport and AP/VISA etc in the plane and thats it.
Usualy Port of ENtry stuff at newark

Let me know any questions.

And call Air India for Transit Visa. .



parshu
 
Parshu Thanks!

Thanks a lot for your detailed response.
I am connecting to Chennai. I was told that it is an AI flight to chennai. My agent said that customs and immigration will be at Chennai and not Mumbai.
I will talk to Air India tommorrow and confirm that I dont need a transit Visa. I tried calling the French Consul and Chicago several times today and there was no reply. I dont see them doing an efficient job and returning the passport back to me in a week. That will only add to the last minute tension.
Was it the case for you that AI said "no need for transit VISA" and French Consul said "Yes you need it"?

Regards,
Krishna Iyer
 
Chicago response

I will have to disagree on the chicago staffs feedback. I logged onto www.britainusa.com. They have a forum to submit similar questions. I submited at 10.00 am and got a reply by 11.30 am with exact information I needed. They alo specified I can call the chicago office between 2 and 4 pm if I have any further questions.

I sure did call at 3.40 PM and spoke to a agent. She was courteous and explained me about transit visa.

I am happy with their response.(offcourse every day is not sunday:rolleyes: )
 
ravidhya.

I will be transiting thru Paris, and I think that transit visa is required for London. But not for Paris.

Regards,
Krishna Iyer
 
Unrelated to your question but here is my travel experience after recieving the stamp.

I returned to the US via Puerto Rico yesterday. Got my stamp from the DSM CIS office on March 3.

Automatically sent to secondary: The reason was that anyone can make a stamp and put it in their passport. SO they need to verify.

Went to secondary, waited 30 mins while the officer checked two computers, printed two things, took our passports and all the paperwork to another office and then came back asked us

Father and Mothers names
DOB
Last four of SS#
What type of visa did you use on the first arrival.

Then stamped the passports and said sorry for the delay.

I am going to assume that this will happen everytime you come back in with a stamp.

So at the end of 3 years of agony, what have I acheived. Nothing- because I had to the same thing when I used AP./

One positive thing, only thing I carried was the passport instead of the piles of paperwork like before
 
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