I posted my question on UK transit visa last week and got many responses. As a thank you note, I would like to share my experience with you in terms of transit visa through London or Paris.
I was planning a trip to Turkey and transited through London. I have my AP and is in the status of 485. As I am holding Chinese passport, I kind of worried if I need a transit visa to London airport or not. My concern was laughed by my assistant and colleagues who have been traveling on the same route before. They told me that no one at the terminal of London would even check your passport or visa when you land at London airport and stay in the transit area.
Therefore, I headed to Boston's airport last Monday night as scheduled. However, as I concerned, I was not allowed to go aboard by the airline company (British Airways) as I did not have the transit visa to London. I spent three hrs at Boston airport and ended up returning home the same night. So Tuesday I called my assistant and would like the travel agent to change my route from transit through London to through Paris. This time, my assistant learned the lesson and called the French Counsulate in Boston. It turned out that I need a transit visa through Paris too. So I rushed to French counsultate and fortunately got to talk to a nice lady and obtained the transit visa after 10 minutes.
Then Tuesday afternoon, I headed to airport again with transit visa to Paris and different airline (Air France transit through Paris). When I arrived the airport, guess what happened? I suddenly found out the my I-94 card was taken by British Airways on Monday and was not returned to me. The terrible feeling of being stuck in USA and never being able to travel until my 485 is appoved hit me right away. I rushed to the BA counter and asked for getting the I-94 card back, however, I was told that those cards were submitted to the government yesterday. With a hope that air france could spare me with a I-94 card, I came to air france counter. As you know, they definitely needed the I-94 card. Fortunately, after explaining the situation, they let me fill in another I-94 card and allowed me aboard. They did check my transit visa though. It turned out nobody checked my transit visa at Paris airport. Anyway, I finished my trip and back to the States with AP. A happy ending after all the hassals.
Just want to share my experience with you and do not make the same mistake as I did. Wish all the pain will go away after I-485 got approved.
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RD : 09/02
FP: ???
AD: ???
I was planning a trip to Turkey and transited through London. I have my AP and is in the status of 485. As I am holding Chinese passport, I kind of worried if I need a transit visa to London airport or not. My concern was laughed by my assistant and colleagues who have been traveling on the same route before. They told me that no one at the terminal of London would even check your passport or visa when you land at London airport and stay in the transit area.
Therefore, I headed to Boston's airport last Monday night as scheduled. However, as I concerned, I was not allowed to go aboard by the airline company (British Airways) as I did not have the transit visa to London. I spent three hrs at Boston airport and ended up returning home the same night. So Tuesday I called my assistant and would like the travel agent to change my route from transit through London to through Paris. This time, my assistant learned the lesson and called the French Counsulate in Boston. It turned out that I need a transit visa through Paris too. So I rushed to French counsultate and fortunately got to talk to a nice lady and obtained the transit visa after 10 minutes.
Then Tuesday afternoon, I headed to airport again with transit visa to Paris and different airline (Air France transit through Paris). When I arrived the airport, guess what happened? I suddenly found out the my I-94 card was taken by British Airways on Monday and was not returned to me. The terrible feeling of being stuck in USA and never being able to travel until my 485 is appoved hit me right away. I rushed to the BA counter and asked for getting the I-94 card back, however, I was told that those cards were submitted to the government yesterday. With a hope that air france could spare me with a I-94 card, I came to air france counter. As you know, they definitely needed the I-94 card. Fortunately, after explaining the situation, they let me fill in another I-94 card and allowed me aboard. They did check my transit visa though. It turned out nobody checked my transit visa at Paris airport. Anyway, I finished my trip and back to the States with AP. A happy ending after all the hassals.
Just want to share my experience with you and do not make the same mistake as I did. Wish all the pain will go away after I-485 got approved.
--------------------------------
RD : 09/02
FP: ???
AD: ???