Transit Visa for stopover in London

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GCChaahiye

Registered Users (C)
Transit Visa for stopover in London / Paris

I am planning to book tickets on American Airlines from USA to London, connecting flight on Air India from London to Bombay.

We are on H1 and H4, but do NOT have visas stamped in our passports.

Does anyone know if we would need transit visa for stopover at London?
 
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I have been researching this forum and others since the time I posted this thread and I guess we need transit visas.
 
GCChaahiye said:
I am planning to book tickets on American Airlines from USA to London, connecting flight on Air India from London to Bombay.

We are on H1 and H4, but do NOT have visas stamped in our passports.

Does anyone know if we would need transit visa for stopover at London?
Click to expand...

If visa is not stamped you need a transit visa.
 
I purchased the tickets on Air India from USA to Bombay via Paris.There is no change of plane at Paris and we will not get off the plane.The stop-over is 1 hour 30 minutes.

I simply do not understand the logic to obtain a transit visa when we do not even get off the plane!

Any experiences for transit visa at Paris?
 
GCChaahiye said:
I purchased the tickets on Air India from USA to Bombay via Paris.There is no change of plane at Paris and we will not get off the plane.The stop-over is 1 hour 30 minutes.

I simply do not understand the logic to obtain a transit visa when we do not even get off the plane!

Any experiences for transit visa at Paris?
Click to expand...

You do not need it.
 
Tammy,

Any real life experiences on this ?


Because the french consulate says on its website:

http://www.consulfrance-washington.org/article.php3?id_article=383

4- Frequently asked questions

Q : I am an Indian citizen. I will fly from Newark to Mumbay through Paris. I will stay within the airplane during the 2 hours stop. The US visa stamped in my passport is no more valid. I do not have a green card.

A : If you do not have a valid US visa stamped in your passport (look at the "expiration date") or a green card, you do need an airport transit visa even if you stay in the airplane.


I called Air India at different times to speak to different people and they gave differing answers. Same with travel Agents.
 
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It's the most ridiculous policy ever. The safest thing to do would be to get it, since the French consulate website says so. Better safe than sorry. You don't want to be held up at the airport in the US when you're flying back for such an important thing!

This is why I booked on NW/KLM. Apart from the freq. flier miles, the Netherlands doesn't require Indian citizens to have an airport transit visa.
 
GCChahiye,

get the visa! am telling from first hand exp. I was flying into Paris and had similar situation as you. had h1 797 approval paper but not stamped in PP and was planning to getting it done in India. i was not allowed to board the flight. i cant imagine UK rules being too different. i know that if u change airports in london...u definitely need visas.

good luck
 
Air India does not have any FF miles affiliate programme with any other airlines in the world!

Horrible airlines :mad:

But it was the most convenient for my travel and hopefully, got a good price too. And since I was told that we do not need TV at Paris on Air India, I purchased the tickets too.

Well, I guess, I should get the transit visa.

Gareeebi mein aaata geela!
 
GCChaahiye said:
Tammy,

Any real life experiences on this ?


Because the french consulate says on its website:

http://www.consulfrance-washington.org/article.php3?id_article=383

4- Frequently asked questions

Q : I am an Indian citizen. I will fly from Newark to Mumbay through Paris. I will stay within the airplane during the 2 hours stop. The US visa stamped in my passport is no more valid. I do not have a green card.

A : If you do not have a valid US visa stamped in your passport (look at the "expiration date") or a green card, you do need an airport transit visa even if you stay in the airplane.


I called Air India at different times to speak to different people and they gave differing answers. Same with travel Agents.
Click to expand...

It was in begining of this year my friend came. He had expired H1 stamping used AP. So he did not get transit visa. He used Paris just avoide transit visa.
I know it very clearly.
 
For UK, you need visa stamped in passport

GCChaahiye said:
Tammy,

Thanks for your help.

Since your friend had AP, perhaps that was the deciding factor.
Click to expand...


GCChaahiye ,
I can tell you first hand, you need Transit Visa for UK, if you don't have then you can't even board the flight. The reason it was introduced was the air-ports are porous, in the sense some people can slip into UK without immigration checks. So, UK wanted to track/crack them. It is not you and me, but some other people. So, the restrictions for everyone. A valid US visa is an exception for this transit visa.

When we were going via London by Virgin Atlantic/Emirates to Hyderabad, our passports were checked for active visa stamp and let go onto the flight.

Hope you don't need it for Paris. I don't know that for sure.

All the very best!!
 
Yeah,I have made up my mind to apply for the Paris transit Visa.

I could understand the need for TV incase there were gate/airport change, but in our case, we would not even get off the plane at Paris.

Just to catch hold of a handful , they put millions others at such great inconvenience! :mad:

If some people slip through their immigration, it means that their immigration procedures at their airports are not good for whatever reason. Who can argue anyway?And with who?
 
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My Personal Recommendation: Pay a little more and travel through Asia (where I assume that there are no TV requirements yet) and avoid the hassles.
 
gclaga said:
My Personal Recommendation: Pay a little more and travel through Asia (where I assume that there are no TV requirements yet) and avoid the hassles.
Click to expand...


Too late now for that as I have already purchased the tickets via Paris.
 
I had originally purchased tickets thru air india, then had to cancel them due to a change in my travel schedule and lucky enough, the TV requirement was nullified (for frankfurt, they dont require TV if you have a H1 stamp, however i was stuck with the TV requirement while returning when all visas on your passport are cancelled after the GC interview). Hence i booked thru KLM/NW airlines and they do not require a TV. My question here is: once your IV is approved at the consulate, do they give a provisional stamp on the passport that the GC is approved or does one have to wait till arrival at the POE here in the US??
Thanks!

Consulate: Chennai
Interview date: 8/17/2005 :)
 
Your passports will be stamped there at the Consulate itself and hence you would not need a TV while returning.
 
Yep -- if you read the transit visa requirements carefully, most of them exempt holders of valid US (nonimmigrant) visas, US residents (those with alien registration cards, i.e. greencards) or those with US immigrant visas. The last one should, all going well [fingers crossed] apply to some of us soon.

At the consulate one gets an immigrant visa (which is, I believe, stamped in the passport). This allows the holder to travel to the United States, within 6 months of issue, as an immigrant. Upon arrival, a temporary notation is made that the person has been admitted into the US as a lawful permanent resident. This temporary stamp is valid for one year, and is proof of PR status while the actual card is being prepared and mailed. (The stamp has a one year validity -- the status itself is, as the name implies, "permanent." Or, I guess, about as permanent as anything can be in this world ... :D )
 
Nationals of certain countries, which includes India, must have a visa to enter certain countries in Europe. The DATV (Direct Airside Transit Visa) allows entry only for the purpose of catching a connecting flight leaving from the same airport on the same day where you do not need to pass through immigration control to catch the flight.

You will not be eligible for DATV and will need a Visitor Visa if any of the following applies:
a) You will be staying for more than 24 hours
b) You need to get out of the airport
c) You need to change airports

For example, if your flight reaches London Gatwick and the onward connection is from London Heathrow, you will need a Visitor Visa. DATV does not allow you to go out of the airport.

Who needs to apply for DATV
You do NOT need to apply for DATV if you meet one of the following exemptions:
You are a US Citizen
You hold a valid US I-551 Permanent Residence Card (Green Card) issued on or after 21 Apr 1998
You hold a valid visa for entry to USA
You hold a valid common format Category D visa issued by a member state of the European Union
You hold a diplomatic or official passport issued by Government of India
If you hold any of the following, you DO NOT qualify for an exemption and you will need to apply for DATV:
I-512 Parole Letter
I-797C Notice of Action instead of a valid US Visa
Transportation Letter instead of a Green Card issued on or after 21 Apr 1998
A valid travel document with ADIT stamp worded - "Processed for I-551. Temporary Evidence of Lawful Admission...Employment Authorized"
Generally, when traveling between USA and India, transit through the following countries requires a DATV: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland and Canada.

DATV rules may be applicable for other countries and you will need to verify with the respective consulate for rules applicable to you.

NOTE: In addition to above, if you are a Indian National traveling from USA to India you DO NOT need DATV if your transit point is Paris or Frankfurt ONLY when flying Air India or Lufthansa. However, certain check-in staff of certain US domestic airlines may not be aware of this waiver for Air India passengers and may deny boarding to you.

As of Jan 1, 2005, German Border Control requires DATV for Indian nationals irrespective of their US visa status. However, as per the latest information available, effective February 24th, Indian Nationals will be granted an Exceptional Airport Transit Visa Upon Arrival at a German Transit Airport on a goodwill basis. This is a temporary exemption till German Border Control is able to establish further procedures.

When do I have to apply for DATV
Unless you have requested a specific routing, your Travel Agent/Travel Consultant should review your visa status and make such travel arrangements that do not require you to apply for DATV. However, if your travel arrangements include transit via countries that require a DATV, you will need to have an approved DATV prior to boarding your first flight.

More Information
Here are links to some of the commonly used web sites:

France: http://www.consulfrance-newyork.org/us/visas/airporttransit.htm
UK: http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk
Germany: http://www.germanyinfo.org/relaunch/info/consular_services/visa/transit.html
Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html
 
If you do not have valid US visa, you need transit visa for London

I had this bad experience a few hours ago of writing this post. I learned yesterday, a day before my flight, that I might need transit visa for London because my H1 visa stamp in passport was expired. I still went to the airport today and tried to checkin, and as feared, the airline did not allow me to checkin.

I learned the hard way that if you do not have a valid visa stamp in your passport, you would need to get a transit visa for most Atlantic routes and European countries. As of the timeframe of writing this post, it seems that it is okay to transit through Pacific routes and Asian countries without a valid US visa.
 
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