Transit Visa Reqd for 551 stamp; not reqd for Physical Card Holders?

M

Mamoo

Registered Users (C)
Hello Everybody,
I heard that if you are traveling on I 551 stamp you would need a transit visa but not if you already have the physical card. Is this true? I thought 551 stamp is as good as physical card.
Please share your experiences.
I am planning to travel via Frankfurt with 551 stamp.
Thank you very much.
Mamoo
 
You are right, you need transit visa if you have I551 stamp, although i would recommend you to call the german consulate and enquire, they keep changing the rules as often as possible
 
my wife travelled on feb14,05 from denver to bangalore via frankfurt
on advance parole, she had no transit visa ,nobody bothered to ask anything
 
coloradoniw said:
my wife travelled on feb14,05 from denver to bangalore via frankfurt
on advance parole, she had no transit visa ,nobody bothered to ask anything
Click to expand...

On a different forum somebody wrote that since the 551 stamp looks so 'simple' transit visa is required. Anybody with recent travel on just 551 stamp?
Thank you.
 
Mamoo said:
On a different forum somebody wrote that since the 551 stamp looks so 'simple' transit visa is required. Anybody with recent travel on just 551 stamp?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

Not sure about Europe but I traveled to Asia in January with 551 stamp only. Just 3 three simple Qs asked when returning to US:
How did you get your GC (through employment)?
Who is your employer?
Where did you get your stamp?
 
jw_dm said:
Not sure about Europe but I traveled to Asia in January with 551 stamp only. Just 3 three simple Qs asked when returning to US:
How did you get your GC (through employment)?
Who is your employer?
Where did you get your stamp?
Click to expand...

Mine is same as your case, travelled to Asia only with I551, no "transit visa", and only 1 question was asked:
How did you get your GC?
 
This is my personal experience with British Airways. My wife had booked ticket to India from Dulles Airport via Heathrow. When we went to checkin they refused to allow my wife to board the flight with just I-551 stamp and no transit visa. I talked to the British Airways customer service supervisor and he too refused after lot of persuasion. So we finally came back home and applied transit visa and then left after 15 days. So please check with your airlines and avoid disappointment and inconvenience.
 
All need transit visa except the GC card holder (valid 10 yrs) going by Lufthansa,

I talk to german consulate in USA/India.... they changed the rules few weeks ago, they might be libral for few weeks but you will never know when they are going to be very strict....

Already many of my friends had tough time there,

don't take a chance, be a nice smooth trip...

SO GET A TRANSIT VISA..
 
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Milking the immigrant..

does not stop with approval and stamping. Looks like we have to pay our dues to all to want to squeeze.....
 
Rsur said:
does not stop with approval and stamping. Looks like we have to pay our dues to all to want to squeeze.....
Click to expand...

Never heard about this problem on asia airline. may be we should travel with asia airline just to be safe.
 
Nail EU airlines

I think we should nail these guys. Travel AI or Emirates etc., if traveling to India. Other Asian airlines as appropriate! I hate these BA guys.
 
I spoke to my trave agent and he said that if you are traveling to India with a transit anywhere in Europe, you need a transit visa, even if you have a I-551 stamp. Only KLM/NW is an exception and does not require a transit visa.
The transit visa is checked at the embarking airport itself and they may disallow boarding without it. Transit visas cost about $50-$60 per person, for Indian citizens, for most of the European countries usuallu used for transit.
 
Planet3rd said:
I spoke to my trave agent and he said that if you are traveling to India with a transit anywhere in Europe, you need a transit visa, even if you have a I-551 stamp. Only KLM/NW is an exception and does not require a transit visa.
The transit visa is checked at the embarking airport itself and they may disallow boarding without it. Transit visas cost about $50-$60 per person, for Indian citizens, for most of the European countries usuallu used for transit.
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Anyone know where amd how tp apply transit visa?
It seems to me transit visa is issued by EU, not USCIS, am I right?
 
vcorcl said:
Anyone know where amd how tp apply transit visa?
It seems to me transit visa is issued by EU, not USCIS, am I right?
Click to expand...
It would be issued by the consulate of the country whose visa you are seeking.

Obviously USCIS has nothing to do with this.
 
jkvaisnavi said:
All need transit visa except the GC card holder (valid 10 yrs) going by Lufthansa,

I talk to german consulate in USA/India.... they changed the rules few weeks ago, they might be libral for few weeks but you will never know when they are going to be very strict....

Already many of my friends had tough time there,

don't take a chance, be a nice smooth trip...

SO GET A TRANSIT VISA..
Click to expand...


Hello jkvaisnavi and others,
Thank you very much for all the information. I am going to appy for the transit visa for Germany...flying by LH.
Any websites or other details.
Also, I hope all these transit visa business comes to an end with the arrival of the plastic card!
Talk about relaxing after 485 approval and stamping!
Mamoo
 
My wife went to German consulate in chennai and applied for the transit visa, they said to her that, all can apply the transit visa in frankfurt itself starting from yesterday but they don't have any clue in what currency it will be paid (US$, Euro, Rs???)

will keep you all updated if I hear anything.
 
transit visa?

I am travelling to uk, I am a uk citizen, on Friday to see family, staying for a week. I had my passport stamped last Wednesday, Do I need a transit visa? :confused:
 
You can travel to country of your citizenship any time. Your USA visa status does not affect the entering or leaving your own country of citizenship.

Only KLM-NWA allows I-551 stamp without transit visa to board their flights i.e thru' netherland. For other European countries you need transit visa.

AP is different than I-551. We are talking exclusively about I-551 stamp here.

Hope this helps.

Mugdha.
 
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