transit visa requirements

A

astra

Registered Users (C)
From the posts, it seemed that transit visas were not required if you transited thru London or Amsterdam. (assuming ur visa stamp and I-94 has expired)

I called up British Airways and found out we do need transit visas

Check this link -> http://www.britainusa.com/visas/visas.asp
This is from their site :
"From 18 October 2003, certain nationals (including India and Pakistan) need visas to travel through the UK on their way to a third country. Get more information about this new visa requirement and of certain exemptions for all DATV nationals."
 
astra:

This is true and good you brought it up. Many countries are requiring transit visas for folks of certain african, east european and south east asian nationalities.

Total time spent to get such a visa is quite less: 1 week visa process time + 1 week time in mail. So it takes about 10-14 days!
 
Don't need Transit Visa

You do not need transit visa. I got my GC last week and I went via Frankfurt to Chennai. I never applied for it.
My suggestion use common sense. You need transit visa if you want to get out of the airport only. Changing planes do not need any visa.

Also be careful that if you take one there are cases where Consulates stopped the applicants for further admin processing to see why you took the transit visa.

I heard frankfurt is kind of terrorist hub.
 
ok guys let me put it this way it is entirely upto you to decide whether you want to get transit visa. I flew from usa to paris to mumbai and was required french transit visa...which was checked in usa before boarding the flight and again when i boarded the flight from paris to bbay. Both my wife and I were were explcitily asked about the transit visa when we boarded the planes in usa!

Another individual decided not to get transit visa for the same route in usa to paris to bbay ... his family was not allowed to fly from usa due to absence of transit visa. He had to get the transit visas and then fly to bbay!

Originally transit visas were being used for 2 purposes:
1. to get out of foreign airports
2. if one had a connecting flight the day after reaching such an airport - basically if one reached on day 1 and flew out on day 2.

This thread is specific to UK TRANSIT VISA and the consulate web site EXPLICITLY states one need it. And I know it is required for France also and this is stated on French Embassy Web Site.

Rest as said please use common sense!
 
astra:

do you have usa visa stamped in your passport? UK transit visa is required only if one does not have a valid usa visa revalidated/ stamped in the passport!
 
Unfortunately since the usa visa stamp in the passport has expired and i am assuming you either have a h-1b extension receipt / approval... you will need to apply for the transit visa.

Free advice: Call the british embassy/ consulate for your region, explicitly tell them that you have an expired usa visa but still have an usa h-1b extension approval and see what they say (whether you need a transit visa/ not).

The reason one needs a transit visa in such a scenario is bcoz the h-1b approval is simply an approval it becomes a visa only when it is stamped/ revalidated into the passport!
 
astra/kd1403

I went through london to delhi and my US visa was expired and I had called the embassy . I was told that I did need transit visa. It WAS checked at the airport. My husband still had valid US visa stamped and he did not need it.

No one asked me why i got a transit visa for UK. everything went okay for me.

KD1403 is right, it is for you to decide.
 
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