Travel on AP by Lufthansa (through Germany)

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cbman

Registered Users (C)
Hello All,


My wife and I have APs, we would like to travel by Lufthansa to go to India. With Northwest, I believe we don't need any transit visa or visitors visa. But I keep hearing different things about flying through germany. I came across something on the german consulate website and on immihelp.com that if you have a valid visa to come back and a confirmed ticket (10 hr duration between flights) then you don't need transit visa. This is courtesy extended to Indians and Turkish recently???
Has any one done this? I actually had friends who flew back to USA just with APs on AirFrance etc.. they were never asked about any transit visa, they didn't have one.
Please share your exeriences and knowledge.


Thank you
 
Hi CBMan,
My mom was in similar situation last year.. When I had called French consulate they said "The rule is if you are Indian and you are homebound(India) then you don't need transit visa." Infact I will be travelling to India on AP and have my ticket in AirIndia thru Frankfurt..
I'll keep checking responses you get from others here...
 
I think you do need a transit visa (at least on your way back to the US). AP is not considered as valid visa. I know the British won't allow you to pass through London without a transit visa if you are travelling on AP. I experienced this first hand last October. At the time I was told the rules for Germany are also same.
 
Hi EXTRAINER
After reading your response I called Air-India to confirm about transit visa. They said it is not required even thou I 'll be travelling thru frankfurt while going and thru London while returning. They seemed to be very familiar with AP.
I also called German and British consulate and as stands it is not required while travelling to or from India.
The last time my local INS office also stated that it is (AP) a guaranteed admission Document to United States which is honoured by all goverments.
So I guess I won't pursue any further and make other goverments unnecessarily rich with transit visa money.
 
I was advised to get transit visa when traveling through Frankfurt. And I did get it. It is not an issue if heading to India but when heading back it is needed. AP is not considered visa.
 
For transiting throgh London you definitely need a transit visa. I was not allowed to board a Biritish Airways flight originating in the US for my journey to Mumbai via London because I did not have a transit visa for UK. The transit visa is waived only if you have a green card or a valid visa to enter the US. AP is not considered a visa. On the UK govt. website at http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/F...t/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1020786334922 it clearly says the following:

Holding either an I-512 Parole letter or an I-797C (Notice of Action) instead of a valid U.S. visa; or a Transportation Letter instead of a valid U.S. Permanent Residence Card issued on or after 21 April 1998 does NOT qualify for exemption from the DAT visa requirement.
 
exTrainer said:
For transiting throgh London you definitely need a transit visa. I was not allowed to board a Biritish Airways flight originating in the US for my journey to Mumbai via London because I did not have a transit visa for UK. The transit visa is waived only if you have a green card or a valid visa to enter the US. AP is not considered a visa. On the UK govt. website at http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/F...t/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1020786334922 it clearly says the following:

exTrainer
Holding either an I-512 Parole letter or an I-797C (Notice of Action) instead of a valid U.S. visa; or a Transportation Letter instead of a valid U.S. Permanent Residence Card issued on or after 21 April 1998 does NOT qualify for exemption from the DAT visa requirement.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Then how the hell did you get in here, did you sneak inside a baggage, Common man, help everyone know how you managed to get in when you were denied entry.

Also, friends pls do not give your assumtions..blah..blah.. We need to know the facts by people who actually travelled w/ or w/o TRANSIT VISA..
 
The same thing happened to my wife too. She was going to India for a vacation using AP and her visa stamping expired in the passport. British Airways denied us to board the flight(even going to homeland). So we went to British Consulate the next working day and got a transit visa and flew the following week.

Do not listen to what the airlines says about transit visa. When we called British airways few days before we flew, they said we do not need tranist visa. But when we were checking in they did not let us board and when we said that one customer service from British airways told us that we do not need transit visa, they said that there is nothing they could do for the wrong information. But BA said they could change the tickets to another date for free.

If you have doubt whether you need a transit visa then go to the consulate and find out. And the safe bet is to just get one. It is a nightmare otherwise. Atleast we were denied in US itself. One of my friend went upto UK and they refused to let her go from UK to India and sent her back to US. You really don't want that.

So in all just get a transit visa just a matter of 100 dollars max.
 
I had to cancel my trip to India at the time, since obtaining the transit visa would have taken at least a couple of weeks. So I just remained in the US. Next time I fly to India, will do so on American Airlines' direct flight to Delhi from Chicago. I have no interest in paying a dime to the european countries charging visa processing fees just to remain on their airports, would rather pay a little more to the American Airlines.
 
I travelled in Jan 2006 in Lufthansa via Frankfurt with Advance Parole Document without any problem.

I had sent email to German Embassy and they said I do not need one.
 
I have contacted German Consulate and they sent me this documenation recently.

I still think that we dont need Transit visa.. but some one can read this document and confirm.. because wording is conflicting in first paragraph and second paragraph.


Here is the copy of the document


Harish
 
Any one with AP traveled thru FRA w/o Transit Visa ? Pl reply.
If so, I need to plan for a trip to Atlanta, GA. Hope at least we dont need an appointment to get the visa.
I am traveling on Oct 4th.
 
OnePenny said:
Any one with AP traveled thru FRA w/o Transit Visa ? Pl reply.
If so, I need to plan for a trip to Atlanta, GA. Hope at least we dont need an appointment to get the visa.
I am traveling on Oct 4th.
Click to expand...


I entered US using AP on 9/9/06. I transited via Franfurt and did not have any transit visa. No questions asked. I'm returning back to India via Franfurt on 9/17/06 and still dont have a transit visa.
 
fast_gc_seeker said:
I entered US using AP on 9/9/06. I transited via Franfurt and did not have any transit visa. No questions asked. I'm returning back to India via Franfurt on 9/17/06 and still dont have a transit visa.
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Thanks for the reply fast_gc_seeker. I guess you are an Indian. Could you pl reply for few more Qs ? TIA.
Which airport did you fly from ?
Did you have an unexpired US visa stamped in your passport ?

I know , Indians dont need a Transit visa when they travel to India.
 
OnePenny said:
Thanks for the reply fast_gc_seeker. I guess you are an Indian. Could you pl reply for few more Qs ? TIA.
Which airport did you fly from ?
Did you have an unexpired US visa stamped in your passport ?

I know , Indians dont need a Transit visa when they travel to India.
Click to expand...
I used AP to enter US through Denver International Airport.
 
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