Expired US visa via Frankfurt

[Amrita]

.https://www.quora.com/My-H1B-visa-is-expired-Which-are-the-countries-I-can-travel-to-India-from-USA

[chalimidi]

7 minutes ago, Amrita said:

Sare sir e sari nunchi alane cheptam. Atlane quora lo masthu posts unnayi vellinavalani e sari avi kuda chusuko .. had friends who went for stamping last year to india too...lol 

Kristoph Cichocki-Romanov, works at Degas Media

Answered Aug 23, 2018

 

You do not require a US visa to travel through Frankfurt.

In general, if you are traveling through any European airport from one non-European destination ( US ) to another ( India ) you will not require anything but a valid passport and potentially a valid visa for your destination country.

If you plan to enter Europe during your transit for any reason - for example to stay overnight at a hotel or because you need to recheck your bags - you will need a valid Schengen visa.

4.8k views

 

 

Mukesh Kumar

Answered Dec 15, 2017

 

No...I traveled from USA to India by Frankurt on December 06, 2017 on expired USA visa and it all went smoothly. No one asked about USA visa.

5.5k views · View 2 Upvoters

recently rules changed vaaaa. 2017 vishayam ipudu nadavadi

[chalimidi]

dabarbara

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 25, 2018

#1

Hello,

I'm an Indian living and working in the US. I had a round trip ticket from US to India for me and my wife (who is a US citizen). This trip had a short layover in Frankfurt airport (~2hrs). When I was leaving the US, my work visa stamped on my passport was expired. But my visa was approved and I was still on a valid visa while in the US (and I had that documentation I am allowed to stay and work in the US - so I was no overstaying). But the new visa was not stamped in my passport. I was travelling back home to get it stamped. Germany usually has a rule that certain nationals transiting through Germany need an Airport Transit Visa 'but' there are exclusions for Indians who have an expired Visa who are travelling back home. It's documented by German counsel here: https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/visa/application/airport-transit-visa/503188

It's also written clearly by the German Mission in the US:https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/80e28ec8a47bb057c06ca4023b155842/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

So I clearly don't need a transit visa. In addition to this Lufthansa mentions that Indians need a transit/Schengen visa only if they have a two-hop flight through Europe. It's documented here: https://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/in/local?nodeid=3116855&l=en

So I went through all the rules and I clearly don't need an ATV (Airport transit Visa). In addition to this, when I checked in online there was a pop-up in the Lufthansa website that said, I should not leave the non-Schengen area of the airport as that requires a visa. So they knew my case pretty well. 

I go to the airport on the day of my travel and this ticketing agent says he cannot let me board as he says I need a transit visa. I kept telling him about these rules and he clearly said I cannot go. He never cited the place where he was getting these rules but he said he knows the German law and he was certain I need a visa. At this point he didn't now show me where he got these rules from.

I could not delay my trip since I had other things planned after I landed in India, so I had to buy a one way ticket for me and my Wife through Amsterdam (it was the closest on that had same ETA as the original ticket). It ended up costing around $3500 for just one passenger. I bought a one-way ticket because the ticketing folks told me there is a chance I can keep my return leg. My credit card company contacted Lufthansa and initially they did agree to keep my return active. That's why I brought one way ticket from US to India and not a round trip. But couple of days after I went back home my travel agent told me that Lufthansa told them the return ticket is not valid. We kept pleading with Lufthansa to at least keep my return flight active but they didn't budge so I had to buy another one way flight from India back to US. Overall this trip ended up costing me >$10000. I contacted the airlines and told them they unfairly denied boarding. I also asked them to compensate me. Again they said I didn't have all necessary documents but never gave me proof about what I missed (or) where their rules about a transit visa came from.

I was told that I could hire a lawyer to take the legal route to get my money back. It was suggested I can get some help here.

I can provide relevant documentation to show that I had all travel documents with me when I started this trip and this monetary distress to me was caused completely by Lufthansa.

[Amrita]

9 minutes ago, chalimidi said:

recently rules changed vaaaa. 2017 vishayam ipudu nadavadi

1

According to Timatic, the database used by airlines:

TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

Nationals of India transiting through Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC), arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:

• have a used, valid or expired visa issued by Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland (Rep.), Japan, Romania, USA or United Kingdom, and
• be returning from the country that issued the visa, and
• stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
• have documents required for their next destination.

So if you hold an Indian passport and are travelling directly (as I read your question) from the United States to Frankfurt and then on to India with a four-hour connection, then it appears that you do not need a visa.

shareimprove this answer

answered Oct 23 '18 at 18:47

ajd

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•  
  Thank you for the clarification. Appreciate it. – Arpit Patel Oct 23 '18 at 18:53

   

   

   

  You could always email or ask airlines/ Consulate of that country but this has been the case from so long at least from 2012. UK through you cannot and europe lo few countries through you can. Well i dont know if it just changed in last 6 months but have a friend who flew last year end. If they dont allow US lo ney bording pass ivvaru. 2012 lo na friend key boarding pass ivvaledu who was flying through british airways immediately he bought a ticket which flies through middle eastern countries (Emirates) at airport.

[chalimidi]

10 minutes ago, Amrita said:

.https://www.quora.com/My-H1B-visa-is-expired-Which-are-the-countries-I-can-travel-to-India-from-USA

idhi old post. Recently rules changed. 

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

[Satakarni_bali]

35 minutes ago, chalimidi said:

enduku vaa wrong information cheppi porganni tappu dova pattisturu. 

Telikapothe telidu ani seppochu kada lol

Correct info ne, 2017 lo went through Frankfurt no issues ... after that change ayite telidu

[chalimidi]

9 minutes ago, Satakarni_bali said:

Correct info ne, 2017 lo went through Frankfurt no issues ... after that change ayite telidu

Exceptions:

Nationals of the above named countries Do NOT require an airport transit visa if

1. they hold a valid visa for the United States of America, or

2. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by the USA and return from the USA and travel to a non-Schengen Member State within 24 hours after the expiration of their visa, or

3. they hold one of the following residence permits:

• Form I-551 permanent resident card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
• Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
• Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (no expiry date),
• Form I-327 Re-entry document (valid for two years — issued to holders of a I-551)
• Resident alien card (valid for 2 or 10 years or no expiry date. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded one year),
• Permit to re-enter (valid for two years. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded two years),

Valid temporary residence stamp in a valid passport (valid for one year from the date of issue). Please note that the advance parole (I-512) and the approval notice (I797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit. An airport transit visa must be obtained

 

Source : https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

Germany embassy info. 

[user789]

On 6/11/2019 at 9:56 AM, Amrita said:

You need valid visa to fly through UK not through Europe. You are good ! 

+1

[Katti_Ramdas]

3 hours ago, chalimidi said:

recently rules changed vaaaa. 2017 vishayam ipudu nadavadi

Nen monna april 2109 vella through Munich airport with expired us visa.. 

[Katti_Ramdas]

3 hours ago, chalimidi said:

Exceptions:

Nationals of the above named countries Do NOT require an airport transit visa if

1. they hold a valid visa for the United States of America, or

2. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by the USA and return from the USA and travel to a non-Schengen Member State within 24 hours after the expiration of their visa, or

3. they hold one of the following residence permits:

• Form I-551 permanent resident card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
• Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (valid for 2 to 10 years),
• Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (no expiry date),
• Form I-327 Re-entry document (valid for two years — issued to holders of a I-551)
• Resident alien card (valid for 2 or 10 years or no expiry date. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded one year),
• Permit to re-enter (valid for two years. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded two years),

Valid temporary residence stamp in a valid passport (valid for one year from the date of issue). Please note that the advance parole (I-512) and the approval notice (I797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit. An airport transit visa must be obtained

 

Source : https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

Germany embassy info. 

Nayana sadivindi kadehe velli vacha nen.. franfurt and munich ki exceptions unnay

[chalimidi]

21 hours ago, Katti_Ramdas said:

Nayana sadivindi kadehe velli vacha nen.. franfurt and munich ki exceptions unnay

Aithe Frankfurt and Munich via vellochantava? 

[kool_buddi]

Single stop either frankfurt or munich vellachu. Two stops like a transit with in germany like frankfurt to munic or vice versa is not allowed and it need transit visa (lufthansa offers cheap fares for this route). This is my experience. 

[Katti_Ramdas]

54 minutes ago, chalimidi said:

Aithe Frankfurt and Munich via vellochantava? 

Yes

[Minion040190]

17 hours ago, Katti_Ramdas said:

Yes

Gippude travel agent ganiki call chesi kanukkunna vaaaa...

No Frankfurt travelling with expired visa annadu. 

Endo gee lolli. antha mixed replies coming.

[Deadp0ol2]

10 minutes ago, Minion040190 said:

Gippude travel agent ganiki call chesi kanukkunna vaaaa...

No Frankfurt travelling with expired visa annadu. 

Endo gee lolli. antha mixed replies coming.

You need transit visa man. Dont go through Europe