Transit Visa for France

[radhikac]

hi All,
I am on AP/EAD and need to Transit thru Paris in February. I have a confirmed return ticket and my visas have expired. I am currently in India.I called VFS and they told me that I do not need a transit visa however when I emailed them they responded by saying check with your Airline. I am trying to email the consulate in Mumbai but keep getting bounce backs.
However I found links on the Atlanta and Washigton consulates that say that I need a visa.

http://www.consulfrance-atlanta.org/...id_article=827
http://www.consulfrance-washington.o...id_article=383

Has anyone returned to the US recently on a Advance Parole and expired Visa? and did you need a Transit visa? It would be great if you can tell when you returned. Immigrationvoice seems to be the only place where I could possibly get some real answers.

Apologizes if this thread is under the wrong category
Thanks
Radhika

[gcseeker2002]

I spoke personally to the SFO consulate and they said , unless you have something in your passport that is valid you need a transit visa. They dont care about other forms of travel.

[pmamp]

Originally Posted by radhikac

hi All,
I am on AP/EAD and need to Transit thru Paris in February. I have a confirmed return ticket and my visas have expired. I am currently in India.I called VFS and they told me that I do not need a transit visa however when I emailed them they responded by saying check with your Airline. I am trying to email the consulate in Mumbai but keep getting bounce backs.
However I found links on the Atlanta and Washigton consulates that say that I need a visa.

http://www.consulfrance-atlanta.org/...id_article=827
http://www.consulfrance-washington.o...id_article=383

Has anyone returned to the US recently on a Advance Parole and expired Visa? and did you need a Transit visa? It would be great if you can tell when you returned. Immigrationvoice seems to be the only place where I could possibly get some real answers.

Apologizes if this thread is under the wrong category
Thanks
Radhika

As far as I know, transit visa is required in case you do not have a valid visa/ citizenship for the departure country. So, if your visa has expired on passport but have visa approval/ or other documents to support AND you are traveling from US to India via France then you would need France airport transit visa.

However, in your case, since you are Indian citizen (I assume) and traveling to US via France you do not need a airport transit visa.

The logic behind this weird rule is that in case you are stuck in France for some reason and they want you to go home (deport) then you should have valid visa/ citizenship to the country you came from.

Otherwise, none of us (Indians or other nationals) would need a transit visa to Europe going from US - India as we have Indian passport.

Hope this helps. As you know you can always check with airlines/ consulate to make sure you are good to go.


~ happy travel

[tb2904]

I was in a kind of similar situation couple of times

1. I had a valid US visa and I was traveling from Cincinnati to New Delhi via Paris on Air France. My flight from Cincinnati got delayed and I missed my connecting flight in Paris. All the passengers that had the green card or US citizenship were allowed to stay in Hotel outside the airport. But, since I am an Indian national and did not have a transit visa, France custom officer told me that I am "illegally" in France. He was nice guy and advised me to stay the night at the airport terminal and board the plane to India next day.

2. My visa on my passport expired and I had the H1 extension papers with me. I was traveling on Air France from Cincinnati to New Delhi and my flight was via Paris. The airline staff at Cincinnati did not allow me to board the plane as I did not have a valid US visa on my passport. I had to drive down to Chicago to get the transit visa.

Bottom line, if you don't have a green card it is better/safe to get a transit visa. France is a tourist friendly country and they process the visa much faster than other embassy provided you have had western country visa before (which in your case you do).

[pmpforgc]

Hi

I and my family members have EXPIRED STUDENT VISA on the Passort. I have H-1 (H-4) approval till 2008 but no VALID VISA STAMP on our Passport.

I am planing a TRIP to INDIA in Summer. Since My I-140 is already approved and I-485 pending, I will have ADVANCE PAROLE in my hand when I visit India. I will also attempt to Get H-1B/H-4 stamp at Mumbai, while I am in India.

My question is Since I dont have any VALID VISA STAMP on my PASSPORT While going as well as in return, WHICH AIRLINE OR TRANSIT COUNTRY I SHOULD SELECT SO THAT I WILL NOT HAVE TO GET TRANSIT VISA ?

IS there any EUROPEAN TRANSIT COUNTRY FOR FLYING TO MUMBAI WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE TRANSIT VISA FROM INDIAN NATIONALS.

YOUR input will help me lot in be prepared and planing for my summer trip.

Thanks

[AbraKaDabra]

Flying thru Amsterdam and Milan doesn't require a transit visa

[praveen_mr]

Just fly Continental or Delta from NY to Mumbai (this is non stop)

[arao]

I recently confirmed Netherlands does not need transit visa.
So, I am flying Northwest.

Originally Posted by pmpforgc

Hi

I and my family members have EXPIRED STUDENT VISA on the Passort. I have H-1 (H-4) approval till 2008 but no VALID VISA STAMP on our Passport.

I am planing a TRIP to INDIA in Summer. Since My I-140 is already approved and I-485 pending, I will have ADVANCE PAROLE in my hand when I visit India. I will also attempt to Get H-1B/H-4 stamp at Mumbai, while I am in India.

My question is Since I dont have any VALID VISA STAMP on my PASSPORT While going as well as in return, WHICH AIRLINE OR TRANSIT COUNTRY I SHOULD SELECT SO THAT I WILL NOT HAVE TO GET TRANSIT VISA ?

IS there any EUROPEAN TRANSIT COUNTRY FOR FLYING TO MUMBAI WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE TRANSIT VISA FROM INDIAN NATIONALS.

YOUR input will help me lot in be prepared and planing for my summer trip.

Thanks

[ajmalnasar]

Last month I flew to New Delhi India through Continental Airlines, I did not had the visa and my Visa had expired. You have a flight to Mumbai also. It is a nonstop flight, 13 hours straight and you are in. No hassles, no need of transit visa and you save six hours that goes in vain while transit.

Mu suggestion, fly Continental from New Jersey.


Thats the best in all respect. Travel time, no transit visa etc.

Thanks

Ajmal

[tb2904]

1. Fly directly to your home country - No transit visa required and no valid US visa required

2. Fly via any other country - No transit visa required as long as you are not stranded in airport due to delay in first leg of the flight. Also, to board a plane to Europe you have to have a valid US visa. Please read my above post for the past expereinces.