Anonymous Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 I have been thinking abt this for some time now. Given that we have many expats on this forum, some travel gyan from the experienced globe trotters would be a great addition to this forum. I'll kick off first with an urgent query. I am travelling to India next month and due to the effin olympics, have to take an unusual detour as all the usual flights were bloody expensive. So am flying out from Edinburgh to Frankfurt and then on to the motherland. The problem is that I have a layover of 13 hrs in Frankfurt and my schengen visa expired a month ago :(( Even if I brave the 13 hrs, I am in another spot of bother, because I have been told that the maximum allowed transit time in Frankfurt is 12 hrs and failing that, I would need a Schengen. Anyone got any experience at Frankfurt with such long layovers?
EnterTheVoid Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 London to Kuala Lumpur via Malaysian Airlines and than, Air Asia X to Bangalore/Chennai. Visa problem bypassed and you get to see a really cool country in Malaysia.
Desi Cartman Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 I have been thinking abt this for some time now. Given that we have many expats on this forum, some travel gyan from the experienced globe trotters would be a great addition to this forum. I'll kick off first with an urgent query. I am travelling to India next month and due to the effin olympics, have to take an unusual detour as all the usual flights were bloody expensive. So am flying out from Edinburgh to Frankfurt and then on to the motherland. The problem is that I have a layover of 13 hrs in Frankfurt and my schengen visa expired a month ago :(( Even if I brave the 13 hrs, I am in another spot of bother, because I have been told that the maximum allowed transit time in Frankfurt is 12 hrs and failing that, I would need a Schengen. Anyone got any experience at Frankfurt with such long layovers? I think you are confused, they may be giving transit visa for at the max 12 hrs but they cant really say that u cant wait for a flight for 12+ hours. How would they even know that you are there :dontknow: I think that rule might be for people who like to get out of the airport and spend 12 hrs or so in a hotel
Anonymous Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 I think you are confused, they may be giving transit visa for at the max 12 hrs but they cant really say that u cant wait for a flight for 12+ hours. How would they even know that you are there :dontknow: I think that rule might be for people who like to get out of the airport and spend 12 hrs or so in a hotel I dont really need a transit visa (Which by the way is the visa required for certain nationalities to be allowed just in the transit area and not outside the airport) as I have a valid UK residence permit. I think the problem arises when they issue a boarding pass and not at the transit destination. Anyway, hopefully I'll sort it out with Lufthansa. Boy, we Indian Passport holders have it really bad everywhere, heck even the Chinese get certain concessions.
Rajiv Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Important Note concerning Airport Transit Only five airports in Germany have an International Transit Area 1. Cologne/ Bonn (transit only possible between 4:30 am and 11:00 pm) 2. Düsseldorf (transit only possible between 06:00 am and 09:00 pm and only if the airline has arranged the transit with airport security – please check with your airline) 3. Frankfurt/Main 4. Hamburg (limited time frame only 04:30 am to 11:30 pm) 5. Munich (München) Please note: Airport transit privilege does not apply and you will need a visitor visa: 1. if you have to pick up your baggage and/or have to check-in again (please verify with your airline). 2. if you are transiting through two or more airports in the Schengen Countries (for example: Miami-Frankfurt-Paris-India) 3. if you hold an open ticket 4. if your stay in the international transit area exceeds 12 hours Transit Visa Country List Nationals of the following countries are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports in Germany: AFGHANISTAN, BANGLADESH, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, GHANA, INDIA, IRAN, IRAQ, JORDAN ** (please see below), LEBANON, MYANMAR, NIGERIA, PAKISTAN, SOMALIA, SRI LANKA, SUDAN, SYRIA, TURKEY ** In addition, Jordanian citizens are exempt from an airport transit visa if they hold a valid visa for Australia, Israel or New Zealand, and hold a valid boarding pass or ticket for one of these countries. Jordanian citizens are also exempt if they, after a legal stay in one of the above mentioned countries, are travelling back to Jordan and are in possession of a valid boarding pass or ticket to Jordan. The connecting flight must be leaving within 12 hours after arriving in Germany from the same airport in whose transit section the traveller has been waiting. Exceptions: Nationals from the above list are entitled to transit through the international transit zones without an airport transit visa: 1. If they hold a valid visa for the United States of America 2. If they return from the USA after having used the visa (however, the return has to occur within latest four days after expiration of the validity of the visa) 3. If 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 and the approval notice (I-797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit!
Rajiv Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Boy, we Indian Passport holders have it really bad everywhere, heck even the Chinese get certain concessions. Ya man, any gora passport is welcomed everywhere - in the line, no or less questions Even when I came back to Vancouver, the immigration for citizens were to scan passport, insert custom card, agree to terms, and get out
Anonymous Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 I Please note: Airport transit privilege does not apply and you will need a visitor visa: if your stay in the international transit area exceeds 12 hours Exactly what am concerned about. Thanks Rajiv. Ya man, any gora passport is welcomed everywhere - in the line, no or less questions Even when I came back to Vancouver, the immigration for citizens were to scan passport, insert custom card, agree to terms, and get out Yeah. Get this, for eg, anyone with an Aussie passport can go anywhere in Europe without a schengen as long as they do not stay over 90 days. The only consolation is that we do give it back quite good from what I hear :--D and our customs/immigration are not the nicest around
Rajiv Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Exactly what am concerned about. Thanks Rajiv. Yeah. Get this, for eg, anyone with an Aussie passport can go anywhere in Europe without a schengen as long as they do not stay over 90 days. The only consolation is that we do give it back quite good from what I hear :--D and our customs/immigration are not the nicest around just aussie passport?
Anonymous Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 just aussie passport? Yeah. Got an Aussie friend. I need to go through a long winding process before any of us plan a trip to the mainland and she just turns up like taking a domestic flight. The rules are the same for anyone flying in from Australia directly.
Desi Cartman Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Yeah. Got an Aussie friend. I need to go through a long winding process before any of us plan a trip to the mainland and she just turns up like taking a domestic flight. The rules are the same for anyone flying in from Australia directly. Yes .. I can even visit USA without a visa since I hold an Aussie passport. :icflove:
Anonymous Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 Yes .. I can even visit USA without a visa since I hold an Aussie passport. :icflove: Damn you racist people :orderorder:
EnterTheVoid Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 If you have an Australian passport, you can travel the world freely for most countries. No visas, no nonsesnse. :yay:
Desi Cartman Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 If you have an Australian passport' date=' you can travel the world freely for most countries. No visas, no nonsesnse. :yay:[/quote'] Unless you are visiting India .. it doesnt even have visa on arrival and till couple of years ago the visa charges were more for visiting family in India than for tourism :icflove:
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