FREAKING OUT...

[Fouad 0]

I AM SO ANGRY RIGHT NOW...I don't understand this...so we booked my fiancee's flight for 23rd July on Alitalia (which happens to go from Cairo to Milan, Milan to Rome, Rome to OH and then OH to SEA). This was the only flight that they had at the time so we booked it, no problem. Now come to find out that because he will be connecting through 2 cities in Italy he DOES need a TRANSIT VISA! I don't know if any of you know anything about this. I don't know if we have enough time to get this stupid visa for a place that he will not even be leaving the airport or there greater than 2 hours!!! Any one have any advice??

Fouad

[Jenn! 918]

That seems to be correct. From Delta:

National EGYPT (ARAB REPUBLIC OF) (EG)

Transit ITALY (IT) /Destination U.S.A. (US)

ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW

ITALY (IT)

Visa not required, provided:

- continuing to a third country by first available flight

within 48 hours from same airport at which arrived and

provided arriving and departing from/to a non-Schengen

country (see: TIRGL/SCHS );

However, if airport of arrival is different from the airport

of departure within the same Italian city, valid Schengen

visa is required as entering Italian territory); and

- holding ticket with reserved seat and other documents

required for onward journey.

Non-compliance with transit regulations will result in fines

between EUR 3,500.- and EUR 5,500.- per person and deportation

of the passenger to country of origin at carrier's expense. In

case of severe non-compliance license/permission concerning

landing rights can be suspended or revoked.

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations...rt_information/

If it were me, I'd call the airline immediately and find out what you have to do.

[sereia 0]

definitely call the airline and find out. i don't see how you can get a visa to italy in that short of a time. my friend from syria just got a tourist visa to italy and it took 1-2 months to get the visa!

[YuAndDan 153]

Apply for a visa for your fiancee here:

http://www.schengenvisa.cc/

[Jenn! 918]

You may be better off trying to change the flight so that you only have one stop in Italy (or any Schengen country for that matter).

Edited July 17, 2007 by jenn3539

[sereia 0]

yah i agree. aside from the visa issue, changing airports is expensive and confusing!

my fiance is coming in a few days and i was already concerned about him changing terminals and re-checking his bags after customs! lol

[doodlebug 3]

Call Alitalia and see what they can do. Maybe you can switch it to a different date with less connections? Good luck and breath in and out....he'll be here soon!!!

[SimoFati 0]

You may be better off trying to change the flight so that you only have one stop in Italy (or any Schengen country for that matter).

I agree

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I found these links. I hope they help.

http://www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp

http://www.esteri.it/visti/home_eng.asp

A transit visa is nothing like a tourist visa. From what I read, If a person is from Egypt, a airport transit visa is not needed if you are not leaving the airport. But if he has to leave the airport grounds to transit to another airport, he needs a regular transit visa. I hope I am reading this right. Anyway, good luck. I hope you get it straightened out.

Meriem

[Fouad 0]

So just an update...

I called the airline again yesterday for the 4th time and they said now that he does NOT need a transit visa. Then I had him go to the Italian embassy in Cairo just to be extra sure and they told him that he does not need a visa either...I really hope that all of this is true but every time I talk to someone it is a different story...very frustrating!

[mybackpages 0]

So just an update...

I called the airline again yesterday for the 4th time and they said now that he does NOT need a transit visa. Then I had him go to the Italian embassy in Cairo just to be extra sure and they told him that he does not need a visa either...I really hope that all of this is true but every time I talk to someone it is a different story...very frustrating!

Can you get an email or a fax in writing staing the transit visa is not necessary? It might ease you rmind if he comes across someone at the airport who questions the need for a transit visa?

[Fouad 0]

That is what I told him to do yesterday so we will see if he was able to get this...sometimes they don't do logical things in Egypt.

[Donna A 4]

i know what its like. hassan came thru italy both times he came here. he didnt need a visa. we had his flight booked to go thru amsterdam and one of his friends told him he would need a transit visa. we lost 900 bucks on that trip cuz there was no way to get the visa in 3 days. he ended up traveling thru turkey.

[Jenn! 918]

The rules say that you do not need a visa if you are stopping through Italy en route between two different Non-Schengen countries. Since one leg of the journey is between Milan and Rome, I don't understand how a transit visa would NOT be needed in this case. It is not just a single switch in Italy, in which case a visa would not be necessary.

I would check with the airline yet again and make sure they are taking into account the fact that the flight is from Milan to Rome, rather than Milan straight to the US.

Edited July 20, 2007 by jenn3539

[Fouad 0]

Thanks for all of your comments again...I have checked with the airline and I don't know now who to believe...I really pray and hope that things work out as the embassy states...I will keep you all posted

Fouad