Transit through London

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I don't know if this has already been posted (it probably has), but in case it hasn't:

Indian citizens with I-551 stamps in their passport need a transit visa to travel to India via London. We found this out the hard way in the last couple of days. The only form of evidence of LPR status that is acceptable to the UK government in lieu of a transit visa is either an unexpired plastic green card or an expired plastic card with the extension letter (Notice of Action).

However, if you're traveling to India I have learned of exit officials hassling those with expired cards and extension letters.

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

Oh, or better yet, fly nonstop. Air India has nonstop flights to India from Newark and JFK, which render any transit visa questions moot.

Thank God for the 777.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I'm surprised you didn't put Frankfurt or Schipol (Amsterdam) as alternatives.

[Kiki&me 0]

I don't know if this has already been posted (it probably has), but in case it hasn't:

Indian citizens with I-551 stamps in their passport need a transit visa to travel to India via London. We found this out the hard way in the last couple of days. The only form of evidence of LPR status that is acceptable to the UK government in lieu of a transit visa is either an unexpired plastic green card or an expired plastic card with the extension letter (Notice of Action).

However, if you're traveling to India I have learned of exit officials hassling those with expired cards and extension letters.

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

AJ, what is an I-551 stamp? How did you tackle the situation? Did they make you fly back from London or re-route you? My wife and I will be flying through London with her freshly printed K3 visa. Tickets have already been bought so we don't have a choice now. Should that be ok? Their website says it is ok to transit through London as long as we had a valid visa to the US and proof of onward journey.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

AJ, what is an I-551 stamp?

The passport stamp you get when you activate a consular-issued Green Card at POE/PFI.

How did you tackle the situation? Did they make you fly back from London or re-route you? My wife and I will be flying through London with her freshly printed K3 visa. Tickets have already been bought so we don't have a choice now. Should that be ok? Their website says it is ok to transit through London as long as we had a valid visa to the US and proof of onward journey.

[Kiki&me 0]

I don't know if this has already been posted (it probably has), but in case it hasn't:

Indian citizens with I-551 stamps in their passport need a transit visa to travel to India via London. We found this out the hard way in the last couple of days. The only form of evidence of LPR status that is acceptable to the UK government in lieu of a transit visa is either an unexpired plastic green card or an expired plastic card with the extension letter (Notice of Action).

However, if you're traveling to India I have learned of exit officials hassling those with expired cards and extension letters.

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

See this link for details on transiting through London. It says you can transit with a expired I-551 stamp if you have a I-797 authorizing its extension.

TWOV

[Saddle Bronc 124]

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

Oh, or better yet, fly nonstop. Air India has nonstop flights to India from Newark and JFK, which render any transit visa questions moot.

Thank God for the 777.

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Kiki,

Yes, an expired plastic green card in conjunction with a Notice of Action extending your LPR status by 1 year will exempt you from the DATV requirement.

However, I am aware of multiple anecdotes of how that combination of documents proved problematic when leaving India.

A K3 visa in her passport will also grant you an exemption from the DATV requirement. You have nothing to worry about. This is primarily an issue for Indian citizens in the Removal of Conditions process.

My advice: if you're an Indian citizen and do not have an unexpired plastic green card, DO NOT transit through London.

Use Paris instead.

Oh, or better yet, fly nonstop. Air India has nonstop flights to India from Newark and JFK, which render any transit visa questions moot.

Thank God for the 777.

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

What was the load factor like at Mumbai when she went through?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

What was the load factor like at Mumbai when she went through?

I don't know.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

What was the load factor like at Mumbai when she went through?

I don't know.

Or, perhaps you simply never bother on this issue, unlike some (myself being the most obvious example).

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

What was the load factor like at Mumbai when she went through?

I don't know.

Or, perhaps you simply never bother on this issue, unlike some (myself being the most obvious example).

What issue?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

convenient if you're flying to Delhi, but not otherwise (as all of the nonstops fly only to IGI)

Fair enough. My wife flew to Kolkata via Paris and Mumbai and encountered no problems at all in transit at Mumbai. It was smooth and effortless.

What was the load factor like at Mumbai when she went through?

I don't know.

Or, perhaps you simply never bother on this issue, unlike some (myself being the most obvious example).

What issue?

The load factor of Shivaji Airport as a whole, and its ripple effect on flight connexions.