Denied boarding; visa needed for stopover
Today I had a flight from New York (JFK) to Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) on Kuwait Airways, but was not allowed to board.
I reached the counter on time for check in, but they rejected me because the flight had a connection through London, for which I need a valid visa. My ticket does not say there is a stop in London, but that it goes directly to Kuwait and then from Kuwait to Trivandrum. Is it the airline's mistake in issuing the tickets incorrectly, or is there something else that I should know?
I hold a U.S. H1B work permit visa which expired Dec 2014, but I have all supporting documents (I-797) which says it is extended until December 2016. My nationality is Indian.
Best Answer
Indian nationals need a visa to transit airside in the United Kingdom.
While there is a long list of exemptions that you may wish to review, nothing currently given in your question shows that you qualify for any of them.
So, the airline was correct to deny boarding.
As Burhan Khalid noted in a comment, you were most likely booked on Kuwait Airlines flight 102, which flies JFK-LHR-KWI, thus triggering the transit visa requirement. You probably want to be on flight 118, which flies nonstop JFK-KWI. This flight is only scheduled three times a week, though, which is probably how you ended up on 102.
If you're still at JFK, the next flight 118 leaves in a bit over two hours from now...
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Do you need visa for stopover?
In general, travelers in transit through the United States require valid C-1 visas.Is immigration required for connecting flights?
A passenger who has reserved their whole journey with one booking will be able to board their onward flight without having to clear immigration. Their baggage will be transferred to the connecting flight for them, whether both flights are with the same airline or different ones.Which countries require transit visa for layover?
Country specific list of citizens who require a Transit visaVisa issuing countryCountries whose citizens need an ATV for a specific Schengen member stateAustriaSyriaBelgiumDominican Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Nepal, South Sudan, Sudan, SyriaSwitzerlandSyria, Turkey10 more rowsDo I Need A Transit Visa If My Plane Has A Stop In The US?
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