Do I need a visa to change planes in India?
I live in NYC. In November, I am taking a vacation to the Maldives, using United miles. The route I am taking is UA from EWR to Zurich. 4 hour layover in Zurich and then flying Swiss to Delhi. 4 hour layover in Delhi, and then flying Air India to Male, Maldives. Since I am only changing planes in Delhi, and will only be there for a few hours, I don’t see that I need a visa (US Passport only). Can anyone please confirm? I have a US passport.
Best Answer
Short Answer: No, you don't need a visa to change planes in India.
Long Answer: If an airline passenger is refused entry at a transit point or destination, the airline is required to return the passenger to the point of departure at the airline's expense (although they may try to recover the cost from the passenger). Thus, airlines are very careful to determine what documents are required by a particular passenger's travel before allowing that passenger to board. Airlines use the IATA database Timatic to reveal what documents are required.
Putting your information into Timatic through this online portal (there other others), generates this:
India - Transit Visa
Visa required.
Transiting without a visa is possible for:
Passengers transiting through Bangalore (BLR), Chennai (MAA), Delhi (DEL), Kolkata (CCU) or Mumbai (BOM) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination.
Because you're transiting Dehli and have a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours, you may transit India without a visa provided you remain in the international transit area of the airport.
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Do I need a visa for a connecting flight in India?
A transit visa is not required by a foreigner passing through, in direct transit by air, and travelling onward through India, provided he/she does not leave the specified precincts of the airport. A person travelling by sea is not required to hold a Transit visa as long as he does not leave the ship.Do I need visa for changing flight?
In most cases \u2014 no, you don't need a visa, even if the layover is in a third country where you would need a visa to travel to. However, there are a few exceptions, as well as a few things you should know about transiting in a third country.Do you need a visa to transit through Delhi airport?
You can transit to India without a visa if:Layover time is less than a day (24 hours) according to the schedule of the arrival and departure times. You hold confirmed flight tickets to the destination. You are waiting in the transit area that is you will not attempt to clear immigration.Connecting Flight procedure India Boarding Pass Check-in bag Airport par मुझे अपना सामान कहां मिलेगा
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