Travelling from US to India through Frankfurt on H1B visa with approved extension

Based on German Missions in the United States

Airport Transit visa

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*2, Lebanon, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkey *1

Exceptions: Nationals of the above named countries Do NOT require an airport transit visa if

1. they hold a valid visa for the United States of America, or

2. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by the USA and return from the USA and travel to a non-Schengen Member State, or

Please refer this link below.

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/80e28ec8a47bb057c06ca4023b155842/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf (https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/80e28ec8a47bb057c06ca4023b155842/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf)

Yes you can. I had my friends travel Charlotte to Mumbai via Frankfurt with extension visas. Their current stamps had expired. They got new stamping done in India during their stay.

If you go via UK, its a trouble.

Amsterdam, Frankfurt, middle east all are fine. I travelled in same situation as yours in May this year via Amsterdam.

July 29 2019. Travelled via Munich to Delhi ,expired H1B . No one asks for extension. No one asked anything about it . Regular check-in. During the check in at Lufthansa website it clearly says expired H1B is fine and no transit Visa required.

Dear please check if you fulfill the following regulations.

Nationals of India transiting through Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC), arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:- have a visa issued by Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland (Rep.), Japan, Romania, USA or United Kingdom, and- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and- have documents required for their next destination.

Nationals of India transiting through Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC), arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:- have a used, valid or expired visa issued by Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland (Rep.), Japan, Romania, USA or United Kingdom, and- be returning from the country that issued the visa, and- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and- have documents required for their next destination.

Based on German Missions in the United States

Airport Transit visa

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*2, Lebanon, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkey *1

Exceptions: Nationals of the above named countries Do NOT require an airport transit visa if

1. they hold a valid visa for the United States of America, or

2. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by the USA and return from the USA and travel to a non-Schengen Member State within 24 hours after the expiration of their visa, or

Please refer this link below. https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

The 24hrs rule is almost impossible to satisfy in general cases, where a person has valid I-797 but the H1B is expired. Typically in those scenarios people continue working and make a visit to home country for visa renewal whenever they get a chance.

So unfortunate this rule is!

You can also read this page to know some exceptions: Source: https://www.germany-visa.org/airport-transit-visa/

Still, there are some categories of people, who may be nationals of the above-mentioned countries, but if they belong to one of the following they do not need to obtain a visa of this kind:

• holder of a US valid visa
• holder of a valid or expired non-Schengen country visa issued by the US
• holders of a valid visa for a Schengen Member State, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania or UK.

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

I797 is not valid, an airport transit visa is needed now in 2019.

Please note that the advance parole (I-512) and the approval notice (I797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit. An airport transit visa must be obtained.

Official papers supporting your Visa status should be enough. Not getting stamped in passport is happening all the time. In some countries, immigration officers wont understand it first until they read some magical numbers on some currency notes. You are well aware of some such countries, aren't you ?

If you have sufficient papers to prove you were genuine person to be in USA, you can start planning your journey, IMHO.

I would contact Lufthansa as well as German embassy in addition to attempts on internet. It will help to get their version to a great extent.

With expired US visa, one should avoid travelling through Germany. See the link below from Germany consulate which clearly explains it.

http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/05__Legal/02__Directory__Services/01__Visa/__Transit__Visa.html

As of new rules published on April-2019, people CAN NOT travel with Expired visa even you have valid I-797

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/fffb0bebdc4dca0c6744cc066bc3b7ca/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

Please note that the advance parole (I-512) and the approval notice (I797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit. An aiport transit visa must be obtained.