Travel using AP (H1B Visa Expired) Via Amsterdam

[tendlya]

Hi Guys,
I have one quick question. Please move this once it is answered.
Me and my wife are travelling to India next month on AP. We have expired H1B visa on passport. We will be flying via Amsterdam. According to the Netherland Embassy visa tool and response from Atlanta Embassy, Indian Passport holders do no need Transit Visa. My question is while departing from USA (Seattle) or at Amsterdam, will there be any issue with expired H1B visa on passport? Do we just need to show EAD/AP combo card if they ask? Does anyone has recent experience?

[wavelet3000]

Hi Guys,
I have one quick question. Please move this once it is answered.
Me and my wife are travelling to India next month on AP. We have expired H1B visa on passport. We will be flying via Amsterdam. According to the Netherland Embassy visa tool and response from Atlanta Embassy, Indian Passport holders do no need Transit Visa. My question is while departing from USA (Seattle) or at Amsterdam, will there be any issue with expired H1B visa on passport? Do we just need to show EAD/AP combo card if they ask? Does anyone has recent experience?

No issue. At departure, airline agent will take your I-94 card if you have it, and check your Indian passport or visa.There is no exit border control. In Schipol airport you won't cross border control and no one will ask you anything. At boarding airline will ask you for Indian passport or other passport with Indian visa. In India, they will only look that your Indian passport has not expired.

Going back, in airport in India airline agent will check your AP, then you go through border control, they'll check your passport. In Schipol, no border control but airline will check your AP. In US, go through border control.

Airlines do the checks at AMS because they'll have to fly you back right away if you can't cross the border. So going from US to AMS to India all they care about is that you are allowed into India. Your H1B may be expired, or in the old passport that you didn't take, or whatever. And why should they care about your H1B?

[qesehmk]

tendlya - I think that going back to India is not a problem since you do have India visa/passport etc. However coming back - most of the countries in Europe now a days require a visa to US. AP is NOT accepted. I am 100% sure that that is teh case with Germany - I just recently travelled via frankfurt. Luckily I had my GC on. But very sure that AP wouldn't be acceptable there while coming back.

[tendlya]

Thanks Q and wavelet3000. I have confirmed with Netherland Embassy that Indian Passport holders do no need Airport Transit Visa. So Q what you are saying is even though I have AP and no transit visa is required at Amsterdam, they will not let me board at Amsterdam while coming back to USA? Is this right? wavelet3000 do you have recent experience travelling via Amsterdam on AP?

[qesehmk]

I am afraid what they confirmed is travel from US to India. Also check w them India to US travel on AP. I am sure they will require a visa or GC or US passport.
Thanks Q and wavelet3000. I have confirmed with Netherland Embassy that Indian Passport holders do no need Airport Transit Visa. So Q what you are saying is even though I have AP and no transit visa is required at Amsterdam, they will not let me board at Amsterdam while coming back to USA? Is this right? wavelet3000 do you have recent experience travelling via Amsterdam on AP?

[tendlya]

Q,
I am posting here what I asked Netherland's mission offices in DC, NY and Atlanta and their response. Please let me know what you think. From Netherland's Atlanta Mission office I just got one line response saying "As Indian Nationals with a valid Indian passport you do not need a visa to transfer in Amsterdam." I also called them and confirmed that travelling both ways I will not need Airport Transit Visa. My question is if we don't need transit visa then they should let us board the plane bound to USA right?

Here is the email which I sent to Netherland Information Desk:
Hi,
We are planning to travel to India in January 2013 and coming back to USA in Feb 2013, both times via Amsterdam. Me and my wife have Indian Passport and my daughter has USA passport. Me and my wife have EAD/AP card which allows us to come back to USA without requiring any other visa.

We have confirmed tickets and will be just changing planes and will not be going out of the international airport zone at any time. Our luggage will also be checked in through to the final destination. We do not have any other stop over in the Schengen territory.

From the Regional Support Office (RSO) North America Dutch Mission website, it shows me that we do not need any visa. I just want to make sure this before we travel. Can you please confirm that we do not need Airport Transit Visa while travelling via Amsterdam?

I very much appreciate your help in this matter.

Thank You,


And here is the response I got from Netherland's DC and NY Mission Office:
Please look at the section which I have highlighted in RED and use the link highlighted in RED to figure out whether I need visa or not.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting the Netherlands Information Desk.

Please find more information on Airport Transit Visas (ATV) on our website: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa/visa-instructions-for-the-netherlands---schengen/other-citizens/airport-transit-visa-for-the-netherlands---schengen.html.

Visitors of most nationalities transiting through the Netherlands do not need an airport transit visa for transit in Amsterdam. Check the requirements for your nationality here: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa.

In order to be exempt from needing an ATV, please make sure that:
- Your ticket is confirmed (if you have a stand-by ticket, please check with your airline for their rules and regulations!);
- You stay in the international transit zone (DO NOT go through customs and immigration)
- Your luggage is checked through to the final destination;
- Your stopover in the Netherlands is the only one in the Schengen territory (meaning there is no flight to a second Schengen country before you travel to your final destination).

If you are leaving the International transit zone and are going through customs, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa/visa-instructions-for-the-netherlands---schengen/other-citizens.

Please note: an appointment is required for consular matters such as passport and visa applications. An appointment can be booked via our website: www.dutchappointments.com.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,

Netherlands Information Desk (NID) for the Dutch Diplomatic Missions in North America.

Phone: 1-877-DUTCHHELP (1-877-388-2443)
E-mail: nid@minbuza.nl
Internet: www.dutchmissions.com
Office hours: 8AM–8PM Eastern Time (14:00-02:00 local time in the Netherlands)

[qesehmk]

Tendlya

The exemption to airport visa doesn't talk about AP. It does talk about a visa. An AP is not a visa. So I think depending on the KLM person's mood of the day at Mumbai airport - you may get lucky. But my advice is - don't take a chance. At least just ask them right now before leaving if they will treat AP which allows you to enter US same as visa?

As I said - going to India is not a problem at all.


Q,
I am posting here what I asked Netherland's mission offices in DC, NY and Atlanta and their response. Please let me know what you think. From Netherland's Atlanta Mission office I just got one line response saying "As Indian Nationals with a valid Indian passport you do not need a visa to transfer in Amsterdam." I also called them and confirmed that travelling both ways I will not need Airport Transit Visa. My question is if we don't need transit visa then they should let us board the plane bound to USA right?

Here is the email which I sent to Netherland Information Desk:
Hi,
We are planning to travel to India in January 2013 and coming back to USA in Feb 2013, both times via Amsterdam. Me and my wife have Indian Passport and my daughter has USA passport. Me and my wife have EAD/AP card which allows us to come back to USA without requiring any other visa.

We have confirmed tickets and will be just changing planes and will not be going out of the international airport zone at any time. Our luggage will also be checked in through to the final destination. We do not have any other stop over in the Schengen territory.

From the Regional Support Office (RSO) North America Dutch Mission website, it shows me that we do not need any visa. I just want to make sure this before we travel. Can you please confirm that we do not need Airport Transit Visa while travelling via Amsterdam?

I very much appreciate your help in this matter.

Thank You,


And here is the response I got from Netherland's DC and NY Mission Office:
Please look at the section which I have highlighted in RED and use the link highlighted in RED to figure out whether I need visa or not.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting the Netherlands Information Desk.

Please find more information on Airport Transit Visas (ATV) on our website: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa/visa-instructions-for-the-netherlands---schengen/other-citizens/airport-transit-visa-for-the-netherlands---schengen.html.

Visitors of most nationalities transiting through the Netherlands do not need an airport transit visa for transit in Amsterdam. Check the requirements for your nationality here: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa.

In order to be exempt from needing an ATV, please make sure that:
- Your ticket is confirmed (if you have a stand-by ticket, please check with your airline for their rules and regulations!);
- You stay in the international transit zone (DO NOT go through customs and immigration)
- Your luggage is checked through to the final destination;
- Your stopover in the Netherlands is the only one in the Schengen territory (meaning there is no flight to a second Schengen country before you travel to your final destination).

If you are leaving the International transit zone and are going through customs, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa: http://www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa/visa-instructions-for-the-netherlands---schengen/other-citizens.

Please note: an appointment is required for consular matters such as passport and visa applications. An appointment can be booked via our website: www.dutchappointments.com.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,

Netherlands Information Desk (NID) for the Dutch Diplomatic Missions in North America.

Phone: 1-877-DUTCHHELP (1-877-388-2443)
E-mail: nid@minbuza.nl
Internet: www.dutchmissions.com
Office hours: 8AM–8PM Eastern Time (14:00-02:00 local time in the Netherlands)

[tendlya]

Q,
Just sent an email to Atlanta Consulate Office and got reply back within minutes. They are fast! Thank God for that. Please let me know what you think.

Here is my email:
Thank You. I have one more question. Me and my wife have EAD/AP Card (Advance Parole Card). This card allows me to enter USA without requiring any visa stamping on my passport (I do not have any visa stamping on my passport). While coming back to USA from India, at Amsterdam airport if I show my valid EAD/AP card (Advance Parole Card), they would let me board the plane bound towards USA right? I just want to make sure that at Amsterdam Airport I would be able to use AP Card to board the plane.

Here is their response:
Yes, an Advanced Parole is a valid return visa. You should not have any problems traveling.

With kind regards,

Ineke Tadema

Consular Assistant
Consulate of the Netherlands
One Glenlake Parkway, Suite 1265
Atlanta, GA 30328
770 390 3550
www.nlatlantaconsulate.org
info@nlatlantaconsulate.org

[qesehmk]

Terrific. Print this and keep it with you. If you meet with a bad attitude KLM employee - show this to them!! All the best. This just saved you $800 I guess!!
Q,
Just sent an email to Atlanta Consulate Office and got reply back within minutes. They are fast! Thank God for that. Please let me know what you think.

Here is my email:
Thank You. I have one more question. Me and my wife have EAD/AP Card (Advance Parole Card). This card allows me to enter USA without requiring any visa stamping on my passport (I do not have any visa stamping on my passport). While coming back to USA from India, at Amsterdam airport if I show my valid EAD/AP card (Advance Parole Card), they would let me board the plane bound towards USA right? I just want to make sure that at Amsterdam Airport I would be able to use AP Card to board the plane.

Here is their response:
Yes, an Advanced Parole is a valid return visa. You should not have any problems traveling.

With kind regards,

Ineke Tadema

Consular Assistant
Consulate of the Netherlands
One Glenlake Parkway, Suite 1265
Atlanta, GA 30328
770 390 3550
www.nlatlantaconsulate.org
info@nlatlantaconsulate.org

[tendlya]

Thanks Q. Hopefully people are familiar with AP card at Mumbai and Amsterdam.

[sandykolu]

Thanks Q. Hopefully people are familiar with AP card at Mumbai and Amsterdam.

Hi Tendlya,
Thanks for your post. I am travelling on an EAD in Aug -Sep 2013, so wanted to know if you had any issues at Amsterdam without a transit VISA.

Thanks
Sandy