Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, and... India?
A good friend just sent me this link, which is a list of the countries which need Airport transit visas if they have a stopover at Germany. This includes known 'terrorist-type' countries. It also includes India. His companys employees usually fly Lufthansa when going to the US to give client-side support. But for the past two weeks, travellers have been harassed by the German airport authorities over this visa. Now they are thinking of shifting to another airline.
Have a look at what this visa allows you to do: "Airport transit visa are only good for short stopovers while you are waiting a few hours for your onward flight in the airport's international transit area. However, hotel accommodation is only available outside the transit area. Please apply for a regular tourist visa if you want to stay at the airport overnight." That means you need this visa if your flight is going to take a one-hour halt, enough for you to maybe take a leak in peace. Indians, apparently, are not trustworthy enough to do that without a visa.
So much for India "rapidly turning into a developed nation", and "the outsourcing king of the world". So much, also, for Germany "wanting Indian engineers to work there". If you want to so much as cross over Germany because you chose a German Airline, you will have to go to their consulate in Mumbai or Delhi and get permission from them.
I would really like to hear more about this. This visa would be required by anyone flying Lufthansa to Europe or the US. Has any reader faced this problem? How hard is it to get this visa, and has anyone been rejected yet? Please spread the word.
Have a look at what this visa allows you to do: "Airport transit visa are only good for short stopovers while you are waiting a few hours for your onward flight in the airport's international transit area. However, hotel accommodation is only available outside the transit area. Please apply for a regular tourist visa if you want to stay at the airport overnight." That means you need this visa if your flight is going to take a one-hour halt, enough for you to maybe take a leak in peace. Indians, apparently, are not trustworthy enough to do that without a visa.
So much for India "rapidly turning into a developed nation", and "the outsourcing king of the world". So much, also, for Germany "wanting Indian engineers to work there". If you want to so much as cross over Germany because you chose a German Airline, you will have to go to their consulate in Mumbai or Delhi and get permission from them.
I would really like to hear more about this. This visa would be required by anyone flying Lufthansa to Europe or the US. Has any reader faced this problem? How hard is it to get this visa, and has anyone been rejected yet? Please spread the word.
posted by Sudarshan | 12:01 AM
6 Comments:
I also dont understand how they implement this visa? Where do they check for it? Any ideas?
What a contrast! Lufthansa Airlines has an advert today in paper saying they are starting 3 times a week flight Frankfurt<->Hyderabad.
While the German Govt. is creating hurdles, the German airlines are using advertisment to counter it. I am sure very soon they will be dropping their prices in these "terrorist" countries too.
I feel India should diplomatically deal with this and get a waiver.
This is amazing that India is being put into the elite club of terrorist nations that too when this country is fighting with this problem for past 50 years.
The new regulation by Germany about Transit Visa is nothing more than another way of harrassing Indians who are known more for their brains than guns.
I will also be visiting India in May this year and am still in dilemma whether to get Transit visa or not. Even the so called highly organized German Consulates in different countries have different opinions on this issue.
Adding to this, the german Transit VISA is only valid for one way of the trip... some of them even suggested that we have to get another transit visa on the other way from the German Embassy in INDIA !!!
How ridiculous can this get?
i flew luft couple of times five years ago and after that decided never to fly it. arriving on a plane from india entitles one to coldest reception at the frankfurt airport! the people are not helpful (if they allow you to approach). nowadays, i see many luft ads in india. hope they have treat indians better. anyway for the mistreatments, i am not giving them my business any more!
(My response is dated. But I think it is relevant, so here goes)
Quite frankly, I don't see why not. It is disquieting that India is considered one of the "terrorist" countries but before we get our panties in a bunch, we must ask ourselves the question whether it really is. And while the answer is an emphatic "no" insofar as its policies towards the West, it is clearly true that terrorists call the shots here.
Name me a single year where terrorists have not attacked a public place. And then name me a strong single policy that India implements regarding terrorists (like "No negotiation" policy).
The current fiasco regarding the terrorists captured for the Parliament attack should seal this argument (in progress, that's what makes it so amusing .... we can actually see Afzal thumbing his nose at us)
Post a Comment
<< Home