Indian Passport - Transiting through Germany with expired J1 visa

[asdoc77]

Hi, I will be Taking a lufthansa flight to Delhi via Frankfurt, I will be traveling 3 days after expiry of my J1 visa.

When I booked my Ticket, the german consulate in US website clearly mentioned that one can transit through Germany within 4 days after expiry of valid US visa.

However when I contacted German embassy office, they did confirm that I do not require Transit visa but now on the German consulate website, the 4 days clause is missing, it just mentions No transit visa required if returning from US after using the US visa.

Please advice if any body had a similar experience, because time is running out, I do not want any issues at Frankfurt airport as I will be traveling with my wife and kids so I can take remedial steps where there is still time.

Thanks

[pandi79]

Although I sent you a private message I have decided to repost it because that way it can be helpful to others

If you really plan on transiting without the need of going through passport control (staying only in the transit area waiting for your connecting flight)

You should be fine, even though you have a visa that has been used, under my best knowledge it is still possible to transit through Frankfurt airport transit zone for you, without the need of obtaining an airport transit visa (Checking the German Embassy website, it doesnt say that the visa must be still ,,valid" it says it must have been ,,used" which in your case it was.

Just to be safe, call the German Embassy in Washington, if you want to be absolutely safe than print out the webpage that shows the conditions under which you can transit through Frankfurt airport without airport transit visa.

I hope that my advice is going to be helpful to you.

Have a pleasant flight and let me know how everything went.

I am in same situation, booked the ticket to travel india on March,2015, but my current H1 visa expiring on Jan 2015, but have a valid I797 extension. Though I have enough time, but It is difficult to travel LosAngels with family to get the transit visa, as I am in colorado. On May,2012, I travelled without having transit visa with no issue. With that mind set, I booked the ticket. But, the rules are getting changed very often. The sentence in the website "If they return from the USA after having used the visa" doesn't concretely says one can travel with expired H1 visa. Did anyone get concrete details from German consulate for this clause and traveled without transit visa after July 2014?.