Hi guys,I'm a US citizen and travled to Ghana last Dec. 07 to marry my Ghanian fiance.When I returned home in January,I filled all the necessary documents for her visa.Her interview is scheduled for March 20th.Upon her visa approval,I plan on flying her here with a stopover in Amsterdam then continuing her journey to me in Cleveland.My question is,is she required to have a transit visa for the stopover in Amsterdam eventhough she has a valid visa to enter the USA.In case one is required,how do we go about getting one........Any information you good people could assist me with would be greatly appreciated......an afterthought...Would it be better to fly her direct to NYC then on to Cleveland ?

Thanks,
Teebar

I have no idea about the transit visa.

Why not fly her straight to JFK with North American or Delta. Less stress and much shorter.

Also could you so that I can add you to the list...thanks!!!

you dont need a transit visa when u re travelling with immigrant, student or work permit visa, except visiting visa,

I think the answer is yes a trasnit visa will be needed

Have you checked with amesterdam consolate I know I was paranoid about it because Im using British airways because I found a great deal and they said if he is from ghana yes he has to have trasit visa UNLESS he has a valid visa in his passport to to the US or canada and some other countries I forget. AND a ticket and itenerary showing he is only passing through england and has a connecting flight through. So check it out

Yes, Ghanaians need transit visas, and if you are getting the visa based on having visa for US, they will need to apply for transit visa after the US visa is issued. Posting sect but link has more info.


Visa types:

• A-Visa: Transit visa for airports.
  Residents from some countries require a transit visa when travelling through the Netherlands to another county. This type of visa does not give you the right to get into the country. You need this transit visa if you are a national from; Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Congo (Democratic Republic), Eritrea, Ehteopea, Ghana, Guinea, Irak, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalie, Sudan, Syria, Sri Lanka
  
  http://www.justlanded.com/english/netherla...sa_requirements

you dont need one, except if u re travelling on a visitor's visa, i travelled to canada from nigeria on student visa through KLM airline i didnt get one, and i have no problem at airport in amsterdam.except u want to go into the country, base only on stopover u dont need one.am sure of this. from experience. immigrant, student, and work permit, if u carry any one those 3 visa in passport u dont need transit visa.but if u want to exit the airport u will need aleast transit B visa.

Our AOS is being processed with the Nigerian doctors incomplete Immunization record and with no I-693A medical supplement, and our I-131 & I-765 have been approved, but I would never advise someone else to send AOS without the proper documents. It would be irresponsible of me.


I am not doubting that you were able to get through without a visa, but it is required and I don't believe that people want to risk having problems. A student visa has to have a source of funding (you have shown the university and the embassy, that you can pay out of state tuition, room and board for a year in cash at least $20,000) is totally different than a fiance visa. My department issues I-20's and I am currently training to become a DSO, therefore I deal with students ariving from 53 countries yearly, and I would never advise them not to get a visa. Many don't and they still get through but it is a gamble. I remember the student that had to stay in Schipol airport for 8 days while my department expedited a visa for them (passport and application dhled and back to the hotel address in the airport) the cost was astronomical. There was also a case where a US citizen traveling with my dept to Ghana was able to leave the US and board a KLM flight but not the Ghana leg of the flight because of visa (they had a visa in passport but because of program delay visa expired one week before actual trip, but, they had a letter from a Ghanaian official that a visa would be issued in Ghana), KLM did not let them board. Spent two days stuck in Amsterdam again visa expedited. And there are many more instances when people have not had proper visas and have been detained and actually turned around, and sent back to their countries and had to purchase another ticket. IMO it is not worth the possible trouble to gamble at this point in the game. Once she has the US visa the Transit Visa is "guranteed" and only a couple of days for pick-up.

I would, as Zee said fly straight into JFK with Delta, or North American the plus is the EAD stamp which means SS # and driver license sooner.


This is the link to the Netherland Embassy in Accra.

http://www.ambaccra.nl/consular_affairs/mo...n_you_require_a

3. Do I require a visa with a travel document a third country?
Yes. Persons with travel documents for aliens and refugees issued by third countries always require a visa no matter what their nationality or which country issued these documents. An exception is made for refugees with travel documents issued by 16 European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Nationals of certain countries also require an airport transit visa to change aircraft at a Dutch airport, even though they do not actually enter Dutch territory.

Countries whose nationals need an airport transit visa

Afghanistan
Angola
Bangladesh

Colombia

DR Congo
Eritrea

Ethiopia
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Iran
Iraq

Nigeria
Pakistan
Sierra Leone
Sudan

Somalia

Sri Lanka

Syria

yes you need a transit visa, but must have US visa first and probably have to show proof of your flight itinerary. my husband passed through Italy and had to have US visa and itinerary before getting the transit. I am quite sure you have to have it to pass through Amsterdam.
To save confusion yes I would have her fly direct to JFK.

I totally agree with the others. I would fly her direct on North American to JFK or on Delta to Atlanta. The advantage of going to JFK is the EAD stamp. The advantage of Atlanta is I have always found Customs easier there...

Yes she will need a transit visa most definitely. Make things as simple as possible for you both and get a direct flight to the US. My husband came to the US from Nigeria last November and I had booked him a flight with a layover in Paris not knowing anything about a transit visa. When he went to confirm his flight with his electronic ticket two days before he was to travel the airline told him he needed a transit visa. They never told me of this when I purchased the ticket. He had to show proof of US visa, his flight iteniary, and pay 100 USD, and all the worry with if we were gonna get it back before his flight left. I was going to change his flight where he would have a layover in amsterdam and they said he would still need a transit visa. I would say save your money and your worries and not go that route.
Good Luck

If it is just a connection in AMS then no transit visa is needed since you would
stay in the transit area and not clearing immigration or customs. If it is a real
stop over with the intention to leave the airport, let's say for a downtown
visit, then some sort of visa is required.

Nationals of certain countries also require an airport transit visa to change aircraft at a Dutch airport, even though they do not actually enter Dutch territory.

Countries whose nationals need an airport transit visa

Afghanistan
Angola
Bangladesh

Colombia

DR Congo
Eritrea

Ethiopia
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Iran
Iraq

Nigeria
Pakistan
Sierra Leone
Sudan

Somalia

Sri Lanka

Syria

u dont need a transit visa if u re just stoping to connect,we_destiny the case u cited is referring to who hold visitor's visa. when u re travelling on a student, work and immigrant visa u dont need on except u re existing the airport then u need transit B .if u doubt it contact any airline in ur home country or travelling agent

http://www.ambaccra.nl/consular_affairs/mo...n_you_require_a

Jeje: We will have to agree to dis-agree.

I would follow the rules as listed on the Netherlands embassy in Accra web-site. As indivisuals we are all free to do as we like. But as anyone knows that have had a layover in Amsterdam, they check your passports before you exit the plane and enter the airport. I would not let a $100 visa cause potential problems the cost of 20 phone cards, that is not a gamble I am willing to take.

I also hope, that if your SO comes from one of the countries listed above they will get the visa.
Good Luck with your journey.

Destiny

K visas are non-immigrant visas.

We_Destiny is absolutely right. I know from experience she is right. My husband had a layover in Paris for 6 hours he had to get a transit visa just to connect to his other flight even though he was not leaving the airport he still had to have one. I tried everything for him to get out of this because we were down to the last minute I was even going to change his flight plans to an Amsterdam layover we still hit the same roadblock. Some people may slide through the cracks I don't know but I know me myself would never take a chance like that or advise anyone else to do the same.

I totally agree with Ara and We Destiny. When I was checking into this last September, I was told my SO needed a transit visa for Paris, London, and Amsterdam.

Hi

I traveled by way of Detroit to Amsterdam onto Abuja Nigeria. I didn't need a transit visa neither time I traveled through Amsterdam. I traveled this route twice. Hope this helps.

Are you the USC?, if so, you would not need a transit visa. I didn't need a transit visa either when I traveled through Amsterdam, because I am not an immigrant.

i think i need to clarify this issue from my personal experience. i got a student visa to canada 2005 from nigeria, then i went to KLM office in churchgate to purchase my ticket and they ask for the copy of my visa because i told them that i need one way ticket, and i gave them the copy of the visa then i paid for one way ticket,they told me that i dont need a transit visa since am not going on visiting,if am going on a visit i will have to get a return ticket wich require me to get transit A visa. then explain to me that if one is going on a an immigrant, student, work permit, or any visa that will allow u stay indefinately u dont need one. i left nija without problem. and when i was having my stopover in schipol airport in amsterdam, we were like 8 nigerian with difference visa 3 student visa to USA, 1 immigrant visa to USA, 2 student visa to canada plus me then 1 work permit visa to canada also and 1 permanent resident to uk, none of us hold transit visa and got no problem about that, according to the airliner if u need one they would not let u board the plane from ur home country at all,let alone sending u back.

I belive what the OP is trying to avoid is getting to the airport ready to fly and being told her husband needs the transit visa, which takes longer then a few minutes to get. She wants him to fly back with her.
Thats great everything worked out for you and your friends. I forget how my husband found out he needed a transit visa to pass through Italy, I think he went to the Italian Embassy website and read it on there.
So ask the airline you buy the ticket from, also check the embassy website.

sorry teebar, I got that last statement twisted up. I thought the OP was someone else. I have to correct myself, it's his wife that is flying here to the US, not husband.

The K visas are NOT immigrant visas. They do NOT allow you to stay in the US indefinitely. The Adjustment of Status allows you to stay in the US. K visas are NON-immigrant visas.

It is possible to get through without a visa, but the point is that the governments website says it's needed so therefore it is a gamble. I work with over 60 -80 international students coming from various countries. Every year we have students that are sent home and not allowed to board the airplane in their home countries and also at the point of layover for not having transit visas.


Who remembers 8 strangers on a plane's travel and or visa situations and destinations; Are you security or something?


Having a plan ticket and getting turned around because of lack of visa and reschedule fee = $300

Purchasing a one way ticket for his or her arrival to the states = $1,300
Ticket price form New York to destination = $250

The loss of fees from not rescheduling flight in advance of trip and SO being sent back home= $1,550

The cost to re-book all flights at the last minute = $2,050

VISA - $100 = Priceless

So again KC4them, Jeje, Kobi1 we are all free to do as we please in the pursuit of bringing our loved ones home. But, I still would never advise anyone to not get a VISA.

Totally agree!

we_destiny, i guess ur expression base on theory, first, am i a security? am not one, but mind u we re all young guys, nigerians, first time travelling, then sharing our experience how diffifult and what we went through to get visa from that country during our 8 hours stopover. even we exchange e-mail address. working with international student does not give u the knowledge of how to travel with visa.
let me put this to all yah, needing a transit is not by choice, if u need one once u re purchasing your ticket from the airliner or travel agent they will tell u that u need. they will even process it for you.

Kobi, I'm going to have to disagree with that last sentence. Although there may be some airlines that will process a transit visa, there are definately others that won't process it OR tell you that you need one. When I was scheduling my husband to fly through Dakar, Senegal, I was the one asking if he needed a visa and they have absolutely no clue. They advised that I speak with immigration and the embassy.

I'm no expert on the situation, but after reading this I have to agree with We_Destiny and others who advised the OP to get a visa. I'll refer to my own experience with calling almost every airline under the sun when scheduling my husband's flight to the US. I got so many mixed answers from the airline customer service that I finally sent him through a city that I knew for sure that he didn't need one. If the website suggests you have one, then why risk it? I wouldn't take the chance of getting turned around.