Transit Visa Needed in Amsterdam for Ukrainian Citizen Traveling to the US?

[Richard and Inna 3]

Hi, my wife and mother in law are currently in the Ukraine (they are both Ukrainian citizens) and will be traveling from Kiev, Ukraine through the Amsterdam airport on the way to New York. My wife has her advanced parole travel document and my mother in law has her USA tourist visa. Has anyone recently had experience with this ? The question: is a transit visa needed if they are going directly to a connecting international flight? On the internet, we read conflicting stories about this and I dont want them to have any difficulty at the Amsterdam airport. I would appreciate any advice and clarity around this. Thank you !

Richard

P.S. As a side note, my wife's green card arrived in the mail here in the USA while she was visiting her Mom in Ukraine. She has a copy of her welcome letter and a copy of her green card with her as well.

[Ryan H 3,813]

***Moved from Tourist Visas forum to Europe & Eurasia regional forum; topic is about visa policy of The Netherlands.***

**Moderator hat off**

After reading this Dutch government website, I would conclude that a transit visa is not required for Ukrainian citizens: http://www.government.nl/issues/visa-for-the-netherlands-and-the-caribbean-parts-of-the-kingdom/visa-for-the-netherlands-the-schengen-visa

See this specific section:

Airport transit visas

Nationals of the following countries need an airport transit visa to change aircraft at an airport in a Schengen country:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka

Countries whose citizens are required by the Netherlands to possess an airport transit visa when they are in the international transit area of airports in Dutch territory: Angola, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria and South Sudan

The following persons are exempted from the requirement to possess an airport transit visa:

• holders of a valid uniform visa, national long-stay visa or residence permit issued by a member state;
• third-country nationals holding the valid residence permits issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States of America guaranteeing the holder’s unconditional readmission;
• third-country nationals holding a valid visa for a member state or for a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area of 2 May 1992, Canada, Japan or the United States of America, or when they return from those countries after having used the visa;
• family members of citizens of the Union;
• holders of diplomatic passports;
• flight crew members who are nationals of a contracting party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

[Richard and Inna 3]

Thank you, this is very helpful !

Richard

[Paul&Oxana 4]

Hi! I have traveling through Amsterdam 2 days ago. I did't need a transit visa.

But before I send a request about it and got the answer. It looked like this:

,Thank you for contacting the Netherlands Information Desk.Please find more information on Airport Transit Visas (ATV) on our website: 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: www.rsonac.org/schengen-visaIn 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: www.rsonac.org/schengen-visa/visa-instructions-for-the-netherlands---schengen/other-citizensPlease 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.nlConsular matters: www.dutchhelp.comDiplomatic affairs: www.dutchmissions.comOffice hours: 8AM8PM Eastern Standard Time (2:00pm-2:00am local time in the Netherlands)

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi, my wife and mother in law are currently in the Ukraine (they are both Ukrainian citizens) and will be traveling from Kiev, Ukraine through the Amsterdam airport on the way to New York. My wife has her advanced parole travel document and my mother in law has her USA tourist visa. Has anyone recently had experience with this ? The question: is a transit visa needed if they are going directly to a connecting international flight? On the internet, we read conflicting stories about this and I dont want them to have any difficulty at the Amsterdam airport. I would appreciate any advice and clarity around this. Thank you !

Richard

P.S. As a side note, my wife's green card arrived in the mail here in the USA while she was visiting her Mom in Ukraine. She has a copy of her welcome letter and a copy of her green card with her as well.

As long as she is stopping ONLY in Amsterdam (no other EU countries along the way) and she stays inside the secure area of the airport, she will not need a transit visa in Amsterdam.

You are wise to check. If a person has more than one stop in an EU country or in certain airports that do not have a secure transfer area, a Ukrainian would need a transit visa...even if she had a US green card.

The subject of tourist visa is frequently discussed here, including some currently running threads. Perhaps you can comment in those threads on the evidence provided by your MIL to obtain her tourist visa to the USA. Has she traveled outside Ukraine previously? Such as to the EU? Many memebers seek advice on that from others that have been successful in getting tourist visas.

[Richard and Inna 3]

I certainly will. Thank you for your help once again...

Richard