transit visa necessary for international connection in mumbai?
Jul 18, 2013, 7:01 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 8
transit visa necessary for international connection in mumbai?
I have a RT ticket to Mumbai from JFK on Air France, July 28. Originally I was planning on traveling through India for a month but the processing company India uses for its visas delayed (or possibly lost) my passport and now I will not get it (or a visa) back in time for my trip. I can still get a new expedited passport before I leave but I will not have any sort of visa for India.
So, I'm trying to see if I can change my plans without losing my non-refundable ticket. I had been planning on going to Sri Lanka anyway and I can book a RT ticket Mumbai - Colombo, so I never actually go outside of the airport. Visas for Sri Lanka take about ten minutes and I already have one. What I'm wondering, though, is if I still need a transit visa for India. I will be arriving in Mumbai on Air France and transferring to a flight to Colombo, but they are booked as separate tickets. I will have no luggage. I have been trying to figure this out and from what I can tell, as long as I don't leave the terminal, I am fine. But I don't know if I'll have to leave the terminal to make this transfer and Air France has no answers. The airlines I am looking at for the Sri Lankan leg of my trip are mostly Jet Airways and Sri Lankan Air.
It seems like they would all be arriving/departing out of the international terminal, so I should be fine? It's not really a gamble I'd like to make, though. Does anyone have an answer or experience they could share with this? I've read through several threads about transfers and transit visas, but they all seem to be international-to-domestic, and booked as one ticket. Not separately, as I have done (or would do).
So, I'm trying to see if I can change my plans without losing my non-refundable ticket. I had been planning on going to Sri Lanka anyway and I can book a RT ticket Mumbai - Colombo, so I never actually go outside of the airport. Visas for Sri Lanka take about ten minutes and I already have one. What I'm wondering, though, is if I still need a transit visa for India. I will be arriving in Mumbai on Air France and transferring to a flight to Colombo, but they are booked as separate tickets. I will have no luggage. I have been trying to figure this out and from what I can tell, as long as I don't leave the terminal, I am fine. But I don't know if I'll have to leave the terminal to make this transfer and Air France has no answers. The airlines I am looking at for the Sri Lankan leg of my trip are mostly Jet Airways and Sri Lankan Air.
It seems like they would all be arriving/departing out of the international terminal, so I should be fine? It's not really a gamble I'd like to make, though. Does anyone have an answer or experience they could share with this? I've read through several threads about transfers and transit visas, but they all seem to be international-to-domestic, and booked as one ticket. Not separately, as I have done (or would do).
Jul 18, 2013, 7:12 am
#2
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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No problem at all. No visa required. On arrival head to the international transfer desk, don't follow the crowds to immigration. At the transfer desk they will contact the airline to get you a boarding pass for the next flight.
Jul 19, 2013, 3:32 am
#4
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bom is a mess but international to international connections should be fine....the following thread has lots of info that could be useful for you:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...-airports.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...-airports.html
Jul 19, 2013, 4:01 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,334
Even on one ticket (Int-int) we had our pasports etc taken... we waited a significant amount of time before the airport staffer returned with our docs and BP's..
THEN came the worst part...we had to negotiate the SCRUM of trying to get through security. Must be a cultural thing but the local version of a queue was "shove in from all sides"
REALLY irritating.... We lost so much time that we pretty much had to go straight to the departure gate.
Bloody awful airport.
If you think the "transit" procedures in the US are bad... try BOM!!! Takes longer and you aren't even entering the country.
THEN came the worst part...we had to negotiate the SCRUM of trying to get through security. Must be a cultural thing but the local version of a queue was "shove in from all sides"
REALLY irritating.... We lost so much time that we pretty much had to go straight to the departure gate.
Bloody awful airport.
If you think the "transit" procedures in the US are bad... try BOM!!! Takes longer and you aren't even entering the country.
Jul 19, 2013, 5:37 am
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Even on one ticket (Int-int) we had our pasports etc taken... we waited a significant amount of time before the airport staffer returned with our docs and BP's..
THEN came the worst part...we had to negotiate the SCRUM of trying to get through security. Must be a cultural thing but the local version of a queue was "shove in from all sides"
REALLY irritating.... We lost so much time that we pretty much had to go straight to the departure gate.
Bloody awful airport.
If you think the "transit" procedures in the US are bad... try BOM!!! Takes longer and you aren't even entering the country.
THEN came the worst part...we had to negotiate the SCRUM of trying to get through security. Must be a cultural thing but the local version of a queue was "shove in from all sides"
REALLY irritating.... We lost so much time that we pretty much had to go straight to the departure gate.
Bloody awful airport.
If you think the "transit" procedures in the US are bad... try BOM!!! Takes longer and you aren't even entering the country.
Dec 1, 2013, 4:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: YQT
Programs: AC, US, AA, UA, BA, QF, DL...
Posts: 463
I'm heading to DPS in March, and the best option seems to be JFK-AUH-BOM on EY connecting to a separate SQ flight BOM-SIN-DPS. Assuming EY will interline my baggage with SQ, would I be able to use the transit desk and avoid getting a transit visa?
Jan 17, 2014, 7:46 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: One & Only: L O N D O N
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Given the new terminal, I’m not sure if anyone has any experience on this… but here goes: I’m flying LHR-BOM with BA in May. I need to catch a connecting Jet Airways flight to Colombo (on a separate ticket) same day. BA have told me they can’t guarantee they’ll check luggage through as it’s on a separate ticket. There is still a chance but as visa on arrival is not an option in Mumbai (UK passport) I think I’ll need a Transit Visa.
Is there a transfer desk on arrival in Mumbai, where I can show them my BOM-CMB boarding pass and they can direct my luggae from BA plane onto the Jet Airways? This avoids me from having to get Transits visas (£66 each) for me and my family. Any advice welcome
Is there a transfer desk on arrival in Mumbai, where I can show them my BOM-CMB boarding pass and they can direct my luggae from BA plane onto the Jet Airways? This avoids me from having to get Transits visas (£66 each) for me and my family. Any advice welcome
Jan 17, 2014, 10:20 am
#12
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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BA will NOT tag your luggage if there is a separate ticket, they have clear rules in place for such things. You are pretty much at 9Ws mercy in BOM, but I think they will collect your bags from the belt for you.
Mar 4, 2014, 5:25 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: One & Only: L O N D O N
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Is there any website claiming they will collect my bags as I've never heard of this service? Would it be organized at International transfer desk when I collect boarding passes?
Jul 11, 2014, 10:54 pm
#15
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Can I assume a similar international transfer desk at DEL?
Any one foresee issues with CMB boarding (lack of visa) on separate PNRs?
