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Can Americans Transit / Connect Through Europe Right Now?

Can Americans Transit / Connect Through Europe Right Now?

Old Jul 3, 2020, 4:58 pm
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Can Americans Transit / Connect Through Europe Right Now?

I am looking at a trip to Serbia where I would have a 12 hour layover in Amsterdam. Before the pandemic, I knew that most European airports have an international terminal where travelers would not have to go through immigration as long as they stayed within the terminal.

Would I be able to transit through Amsterdam today even though the EU has barred Americans from visiting EU countries?
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Last edited by bigcahonna; Jul 3, 2020 at 5:19 pm
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Old Jul 4, 2020, 4:23 am
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At least in the case of AMS, transit to another 3rd-party country is allowed, other airports might have different regulations.
https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/lat...therlands-faqs
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Old Jul 4, 2020, 5:56 am
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Originally Posted by bigcahonna
I am looking at a trip to Serbia where I would have a 12 hour layover in Amsterdam. Before the pandemic, I knew that most European airports have an international terminal where travelers would not have to go through immigration as long as they stayed within the terminal.

Would I be able to transit through Amsterdam today even though the EU has barred Americans from visiting EU countries?
You might wanna rethink this plan - Covid cases in Serbia exploding currently...
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Old Jul 4, 2020, 9:17 am
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Originally Posted by bigcahonna
I am looking at a trip to Serbia where I would have a 12 hour layover in Amsterdam. Before the pandemic, I knew that most European airports have an international terminal where travelers would not have to go through immigration as long as they stayed within the terminal.

Would I be able to transit through Amsterdam today even though the EU has barred Americans from visiting EU countries?
Yes, AMS has been allowing transits by US citizens in March, April, May, June and July as long as the US citizens are admissible to the ticketed destination even as they arent being admitted into the Schengen zone.
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Old Jul 4, 2020, 9:48 am
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I didn't know that transits are allowed. We should have already visited London and Ireland, and now BOD meeting in Switzerland a no go as the EU has no interest in allowing our out of control COVID infected people in.
And my two cents: i
t's up to you, of course, but I agree with Carpacchio that it is better to rethink your plan.
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Last edited by Alex1122; Jul 4, 2020 at 11:10 am
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Old Jul 5, 2020, 7:48 am
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I have the same question about transiting through the EU to Turkey. It seems yes, AMS is ok to connect through. Thanks! Jamie
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Old Jul 5, 2020, 7:56 am
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Originally Posted by JamieM1031
I have the same question about transiting through the EU to Turkey. It seems yes, AMS is ok to connect through. Thanks! Jamie
Its worked but it could be a YMMV situation since some of these Schengen countries including the Netherlands have the transit allowance language as a clause under the section for essential travel of sorts.

The Netherlands idea of essential travel for Schengen zone entry or for airside transit may be different than the idea of essential coming from the non-Schengen destination country.
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Old Jul 5, 2020, 8:02 am
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YMMV? Delta only flies through CDG on the return so need to find out that info... this is my 3rd attempt at spending the summer in Europe. I just may be trying too hard.
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Old Jul 14, 2020, 12:21 pm
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Does anyone else have any clever ideas how to get into Europe as an American this summer?

For example, the possibilities look like: Denmark, Croatia, Serbia or the UK.

Denmark - They're allowing in people who are there to "reunite with their lovers" or for "important" business meetings. How easy is it to get let in under those pretexts? Could you then get out to other countries by air or land?

Croatia - Allowing Americans. Could you then get out to Slovenia without and into the rest of the EU?

Serbia - Allowing Americans for now even though they have their own covid problems. Possible to then get to Hungary?

UK - If you did the 2 week quarantine could you then fly out to one of the countries they're allowing air travel between? I assume not since you usually have to go through border patrol when coming from the UK, if I remember correctly.

Wondering if anyone else is as determine to get into the EU this summer as I am, for one reason or another....
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Old Jul 14, 2020, 12:35 pm
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Originally Posted by natekap
Does anyone else have any clever ideas how to get into Europe as an American this summer?

For example, the possibilities look like: Denmark, Croatia, Serbia or the UK.

Denmark - They're allowing in people who are there to "reunite with their lovers" or for "important" business meetings. How easy is it to get let in under those pretexts? Could you then get out to other countries by air or land?

Croatia - Allowing Americans. Could you then get out to Slovenia without and into the rest of the EU?

Serbia - Allowing Americans for now even though they have their own covid problems. Possible to then get to Hungary?

UK - If you did the 2 week quarantine could you then fly out to one of the countries they're allowing air travel between? I assume not since you usually have to go through border patrol when coming from the UK, if I remember correctly.

Wondering if anyone else is as determine to get into the EU this summer as I am, for one reason or another....
Give it up. Now is not the time to become a disease vector. We need to beat the pandemic, then travel can resume
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Old Jul 14, 2020, 3:39 pm
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Originally Posted by natekap
Croatia - Allowing Americans. Could you then get out to Slovenia without and into the rest of the EU?

Serbia - Allowing Americans for now even though they have their own covid problems. Possible to then get to Hungary?

UK - If you did the 2 week quarantine could you then fly out to one of the countries they're allowing air travel between? I assume not since you usually have to go through border patrol when coming from the UK, if I remember correctl.
Neither Croatia nor Serbia are in the Schengen area, so there are full border checks between either of these states and the Schengen area, so there's no using them as a backdoor into the Schengen states. They are functionally similar to the United Kingdom in this respect.

(If you subsequently attempt to cross a Schengen border after some time in Croatia or Serbia, whether you'll be admitted is another question, which I'm not going to answer if for the sole reason that the regulations keep changing and sometimes seem to be contradictory.)
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Old Jul 20, 2020, 2:28 pm
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Just confirming is transit in FRA allowed for US passport holder for SIN-FRA-NYC? I believe transit is allowed as per https://www.germany.info/us-en/coronavirus/2317268

Thanks.
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 1:44 am
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Originally Posted by seawolf
Just confirming is transit in FRA allowed for US passport holder for SIN-FRA-NYC? I believe transit is allowed as per https://www.germany.info/us-en/coronavirus/2317268

Thanks.
If it’s all one on ticket and with an airside transit of no more than 12 hours, then it seems to be generally allowed as a repatriation route via Germany. The German rules may be more generous than suggested in my prior sentence.

Originally Posted by natekap
Does anyone else have any clever ideas how to get into Europe as an American this summer?

For example, the possibilities look like: Denmark, Croatia, Serbia or the UK.

Denmark - They're allowing in people who are there to "reunite with their lovers" or for "important" business meetings. How easy is it to get let in under those pretexts? Could you then get out to other countries by air or land?

Denmark is still turning away even Swedes from entering Denmark. I wouldn’t suggest resting your hopes on Danish border control buying into every “I am seeing my lover” and “this is an important business meeting” line they encounter.

Presentable documentation of a meeting at an embassy in Copenhagen is considered as grounds to get into Denmark in at least some circumstances, when it comes to what is considered “important” business.

Last edited by GUWonder; Jul 21, 2020 at 1:53 am
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Old Jul 21, 2020, 7:42 am
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Thanks. Passenger decided SIN-DOH-JFK instead. QR has a one way J fare for $1800USD and gets to stay on OW.
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Old Jul 25, 2020, 8:22 pm
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If I'm transiting through FRA with a stopover of 19 hours (i.e. IST- FRA- US) is this allowed, and will my luggage be transferred properly?
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