Confirm? BRU transit not allowed USA->Germany
Jun 23, 2021, 6:27 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
Confirm? BRU transit not allowed USA->Germany
Hi All.
Researching a trip for early July. USA to Germany for a week.
In checking requirements from TIMATIC, from my reading it appears that transit via BRU is not allowed. Is this really correct? Or indications it will change any time soon?
Researching a trip for early July. USA to Germany for a week.
In checking requirements from TIMATIC, from my reading it appears that transit via BRU is not allowed. Is this really correct? Or indications it will change any time soon?
Belgium - Transit
Belgium - Transit
Passport
Admission and Transit Restrictions:
Passengers are not allowed to transit if arriving from a non-Schengen Member State to a Schengen Member State
Jun 24, 2021, 6:07 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
https://www.united.com/en/us/timatic/
Here is the entire text presented in the BRU transfer section. By my reading, you can use BRU to transfer non-schengan to non-schengan, but cannot transfer from non-schengan to schengan.
Passport
Passport
Admission and Transit Restrictions:
Passengers are not allowed to transit if arriving from a non-Schengen Member State to a Schengen Member State .This does not apply to passengers with an Essential Journey Certificate issued by a Belgian consulate or embassy or a ‘note verbale’ stating that the country of destination is allowing them to enter.
Visa
Visa required.Visa Exemptions:
Nationals of USA for a maximum stay of 90 days.TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Passengers arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
- have documents required for the next destination.
Health
Vaccinations not required.
Jun 25, 2021, 8:26 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
Austria - Transit
Visa
Visa required.Visa Exemptions:
Nationals of USA for a maximum stay of 90 days.TWOV (Transit Without Visa):
Passengers arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
- have documents required for the next destination.
Health
Vaccinations not required.
Jun 26, 2021, 11:01 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 154
Looking at the LH tool ( https://lufthansa.travel-regulations...h-enabled=true) there is a bit more detail.
Section 4 implies the note verbale requirement is waived for passengers from the USA for transit, but it is not entirely clear.
I presume this will be updated soon. Seems very strange be to allowed to enter the country but not transit.
Section 4 implies the note verbale requirement is waived for passengers from the USA for transit, but it is not entirely clear.
I presume this will be updated soon. Seems very strange be to allowed to enter the country but not transit.
Jun 27, 2021, 3:38 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,157
Looking at the LH tool ( https://lufthansa.travel-regulations...h-enabled=true) there is a bit more detail.
Section 4 implies the note verbale requirement is waived for passengers from the USA for transit, but it is not entirely clear.
I presume this will be updated soon. Seems very strange be to allowed to enter the country but not transit.
Section 4 implies the note verbale requirement is waived for passengers from the USA for transit, but it is not entirely clear.
I presume this will be updated soon. Seems very strange be to allowed to enter the country but not transit.
Will be interesting to hear of anyone having issues or success though
Cheers.
Jun 29, 2021, 7:37 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 60
I have a US->Belgium->Portugal trip in late July (single ticket) on a US passport, fully vaccinated. My understanding is that I'd be separately admissible to Belgium and Portugal (assuming negative COVID test), but this language on timatic really worries me...
Would love to hear if anyone attempts this or a similar non-Schengen to Schengen connection through BRU.
Would love to hear if anyone attempts this or a similar non-Schengen to Schengen connection through BRU.
Jul 2, 2021, 8:18 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,263
Same here. Going EWR-BRU-CPH
Section 3 says Non-Schengen to Schengen is not permitted unless you have the "note verbal", Section 4 states it isn't required for residents of the US.
A bit more concerned about airline agent interpretation as the UA website does not display section 4
Section 3 says Non-Schengen to Schengen is not permitted unless you have the "note verbal", Section 4 states it isn't required for residents of the US.
A bit more concerned about airline agent interpretation as the UA website does not display section 4
Jul 2, 2021, 1:04 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 154
I have an upcoming BRU transit to France so similar concerns. FWIW in my travel ready center it doesn’t flag the need for any special documentation or concerns around transiting Belgium.
Would be great to hear from anyone that has had recent experiences transiting BRU.
Would be great to hear from anyone that has had recent experiences transiting BRU.
Jul 2, 2021, 1:15 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,404
The real problem here is that a desk clerk at your origin can put the kabosh on your trip if they either misread Timatic or the rules themselves are unclear or, as seen here, contradictory (you can enter Belgium from the US if it's your final destination, but not if you're in transit).
Misinterpretation resulting in ruined trips used to happen occasionally even before the pandemic made the "rules" changeable by the hour.
This is one (admittedly minor) concern among a number that are keeping me from booking non-essential international travel until next year.
Misinterpretation resulting in ruined trips used to happen occasionally even before the pandemic made the "rules" changeable by the hour.
This is one (admittedly minor) concern among a number that are keeping me from booking non-essential international travel until next year.
Jul 2, 2021, 2:54 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,185
I would have just paid the fare difference and rebook through FRA, MUC, ZRH, VIE where US citizens could easily transfer to another Schengen state without any restrictions.
I assume that most of you have booked through Brussels Airlines or United and it should be possible to change your flights through these hubs without any change fee and just paying the fare difference.
I assume that most of you have booked through Brussels Airlines or United and it should be possible to change your flights through these hubs without any change fee and just paying the fare difference.
Jul 2, 2021, 3:00 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, MR Titanium
Posts: 456
I am flying EWR-BRU-VIE so also am interested in any actual experiences post-July 1. I specifically chose BRU as the transit airport because it is familiar to me and I wanted to avoid LHR, FRA and even MUC, which has become much harder to transit to/from Schengen in recent years.
Jul 3, 2021, 12:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,263
Do not trust UA Travel Ready Center, it is often wrong. I've had previous trips with very obvious Test requirements and it would say I have no requirements.
Like other's have said, it depends on the check-in and/or gate agent interpretation of the rules. In UA's case, they omit section 4 currently.
I have transited LHR and FRA several times this year. Very easy. This time I'm going thru BRU for other reasons. I look forward to hearing reports from others.
Like other's have said, it depends on the check-in and/or gate agent interpretation of the rules. In UA's case, they omit section 4 currently.
I have transited LHR and FRA several times this year. Very easy. This time I'm going thru BRU for other reasons. I look forward to hearing reports from others.
Jul 6, 2021, 7:35 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 60
I emailed the embassy/consulates of Belgium in the US for clarification. New York and Atlanta gave substantively similar responses. Here is part of the question I posed:
New York's initial response (Atlanta was similar):
My follow up question:
Their response:
Hopefully the airline sees it the same way (in my case, Brussels Airlines from JFK, so hopefully they're a bit more versed in the latest rules than United would be?) I'll plan to bring a printout of this conversation as well.
... My understanding is that as of today, we would be able to enter both Belgium and Portugal as tourists. However, the airline's travel information page (https://lufthansa.travel-regulations...h-enabled=true) indicates that "Passengers are not allowed to transit if arriving from a non-Schengen Member State to another Schengen Member State" unless they hold a "note verbale" from their destination country (section 3). However, the same information later states that a "note verbale" is not needed from residents of the USA (section 4).
Could you kindly clarify what the current requirements are? Is transit permitted for USA citizens traveling from the USA to a Schengen country via Brussels?
Could you kindly clarify what the current requirements are? Is transit permitted for USA citizens traveling from the USA to a Schengen country via Brussels?
The restrictions have changed since June 21 for travel from the US to the EU area. US citizens don’t need an essential travel certificate anymore.
For avoidance of doubt, can you confirm that there are no restrictions (from Belgium's side) for US citizens to transit through Brussels Airport from the United States to another Schengen country?
No restrictions for Belgium if you stayed in the US the last 14 days before your trip.