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Here's the situation, I have two separate tickets to get from Mumbai to Charlotte:

  • Ticket 1: Mumbai to Munich on Etihad
  • ---Six hour layover in Munich---
  • Ticket 2: Munich to Charlotte on Lufthansa

Do I need a transit visa in Munich to get out and re-check my luggage in Lufthansa? If so, can I get the visa at the airport? I am an Indian citizen with a valid US visa.

Relaxed
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veebee
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  • Welcome to travel.SE. These have been bought as separate tickets or as a single one? – Karlson May 06 '14 at 14:00
  • Seperate tickets unfortunately – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:01
  • You cannot get a visa at the airport. In all likelihood, if you need one, you won't be able to board at all. – Relaxed May 06 '14 at 14:04
  • Why do you say I won't be able to board at all? Not sure I understand. I asked if I need a transit visa and if so, can I get it at the airport? – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:08
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    @veebee What I meant is that if you need a visa then you need to have it in advance. It can't be obtained on arrival and the airline will want to know you can enter the country even before departure. Whether or not you need a visa at all is another question but in any case, you cannot get one at the airport. – Relaxed May 06 '14 at 14:10
  • Ahh I see. OK. That makes perfect sense. Thanks! – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:19
  • @Annoyed But if I have a valid multiple entry Schengen visa, getting out to re-check my luggage and go through security at Munich to come to the US should not be a problem correct? – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:21
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    It would probably be best to contact Lufthansa to check whether they provide a re-check on the international transit area. More then likely they do not, which means you will have to get a tourist visa to make this connection. – Karlson May 06 '14 at 14:22
  • @veebee Yes, if you have the right to enter the Schengen area (e.g. you have EU citizenship, Schengen visa or national long-stay visa from a Schengen country) then none of this is relevant and it's not a problem. – Relaxed May 06 '14 at 14:24
  • Yeah. I agree. But I think @Annoyed has a valid point. If I do not have a schengen, I won't even be able to board the flight in Mumbai since they will want to see that I have an entry into Germany as the first tickets 'ends' in Munich. Am I right? – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:24
  • @veebee That is correct. – Karlson May 06 '14 at 14:27
  • Okay.. I think I will get a Schengen. But just to throw a little twist, is there ANY way of combining two seperate itinearies into one single one? So my itinerary would like like I am transiting through Germany (not stop over). So Mumbai-Munich-Charlotte all in one ticket and that way I wouldn't need a schengen as I have the US visa clause that enables me to transit without a visa. – veebee May 06 '14 at 14:32
  • @veebee Not sure about that, it could be worth asking as a separate question (some people here are very knowledgeable about airline travel but might not check a question ostensibly about Schengen visas). – Relaxed May 06 '14 at 18:12
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    @veebee: no, it's not possible for a practical reason: in Munich, Etihad and Lufthansa operate on different terminals, so you 'll have to leave the transit area anyway. – Michael Borgwardt May 08 '14 at 11:25

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According to the site from the German Missions in the United States you do need a visa if you have to get your luggage and check-in again in Germany. Also, the website suggests that you wouldn't need an airport transit visa (the US visa exempts you from that particular requirement) but a full Schengen visa, presumably because you need to leave the transit area (i.e. the journey does not fall under the rules for transit at all, so whether you need a transit visa or qualify for a transit-related visa exemption is not relevant anymore).

Generally speaking, you cannot get a Schengen visa at the airport (there are a few exceptions for EU citizens' family and emergencies but it's certainly not standard procedure) and airlines will want to see a proof that you have a right to enter the destination country (or have all the required documentation to transit) as they can be fined and forced to take you back if they did not check before allowing you to board the plane.

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