vikas51013

Good Evening! I have an upcoming return ticket from Mexico to India, which is transiting through GRU (Sao Paulo). Below mentioned is My itinerary:-

AM14 MEX to GRU
<Transit Time 16 hours>
Qatar GRU - DOH
Since It is on two different airlines, and two separate tickets, and I am having a 16 hour transit stay at GRU. I don't intend to go out of GRU airport, and would like to stay airside only. Would I be requiring a Transit Visa. On the Internet, there are conflicting information.

I am told that I dont need visa, as long as the baggage is checked in through, but since Aero Mexico is not having interline agreement, how this is going to work out. I was told that in the past, Aero Mexico has helped customer Re-checkin the bag through their associates. Is it possible>?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

What is your country of citizenship? When you say "I was told" and "I am told," who is telling you these things? When is this trip? Will you have time to get a visa in case Aeromexico will not check your bags all the way through?

SambaChula

He's an Indian passport holder.
Might as well get familiar with the history (below and on TA):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brazi...-stay-gru.html

crellston

unless there is a code share with the airlines or the flights were booked on the SAME ticket. it is highly unlikely that your bags will be checked through. no one here can provide the definitive answer, only the airline.

I read the link that SambaChula provided and it seems that many of the replies are just uninformed opinions based on what real information I am not entirely sure.

I have travelled though Sao Paolo albeit with bags checked through and it wasn't a problem but, if it were me, I would get a visa. It may be a hassle now, but far less of a hassle than spending you 16 hour layover panicking about not getting out of the country. i have arrived at various borders around the world and experience similar problems and , believe me, there are better ways to spend your time!

a similar question was asked on Lonely Planet - you may find the answer you seek there

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...ort-gru?page=1

good luck!

SambaChula

The situation in that Lonely Planet question is quite different. The person traveling (from a UK airport) has a UK passport and does not need any type of visa to enter Brazil.

vikas51013

I was told this, when I called GRU airport
e have spoken thrice to GRO (Sao Paulo) airport customer care number. Just now we have spoken to Migrant support office at terminal 1 of GRU airport and had the conversation with Mr. XXX. He clears that once you go to the Immigration, you can show your onward tickets to India and communicate to the officer that you are transiting to terminal 3 to catch Qatar airways flight to New Delhi-India. Officer should allow you and then you may proceed to terminal 3 via shuttle or walking. Though we have done our piece of work here by confirming with them again, however, you can also get in touch base with them @ Telephone # +55 11 2445-4719.

Let me know if it is there ?

SambaChula

Did you tell Mr. XXX-rated that you don't have any kind of visa but hold a passport that requires one? I can't imagine you did. Why do you think immigration/passport control would admit you to the country to take a shuttle if you don't have a required visa?

vikas51013

I told him, that I am an India National and Would be requiring the Visa, Then only he said, that Please go to immigration counter, and show the agent your ticket, they will lead you to baggage and then to the International transit area.

Is it possible that GRU has an international Transit Baggage claim area?

SambaChula

The words "Would be requiring the visa" do not indicate that you do not currently have the required visa, apparently have not left sufficient time to acquire it (either tourist or transit), and therefore won't have it on arrival. So you seem to have given misleading info and may be getting misleading responses. Also "India national" does not necessarily mean holder of Indian passport; you could be an Indian national with a British passport that does not require a visa for Brazil.

vikas51013

Ok, I talked to them again, and this time I was connected to Federal policia, where a Gentleman told me, that Only option, if Aero Mexico is not doing a through checking, is to have them Retag your baggage at GRU, by their local team@GRU.
He asked me to ask Aero Mexico, to not put my luggage at the belt, but just re tag it and forward it to Qatar. I went online and found out that, it is not so uncommon:-
http://travel.stackexchange.com/ques...tional-flights

Anybody heard of this practise?

sartoric

I read the flyer talk thread.
OP - not really relevant to your situation, but here's what happened to me in transit without a visa. I'm an Australian passport holder.
The flight was booked Mexico - LA - Honolulu - Sydney. I had no visa for the US. I was very lucky to be allowed to board the MEX - LAX flight.

In Mexico on the transporter to the plane, I was approached by armed guards and relieved of my passport and airline ticket while forty or so other people watched, imagining I expect, that I was some kind of criminal. Both documents were handed to the flight crew. I was sat at the rear of the plane, and had to wait until all other passengers had disembarked.

I was then escorted through customs/immigration and collected luggage. I was driven to a holding pen somewhere in west LA, where a number of men being held were handcuffed.

Eventually I was returned to the LA airport, again escorted. Once the flight had left Honolulu after a refuelling stop, my passport and ticket were returned to me.

I wouldn't recommend this way to travel. This happened pre 9/11 too, things are much tougher now with border security.

If your issue is just the luggage, could you consider sending enough home via DHL or similar, so that you only have carry on to deal with ? It will be expensive, but probably cheaper than being refused boarding, buying new last minute flights etc.

SambaChula

And the most frustrating part.....we probably will never find out what actually happens. :-0

vikas51013

Well, you will, Whatever happens to this travel, I will give you first hand update!! Stay tuned, both here and at flyertalk

vikas51013

So Finally I have actually done this travel, and I am very happy to update you all, that It went as expected. My luggage with me, have reached safely without any issues.
The things happened as I heard/discussed over the forum, in Mexico, I was given a TWOV ticket, and when I arrived at GRU, one of airline team members has come to receive me and @GRU, he has given a new baggage tag to me, and he told me, that my baggage would be recheck in by then and would be forwarded to the next airline. He advised me to confirm with the next airline, 2 hours before the flight.

I went to the departure gate, and I was told that they had received my baggage, and I was given the boarding passes as well as new baggage tags, So All in all, it went well.

SambaChula

"As expected"? As who expected? You had no assurances, no reliable informstion, on which to base any expectstions or belief whatsoever. It was simply a gamble, placing yourself, and more to the point, your baggage in the hands of fate. This time it worked, for you, in this individual instance. Parabens. Better get In touch with these guys while your luck is holding. http://www.cslottery.in.