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-   -   VISA date conflict (https://www.fodors.com/community/air-travel/visa-date-conflict-1023362/)

Pulkit7 Aug 19th, 2014 05:01 AM

VISA date conflict
 
Hi all,
I am Pulkit and I'll be traveling from New Delhi, India to Hamburg, Germany on 12th September. It has a layover of 20hrs at Helsinki, FInland. Then, I board the other flight which makes me arrive in Hamburg on 13th, Septmber, 2014. Now the issue is that the date stamped on my Visa is 13the september. But my travel commences on 12th. WIll that cause problems? I think the date stamped is the date of entry. And I would have to spend the layover time at airport but that is not the issue. The issue is what if I am not even allowed to board the flight at New Delhi. Kindly help me in this regard. This is a very confusing situation for me. Thanks.

RoamsAround Aug 19th, 2014 05:45 AM

The date you commence travel is not a concern. Your arrival date in Germany is the one that matters. In your case the visa starts on the 13th which is the day you arrive in Germany.

Pulkit7 Aug 19th, 2014 05:59 AM

That is what I think too and has also been confirmed by the VFS center that issued me the Visa. But today I called up Finnair center in Delhi and the guy said that they might not even allow us to board the flight on 12th if the visa is not of that date. Now that is what is really bothering me. Also because it is my frist travel abroad, I have no clue as to what are the procedures that one has to go through. Will the airlines even check all this on the day of travel?

rkkwan Aug 19th, 2014 09:56 AM

Ignore the comment by Finnair. You are fine and worrying about nothing.

Pulkit7 Aug 24th, 2014 06:19 AM

But Finnair people are still posing problems. Interestingly, even Finnish border control has stated that we are allowed to land on 12th. The other friend of mine traveling along called Finnair and the same guy talked to him. My friend got pissed off and asked him to be more sure and hence the guy forwarded my friend to a higher authority. The higher authority said that there should not be a problem but when my friend asked for some final confirmation, he changed his position.
Now my situation is pretty weird (read worse) as vfs and finnish border control says something and airlines say the other. What should I do?

If I were to cancel the ticket, the cancellation charges that they show is combined or will it get accumulated for my all connecting flights and return flight?

rkkwan Aug 24th, 2014 06:53 PM

Wait wait wait.

I reread the original post and Finnair is correct.

The problem is that Finland is a member of the Schengen common travel area. You fly into Finland and you need to go through immigration to enter Finland. The HEL-HAM is like a domestic flight with no passport control.

So, your problem is NOT when you enter Germany, but when you enter Finland. If you flight into HEL is scheduled for Sept 12, it's NOT GOOD. You need to change your flight.

mrwunrfl Aug 25th, 2014 09:14 PM

or change the visa

Pulkit7 Aug 29th, 2014 07:18 AM

Good news: Visa modified. Thanks guys. They have even extended the last date by 2 weeks without us asking for that. Now I can even lose myself in Europe if I want to :D.


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