soft landing and returning within 15 days without PR card, question about Lufthansa (Chennai to Toronto via Frankfurt 1 stop round trip),

[minecraftwonderness]

Hi everyone

I am so confused about this transit visa thing. My parents hold 10 year TRV, and they've used up one year already. Now they have COPR to land, which I believe is a one time entry thing.
They are going to soft land next month from India, and I am in the process of booking tickets.

So far I've found Lufthansa seems like a quick route, Chennai to Frankfurt to Pearson, vice versa after 15 days.

As soon as they land at YYZ, I believe all their TRV and one time PRV entry will be voided, and they would have to wait for the PR card to travel again, since they are returning back to India within 15 days, will Lufthansa/Air Canada allow them to board on their return journey??

why won't they be allowed to transit at Frankfurt on their return journey, where they have no intention of ever leaving the airport? And the layover or the connecting flight is in the next 2 hours within arrival at Frankfurt.

Can they use Lufthansa and return back to India on their round trip after softlanding, they will only have their stamped COPR docs. I thought they can show the TRV if it wasn't voided physically, but that might be illegal.

Do they need a transit visa on their return journey, please advise?,

 

[minecraftwonderness]

Looks like I found the answer, but can someone double confirm this please....

here is a pdf from German consulate that clearly says if you have a used or expired visa from Canada and a few countries and you return from that country you are exempt.

here's the PDF with full info

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/29c468eca75052c9c91a8635284f6340/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

Here's the screenshot marked at the particular info

 

[Ponga]

Well done! I think you have indeed found your answer. I'm a bit surprised that the language does not clearly indicate that the used/expired visa must be the most recent visa that was used to enter Canada...even though it is followed later by `and return from the country of visa issuance'. Probably overthinking that sentence, but it's moot in this case anyway! LOL!

Keep in mind that their PR cards will only be mailed to a Canadian address, so they will then need to be couriered, by whoever receives them, to the address in Chennai.

 

[armoured]

I'd add that I guess it's unlikely that the Canadian TRV would be physically voided. Whether or not that helps in this situation, don't know.

 

[Copingwithlife]

If it’s a one entry visa, I’ve seen immigration put a red slash thru the visa , circle the one entry and stamp it .
Means it’s been used.
Same thing American immigration does . Red slash, one entry circled, stamped

 

[armoured]

If it’s a one entry visa, I’ve seen immigration put a red slash thru the visa , circle the one entry and stamp it .
Means it’s been used.
Same thing American immigration does . Red slash, one entry circled, stamped

Note, almost all TRVs are multi-entry, so that part doesn't apply to this.

Would CBSA go to the trouble of cancelling a TRV when the person is arriving and landing on an immigration visa with COPR? Well, maybe. All I can say is didn't happen in our case.

 

[canuck78]

Hi everyone

I am so confused about this transit visa thing. My parents hold 10 year TRV, and they've used up one year already. Now they have COPR to land, which I believe is a one time entry thing.
They are going to soft land next month from India, and I am in the process of booking tickets.

So far I've found Lufthansa seems like a quick route, Chennai to Frankfurt to Pearson, vice versa after 15 days.

As soon as they land at YYZ, I believe all their TRV and one time PRV entry will be voided, and they would have to wait for the PR card to travel again, since they are returning back to India within 15 days, will Lufthansa/Air Canada allow them to board on their return journey??

why won't they be allowed to transit at Frankfurt on their return journey, where they have no intention of ever leaving the airport? And the layover or the connecting flight is in the next 2 hours within arrival at Frankfurt.

Can they use Lufthansa and return back to India on their round trip after softlanding, they will only have their stamped COPR docs. I thought they can show the TRV if it wasn't voided physically, but that might be illegal.

Do they need a transit visa on their return journey, please advise?,

In Canada no documents are needed to leave the country. To reenter Canada your parents have 3 options: get their PR card but that will take months so not an option for everyone (you should courier their PR cards to them to them in India from Canada), get a PRTD while abroad (you must be out of Canada to apply and it can take a few weeks to a few months to receive but an option many people take) or if you have a US visa you can fly into the US and enter Canada via land border without a valid PR card (in their situation I would show proof of COPR and proof that you are waiting for your PR card).

 

[Ponga]

In Canada no documents are needed to leave the country. To reenter Canada your parents have 3 options: get their PR card but that will take months so not an option for everyone (you should courier their PR cards to them to them in India from Canada), get a PRTD while abroad (you must be out of Canada to apply and it can take a few weeks to a few months to receive but an option many people take) or if you have a US visa you can fly into the US and enter Canada via land border without a valid PR card (in their situation I would show proof of COPR and proof that you are waiting for your PR card).

I think the OP's question is only regarding the flight back to Chennai via Frankfurt and if the expired/used TRV/PRV that they will have used to land with, will allow them to enter Frankfurt on the trip home. The OP does acknowledge that a PR will be needed should their parents want to return to Canada afterwards.

 

[canuck78]

I think the OP's question is only regarding the flight back to Chennai via Frankfurt and if the expired/used TRV/PRV that they will have used to land with, will allow them to enter Frankfurt on the trip home. The OP does acknowledge that a PR will be needed should their parents want to return to Canada afterwards.

Think they are asking about leaving Canada and also transiting through Germany. Many are unaware of the multiple options to return to Canada if they don’t have a PR card, they left Canada before receiving their PR card but it has arrived in Canada, etc. Some don’t consider couriering the PR card abroad which is often easier than applying for a PRTD and you a.so have more control over when you’ll be able to return to Canada because due to backlogs PRTDs are taking quite some time in some countries.

 

[canvis2006]

Why not avoid europe and fly via dubai, doha, abudhabi,istanbul instead ??
that way no worry about transit/visas

 

[armoured]

Also, ask the airline.

 

[minecraftwonderness]

I think the OP's question is only regarding the flight back to Chennai via Frankfurt and if the expired/used TRV/PRV that they will have used to land with, will allow them to enter Frankfurt on the trip home. The OP does acknowledge that a PR will be needed should their parents want to return to Canada afterwards.

Absolutely correct! I am only concerned about their return to Chennai, India via Frankfurt from Pearson. At this point my parents are not planning on living in Canada for at least another 6 to 8 months. I will apply for the PRTD when they want to return, but I am hoping I can courier it to them once the card arrives. My only worry that Lufthansa can be c*nts at times at Pearson, where it depends on the person at the counter. For example, last time when we travelled, one of the luggage was 200 grams more and the lady at the counter was such a stickler she didn't allow, even offered to pay the extra fee. So we stepped out of the line, and went to the 2nd counter where there was a guy who didn't care, and I told him I am willing to pay for the extra 200 grams, he was like nah don't worry about it, but the lady who originally refused was eaves dropping and was pissed. So I don't want my parents to end up being stuck with a stickler at the airport because as soon as they return we have a wedding planned for my brother. They weren't really interested in PR lately due to how most of the people we know left Canada after the pandemic and the expenses to live there, but I know the value of the PR (and things could change) and how difficult it is to win the lottery and took years to process. So we just want to get this over with and then have them return safely.

Think they are asking about leaving Canada and also transiting through Germany. Many are unaware of the multiple options to return to Canada if they don’t have a PR card, they left Canada before receiving their PR card but it has arrived in Canada, etc. Some don’t consider couriering the PR card abroad which is often easier than applying for a PRTD and you a.so have more control over when you’ll be able to return to Canada because due to backlogs PRTDs are taking quite some time in some countries.

Thank you. I have planned to receive the PR cards via courier. Hopefully we receive it without any issues, via Fedex or TNT. If that failed, I will apply for the PRTD.

Why not avoid europe and fly via dubai, doha, abudhabi,istanbul instead ??
that way no worry about transit/visas

I don't know I am always worried about transitting through the middle eastern countries, my dad takes some meds for his health condition such as high BP and I am worried if they would say it is illegal or something and arrest him lol I know it's silly but I dont know, I didn't want to take any chances even with the prescription from the doc. Besides Etihaad is 3 times the price of Lufthansa.

Also, ask the airline.

I asked the airline, it was a major waste of time. The chat support, the phone support, none of them wanted to give a straight answer but said stuff like it should be fine! I mean I don't see why not! I am like THAT is not a valid answer sir. Then he goes, so why dont your parents stay in Canada until they get the PR card...I was like...oh my goodness, and if I pressed him for an answer, he just couldn't answer me, so then he suggested I should ask the German consulate, which is just impossible to get a hold of. So I searched online and found that PDF I've attached above.

Another annoying thing about online forums in general is that, people who were in the similar situation and asked a lot of these similar quesitons at an earlier date, never really came back and updated on how it went for them. Most of these threads were left hanging, and many people beg for an answer like please tell us how it went for you!!

It won't happen with me, I will make it a point to return to this board and update on their journey to complete this thread.

 

[tankala13]

SEarching for this question exactly, would be great if @minecraftwonderness does really update how the return journey went.

Along with taht, is that the same case with London? Can I return from Canda -> London -> India after soft landing?