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I was wondering if someone could help me out with the following question. I bought a ticket New York - Zurich - Vienna - Lviv (Ukraine). I read online on Swiss immigration website the following information (actually your website states the same):

If you a a permanent resident of the United States (which is my case), you can travel through Schengen airports (I read specifically about Swiss airports) without transit visa, regardless of your citizenship.

I am a Ukranian but I have the old non-biometric passport, which still should have been fine, since as a US permanent resident, I can travel through Swiss airports without a transfer visa (I don't have to leave the Schengen zone inside the airport.

In New York airport, I was denied boarding. I spoke with 2 supervisors and they all said the same: if you are doing 2 transfers in the Schengen zone, you have to have a transit visa, with no exemptions. I showed them 2 websites including the Swiss immigration and was told it's not the information they would acknowledge.

I still think I was right and that exemption rules should apply to me. I ended up buying another ticket and missing Christmas dinner with my family. Anyone with any suggestions, please help!

Lena Yurchenko
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1 Answers1

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The airline was correct to deny you boarding.

The flight from Zurich to Vienna is a domestic flight, which means you would have needed to enter the Schengen region in Zurich, and depart it in Vienna. Doing so requires a visa as you are not deemed to be in international transit through either airport - you are connecting from an international flight to a domestic flight (Zurich), and then from a domestic flight to an international flight (Vienna).

The exception you mention for US permanent residents only allows you to transit if you can do so without leaving the international transit area of the airport. In your case you could not do that, so the exception does not apply.

Doc
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