[AltoLXI]

Slightly OT.

Nordic countries are now actively discouraging issuing tourist visas to specific countries. Denmark has categorized countries into 5 groups and sadly India is in the 3rd group along with others.

Group 3 includes countries whose citizens present a significant risk of illegal immigration to Denmark or another Schengen country.

The following countries are currently in Group 3:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Philippines, Georgiavii, Ghana, Belarus, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraineviii, Vietnam.

and they also mention that visas will be granted only if you have a family member residing in Denmark. Even after submitting all the mandatory documents, Denmark is refusing to issue Schengen visa for tourism purpose.

Visa will normally be granted to:

Spouses
Cohabiting partners or boy/girlfriends
Children (regardless of age) and their accompanying spouse
Parents and their accompanying spouse
Siblings and their accompanying spouse.

Visas can also be granted to:

Nieces, nephews and grandchildren under the age of 18 seeking to travel to Denmark on holiday unaccompanied by an adult
Close acquaintances of a Danish citizen who previously worked abroad for a Danish company
Sponsor children under the age of 18
Individuals accompanying an elderly weak family member.

Link

[Gaur]

Would like to share a funny but nerve wracking incident my friend experienced at U.S during immigration check.

This was sometime in 2008-09 my friend was travelling for a 6 month assignment to U.S, on landing he went thru the routine immigration check.

At customs he was asked to open up his bag for detailed checking, everything was fine as he wasn't carrying anything prohibited until the customs guy decided to look into a notebook my friend was carrying, as my friend was preparing for CAT he was using this as a workbook and to keep himself motivated the he had written a quote on the first page of the book.

Can you guess what he had written ?
let me tell you, " Do or Die" , now imagine the U.S customs guy opening the book seeing this on the first page

My friend was asked to step aside, taken in a room and went thru a detailed interrogation, one officer literally scanned thru the entire notebook, showed the other books as well which he was carrying and after almost 2hours was asked to leave.

Some how my friend handled it well, he still says i don't understand how did i handle it without getting nervous.

[dragracer567]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

My typical work travel has always been 2-3 days every week within Shengen for which I always travelled with Cabin baggage only. Hence, online check-in or Kiosk check-in at Airport sufficed and I had no need to see an agent and show my passport.

Funnily enough, when I first travelled within the Schengen region as a student (Brussels to Barcelona) in 2017, I voluntarily went to the check-in to show my passport because I thought this was required for non-EU passports (despite just travelling with cabin baggage only ). The guy at the check-in gave me a confused look and told me to just head to the gate. Oh, naive me!

[gkrishk]

Funny incident at Heathrow in tha late 1970s. My wife and daughter were travelling from India and I was waiting for them at Arrivals. Waited for more than an hour after the flight landed and no sign of them. Eventually when they came through it turned out my wife's baggage was searched and they found a plastic bag of roasted rice flour (used for making puttu). Tha authorities tested it for narcotics and finally they let them through!

[Pynummoottil]

To add to Passport mishaps, I was in the US visiting my son and one day put the clothes for wash including my cargo trousers which I use for traveling. I had emptied the upper pockets out of long habitat, but forgot to empty the lower pockets, one of which contained my passport. After the wash, a washed clean passport came out with crinkled pages. Luckily, the machine readable page was not damaged and since I needed the passport only to get out of the country, nobody asked to see me passport. Immigration back home in India was a breeze.

[astrodex]

OP, your ordeal is fit to be a bollywood movie scene! I also have a border ordeal to share but nothing that unnerving.

The time was around 2008 and a bunch of us had gone north of Seattle to see the spring tulips. We don't typically carry our passports when travelling inside the Washington state, only DLs. On a whim we travelled further north and ended up staying at a inn close to Canadian border.

As usual, we stayed up late and did a lot of tomfoolery and next day woke up hungry and it was a task to get all of the lazy bums awake. Decided to go out for breakfast, and all of us piled into a friend's car and drove out. Those days Google maps only worked if you have an online connection and we kept some fast food destination and kept driving with Google loosing connections in between. There were several discussions on where to eat and someone updated the destination and we went through several narrow roads.

About 30 mins into the drive one of us noticed curiously that the speed limits were all in kms instead of miles. The horror donned on us that we had somehow drove into Canada, a bunch of Indian guys in the cold winter in nothing more than early morning wear. IIRC, my friend had put up some Tim Horton as the destination and we drove right across the border. To this day, I don't know how it happened withouth crossing any signs or gates, I am sure we did not even leave the paved road.

Frantically, we turned back and put our inn destination and Google prompty showed up a way back via the main border crossing. We kept trying to retrace our steps and kept guessing the routes, much like Hansel and Gretel but without the bread crumbs to assist.

After a wild goose search, with much tepidation, we stopped and asked a person who was working on his truch on the side of the road and he told us a route to take back. Thankfully after driving around for more than an hour we crossed over into US. Funny thing is after we crossed over, we navigated our way back to the hotel and all along the way there were fences, cameras and warnings mentioning that the Canadian border was on the other side.

We drove into a 7/11 for breakfast, the only time in our life we were happy to see a 7/11!

[kutts]

I work in the IT sector for airlines and therefore get to travel to a lot of different countries, very random and short stays.

I was once at a major European airport, waiting at the boarding gate for my flight to India. Then came 3-4 officers in plain clothes who were randomly checking passports. My passport ( there were 2 older passports bound to it since those had valid visas) was also picked for scrutiny. He flipped through the pages, looked at me and asked me to wait. Minutes passed and people started boarding and I was left standing in a corner. I could see the officers going through each and every page of my passports and speaking on the walkie talkie.

I was pretty confident since my papers are correct but the lengthy discussion started giving me the jitters and the boarding was nearly over. The officer came back and enquired about my profession and why I seem to be hopping all over the world. I told him about my work and that all the places I traveled had a major airline that was a customer or prospect. He asked for my office id, my visiting card etc and was eventually convinced.

It turned out that there was a heightened check due to a terrorism issue and the pattern of my visits to the Middle East, South East Asia and Europe triggered an alert.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I suppose I lived in a different era in USA. Between 1993-2004, I never carried my passport on me unless I was flying out of the country.

That's exactly what OP was doing, isn't it. The Schengen arrangement allows for visa-free travel within countries in Europe party to that agreement, but you still need official documentation to prove your identity (= citizenship / valid visa), when necessary.

The seamlessness with which you can travel within the Schengen countries makes you believe it is one big country, and you're just hopping between some districts of a city.

Driving License is rarely/never considered as proof of citizenship, so they require either a passport or a state ID (something like a Blue card).

Also, in the US, until you get a valid US ID (DL, state ID), you still have to carry the passport, eg. to prove your age when ordering certain beverages. In the first couple of days after landing there, most of us (non-US students) were denied entry because we didn't find it necessary to carry the passport when out for dinner, and a college ID wasn't proof of age.

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

I dreaded this since their first ask always is the Passport which, as we have established, I didn't have.

I have a similar story, but without any drama.

Back when I was working in Switzerland, I'd decided to go to Stuttgart to visit the Mercedes museum. And having had an overall lovely experience with it across countries, I decided to find a Blablacar. Sure enough, I found a fun German chap who was travelling from close to my apartment, and would drop me off right at the museum. He was going to Munich I believe.

He comes up on time, we get going, and the conversation is going quite well. Then we come at the Switzerland - Germany border. And he just casually confirms that I have my passport on me. Well, I don't. And this is after I debated it, and decided not to carry it, after having left it on the living room counter. Both of us were stressed right away. Me, for obvious reasons. Him, because he'd be an accessory to whatever crime I was committing. In addition to being genuinely worried about me.

Luckily, we weren't stopped as the border control cops were waving most car through.

Right, so going out was easy. Now to figuring out how to get back in later that night.

The chap was supposed to travel back the same day, so we figured I'll go back with him as well, and we'd figure out a backup plan in case we were stopped. That afternoon, he texted saying he couldn't travel that day due to the snowfall.

I then had the option of booking another Blablacar, train or bus. Bus was ruled out because Flixbus categorically stated right on the booking page that carrying the passport was mandatory before boarding. I was hesitant of traveling with someone on Blablacar, so as to not put them in an uncomfortable position.

Right then. Train it is. Booked a DB train and hopped on. As you'd expected and anticipated during your journey, border control cops boarded at the station near the border and were walking through the aisles. They didn't check anyone's papers but did visually scan every passenger. The few minutes it took for this seemed excruciating - as you did, I was imagining every consequence, mentally working through tasks I'd have to do - call my boss, call HR, keep every possible proof of my education, employment and in general, not being an immigration-threat.

But then, the train started moving without much drama. And just like that, within a few hours, I was back in my "home" country / city.

A few weeks later, when booking a Flixbus to go to Munich for the BMW museum tour, guess what I ensured I was carrying, every minute.

--------

The other reason a lot of foreigners get stuck in Schengen countries is when taking connecting flights that travel through non-Schengen countries. I know of multiple stories wherein people (who had only the Schengen visa) booked cheap flights, say to go from Zurich to Amsterdam, but had a connection via a non-Schengen country. It doesn't strike people to look this up, and a whole bunch of mess ensues.

I believe several US-bound travellers had similar issues a few years back when they booked connecting flights via Canada. To make the transfer, they'd have to step outside one terminal to get into another, which involves stepping into Canadian soil, hence requiring a visa/transit visa, that most didn't have.

[chennai-indian]

Thanks for the thread. Let me narrate my 3 experiences of run-in with immigration:

1. Japan - This was back in 2010. I used to frequently go to Hiroshima for work, and I somehow had forgotten the rule that I could not stay in Japan for more than 180 days in a year on a business visa. I landed in Hiroshima with just three days left of the 180-day limit. Was detained at the immigration. I knew only a few words in Japanese, and none of the immigration guys knew English. Then, they arranged for a phone conference with an English translator to interview me. By the time the interview was over, the airport had shut down, and there were no taxis available for me to go to the town. The immigration officer had to call a taxi and personally escorted me to the Taxi!! He even apologized for the delay !!

2. Singapore - Again, I was on a project in Japan, and at that time, the only way to reach Japan was to take a flight from Chennai to Singapore on Singapore Airlines and then a connecting flight to Osaka. On both legs, there used to be a day break in Singapore between the flights, and Singapore Airlines used to book us in a good hotel in downtown Singapore, and we used to take an on-arrival visa and enjoy Singapore. Just after 9/11 happened, we were on the way back from Japan and landed in Singapore. I was, along with my wife, standing in one queue, and my teammates were in another queue at the immigration. It just so happened to be in a queue with an Indian-origin lady immigration officer (Always try to avoid Immigration officers of Indian origin – especially ladies – they try to show their superiority over you). When my turn came, I presented my passport. She looked at it and very rudely asked me whether I had a US passport. I said no and pointed out that I presented an Indian passport. Then she asked me whether I had a US green card, to which I replied in the negative. I was progressively getting angrier by this time, and then she made a comment, “We do not allow you Indians in anymore.” Also, my teammates in the other queue had their visas stamped by this time. I completely flew off the handle. I asked for the passport back and told her that I would never again visit her pipsqueak country and that I did not need her Visa. Snatched back my passport from her. Stayed in the airport transit hotel that day. I have never again visited Singapore and never will.

3. Mexico – Mexico allows one to visit Mexico if you have a valid US business visa without getting a Mexico visa. Since I had a valid US B1, I landed in Mexico City and was detained at the immigration as they were asking for a Mexican visa. Had to spend a couple of hours convincing them that their own immigration rules allow for a US B1 visa holder to visit without a Mexico visa. They let me go only after confirming with their higher-ups!!

[splitinfinitive]

Looks like a lot of folks have similar tales. Here's mine, mostly hilarious.

Summer 2023, staying in Basel (Switzerland), met up with some friends on a Saturday evening in Zurich. Took the 10 PM train back to reach Basel at 11. Unfortunately, fell asleep and woke up with a start at 2.30 AM, still on the train. Asked the girl sitting opposite me, where were we and grinning evilly, she said "approaching Frankfurt." Thank goodness I woke up else I would have arrived happily snoozing at the final destination, Amsterdam. Without a passport

Jumped off, bought a ticket back to Basel for a 4.30 AM train (side note: those who are living and/or have been travelling in Germany know what is the state of Deutsche Bahn lately - nothing runs on time. Finally the train departed at 5.50 AM.)

I started snoozing and woke to a tap on the shoulder and there's 6 German rozzers, with guns asking for my papers. I explained my predicament, said sorry and that I would never never never even go outside to pick up the newspaper without my passport, and to please let me go home. One of the younger cops took pity and said okay go "and please do not do somesing like zis agayne".

And idiot that I am, I went right back to sleep. Woke drooling like an imbecile at Basel SBB (main station), and scrambled out just before the doors closed. Whew.

[IndieGooner]

After receiving my US driving licence, I stowed away my passport and like most things stored safely, completely wiped it off my mind. Sometime later, my wife and kid travelled to US for a short vacation. On the eve of their departure, we found that the luggage they had was not enough to carry all the stuff that we had purchased. I told my wife to take my trolley bag and i will get myself a new one later.

Hours after they left, a sudden chill gripped me - didn't I store my passport in that trolley bag I gave my wife?? Here I'm in a foreign country and my passport is enroute to my home without me? While I'm not in the immediate danger of getting detained, what am I supposed to do now? There is no way I can talk to my wife for another 15 hours to verify things.

Next 15 hours or so is absolute torture. I am thinking about my options

1. A friend travelling to US could bring it back - ruled out as apparently it's grossly illegal
2. FedEx it - can't do in my case as it is meant to dispatch ones passport to a foreign embassy only
3. File a lost passport - obviously i will have to file a false police report.
4. State the truth to embassy - how do you even explain this level of goof up!

As soon as my wife lands, I call her up tell her the situation. She's worried but can't check until she's home. So, I need to wait another 90 minutes or so. I told her to open the bag as soon as she gets home and check the pocket against the inside back wall of the trolley bag.

I'm at office and waiting impatiently for the call. Finally after 2 hours she calls "You idiot! This bag does not even have a pocket in its back wall!" Er, what? "Go home and check your other trolley bag and now let me go sleep"

So, i sheepishly head home and found that my other bag did have an inside pocket on the back wall and my passport was sitting safely in it all this time! All this hoopla for nothing but at least I'm still on the right side of law.

[mygodbole]

Heh, most people have stories from distant lands, mine is from our neighbourhood.

Went to Sri Lanka (Colombo and Yala) in December 2009, after the government of that day declared the country was 'safe' for tourism.

Here I was in Colombo, with a properly stamped visa-on-arrival checking into a pre-booked apartment-hotel. While the owner had already okayed the stay after getting an emailed photo of the visa, the person handing over the keys looked suspiciously at me (me being brown to begin with, and sun-burnt after three DAYS in Yala). He gave me the keys but kept looking at me over the next four days.

I rented a cab and similar situation. Cab pulled over repeatedly and armed soldiers/cops checking our papers, passports and visas before letting us on. After two such incidents, the cab driver said, Sir, just show your India passport and they will not mistake you for being a 'separatist'. So, over the next three days, our passports went everywhere we went.

Drive safe

[Sen_auto_sation]

Whoa! Quite a few interesting tales (and some bordering misadventures) on this thread, made for an amusing read, these experiences.

Reminded me of a personal incident at the airport check in at London Heathrow.

The year was 2022, I was flying Business back to India from London. Drove in and into the fast track check in, mostly went smoothly—had my passport, visa pass through, until it didn’t, when the lady at the airport desk asked for my COVID vaccination (full) certificate. Ran through the papers, unfortunately no trace of its copies. They wouldn’t allow boarding even after I was able to show them a digital copy of the second vax dose.
After a tense 15-20 minutes of scanning through all docs on my cellphone, laptop, etc., finally found the copy of the first vax dose and was promptly passed through for a fast track security/immigration check by the personnel.

Who knew until then even after all other immigration papers being in order the vaccination evidence would turn out to be so crucial.
Luckily, in the end, crisis averted! <phew!>

[OPMaurya]

I also had a few brushes in the past
Though, I can laugh on those now but wasn't funny then.
On a visit to the USA, me and a colleague decided to visit LA from MPK. Took a train from Moorpark, California. Now, Moorpark being a small place, boarded the train without any hitch. However, on the return journey from LA, wasn't able to get the train ticket as they needed a passport as the photo ID. Tried showing Indian DL but that wasn't of any use. Tried bus but they also demanded passport. My colleague was carrying his passport but he couldn't ditch me just like that. Finally, had to take a taxi from LA to Moorpark. My colleague was livid.
On another visit, even being too careful, I mistakenly dumped the passport with dirty clothes in the washing machine. I was horrified when I opened the washing machine lid and saw pieces of paper with the laundry. Initially couldn't figure out what it was but once the realisation dawned upon me, my whole life flashed in front of me. I was engaged at the time, not married, and it was too heart wrenching will all kinds of scenarios playing in my mind.

There was an Indian colleague in our US office living around 40 minutes out who drove me three times to the Indian embassy in Washington DC in his own car for passport. If someone has been to the Indian embassy there, it looked like a basement house in Chandigarh. Not more than that. Thankfully, I got a passport and was able to return to India. Looked cool to have an Indian passport issued in Washington.
This passport didn't last long. After the return to India, in a bus journey from Delhi to Chandigarh, I had the passport in my laptop bag and being summer, I got a freezing cold water bottle. Saw after reaching Chandigarh that the passport was damaged from the condensation on the bottle.
Took a lot of convincing the passport officer that I was not negligent and this was not an intentional act.

[thiyags22]

Think mine would be a very unique experience, though I was not the one who went through the harrowing time.

Year 2019, me and my kid went to Europe for a 10 day holiday. The return flight was from Paris. We finished airport security and since we had enough time we were roaming around the shopping area. A lady approached me and asked if I know Tamil. I said yes. The following conversation happened in Tamil:

Lady: I don't know how to go to the gate, can you please help me. I can't speak in English and can barely read the language.
Me: Thinking she is asking about the boarding gate, ask for her ticket and which flight she is boarding
Lady: Actually, I landed an hour back in the Chennai flight and need to go to the exit gate where my daughter is waiting to pick me up
Me: But this is flight departure area past the security check. How did you come this side??
Lady: I don't know. Somebody said I need to go to this area, so I came.
Me: Did you do the security check? How did they let you in?
Lady: Yes, I showed the ticket to them. They did the security check and let me in

Now I am thoroughly confused as to how this could have happened. Got her daughter's number and informed her about this situation. The daughter is completely freaked out as to how to resolve the situation, but has no way of coming in. So, I assured her I will see what can be done. Called the airport security folks and told them the situation. They asked me how the lady came to the departure area? I told them they are the one who let her in after checking her ticket. They called in the airport manager (or one of the coordinators probably) who was also unsure how the mix-up happened. I told him that this poor lady knows only Tamil and has no way of communicating if I am gone. Requested him to speed up and make sure she is safely handed over to her daughter. Manager quickly checks the recordings while we are waiting outside and sees the lady coming in through security. Then he apologized for the mix up and assures me he will personally go with her and leave her with her daughter. Got a call in 15 mins from the daughter that her mom is out and safely going back home.

I had forgotten about this incident till I saw this thread. Thanks to OP for bringing back memories.