Transiting DEL T3 - no visa required?

[kewpid]

Hi all - we’re travelling to Athens and the Greek Islands in August 2025, taking a very circuitous route via Hong Kong, Delhi and Cairo (due to award availability, route cancellation, and desire to ‘tick’ off the Sphinx and Pyramids).

We are flying HKG-DEL on CX and DEL-CAI on QR on separate tickets with a ~10 hour overnight layover in DEL. We do not intend to leave DEL Terminal 3 and would stay in the in-terminal hotel or sleep pods. My question is, am I right in understanding we do not need a Tourist Visa for India because we are only connecting?

My concern is whether we’d be able to get printed QR boarding passes to show we have a connecting flight. And whether We’d be allowed to board the CX HKG-DEL flight without a valid visa.

The US$25 fee (x5 adults) seems like wasted money, but perhaps it’s a small price to pay to avoid the inevitable computer-says-no bureaucracy.

 

[RooFlyer]

Answer may be here

Thread 'Delhi Airport (DEL) Transit Experinces'

Jun 7, 2022

On another note - I have a 5 hour layover in Delhi with different tickets. Assuming I have to pick up my bags and re-check onto Lufthansa however wondering if this involves entering India and if I need to do anything before arriving there?

A bit late for you, but for others in a similar situation: security at DEL and Indian airports in general is very strict (done by military). Have all docs in hardcopy at every turn.

I checked on the website that Qantas provides and it says no visa required

I wouln't trust that!

I am no seriously rethinking booking partner awards...

• RooFlyer
• Replies: 79
• Forum: Stopover, Transit & Airport Tips

• 

 

[kewpid]

Thanks Rooflyer. Will save myself the headache and get the visas.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Hi all - we’re travelling to Athens and the Greek Islands in August 2025, taking a very circuitous route via Hong Kong, Delhi and Cairo (due to award availability, route cancellation, and desire to ‘tick’ off the Sphinx and Pyramids).

We are flying HKG-DEL on CX and DEL-CAI on QR on separate tickets with a ~10 hour overnight layover in DEL. We do not intend to leave DEL Terminal 3 and would stay in the in-terminal hotel or sleep pods. My question is, am I right in understanding we do not need a Tourist Visa for India because we are only connecting?

My concern is whether we’d be able to get printed QR boarding passes to show we have a connecting flight. And whether We’d be allowed to board the CX HKG-DEL flight without a valid visa.

The US$25 fee (x5 adults) seems like wasted money, but perhaps it’s a small price to pay to avoid the inevitable computer-says-no bureaucracy.

With separate tickets you are not connecting or transiting. Just happen to have 1 flight ending at an airport and another starting at the same airport.
CX will check you have passport/visa for full entry to India, as that is where they are taking you. The chances of CX accepting a separate ticket, for a flight that you may or may not board, in lieu of an acceptable passport.visa is zero.
The Indian bureaucracy has a reputation.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

With separate tickets you are not connecting or transiting. Just happen to have 1 flight ending at an airport and another starting at the same airport.
CX will check you have passport/visa for full entry to India, as that is where they are taking you. The chances of CX accepting a separate ticket, for a flight that you may or may not board, in lieu of an acceptable passport.visa is zero.
The Indian bureaucracy has a reputation.

In the case of India, transit without visa requires the onward flight to be on the same ticket and luggage must be checked to the final destination. (source TIMATIC).

This is an unusual example, as most of the time the determining matter is whether the passenger is ‘in transit’, rather than whether it is on one ticket or not. In many cases you can still be ‘in transit’ even though you have a separate, onward ticket. Which is why you get asked for that onward ticket at check-in.

A link to timatic via United is here: https://www.united.com/en/us/travel/trip-planning/travel-requirements