Is transit visa required for Munich/Frankfurt for a connecting flight? [duplicate]

Question

I know this question had been asked in the past also and I had read those answers but some of them are outdated and may not hold good now. So, I am just asking it again to get the latest info.

I am holding an Indian passport and with an expired US visa. Can I travel with Lufthansa without having a transit visa from the USA to India via Munich?

As per this document, it looks an Indian citizen can travel with an expired US visa.

https://www.germany.info/blob/917514/80e28ec8a47bb057c06ca4023b155842/airport-transit-country-list-data.pdf

I also read other conflicting answers which says you can't transit via Germany if you have an expired visa.

My itinerary is -> Boston - Munich - New Delhi with 3 hours layover in Munich.

Can anyone please help with this.

Update: Today I had sent an email to German consulate in Boston about the same and below is the reply which I had received from them.

Dear Applicant,
When leaving the US while holding a valid US resident status (eg. Green Card, Visa), 
no Airport Transit Visa is required.

If your resident status has expired, even if you 
hold an I-797 Approval notice, please note:

The longer the time gap between, the expiration date 
of the visa and the return from the USA, the higher 
the likeliness of facing complications when transiting 
through Germany.

The final decision whether an airplane can be boarded
 or a transit zone can be entered, without a transit 
visa, lies with the Airlines or German Border Police, 
respectively. 
Therefore the Embassy advises clients, whose US-Visa 
has expired to apply for a transit visa.

Please note:

Airport transit privilege does not apply and you 
will need a visitor visa

1. if you have to pick up your baggage and/or have
 to check-in again (please verify with your airline).

2. if you are transiting through two or more airports 
in the Schengen Countries (for example: 
Miami-Frankfurt-Paris-India or  New York-Frankfurt-Munich-India).

3. if you hold an open ticket.

You will find additional information regarding airport 
transit visas on our website here:

https://www.germany.info/us-en/service/05-VisaEinreise/
airport-transit-visa/924624

So, I am going to avoid my travel via Germany.

Answer 1

It's good that you already found the official information by the German government, but it is better to look up visa requirements in the software Timatic, because that's what the airline will use to decide whether they let you board or not, and it also gives you the most up-to-date information.

I like the interfaces provided by Emirates and Olympic Air, because they are simple and easy to use. Both should show you the exact same information.

In your case, the following is relevant:

TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

Visa required, except for Nationals of India transiting through Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC), arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:

• have a used, valid or expired visa issued by Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland (Rep.), Japan, Romania, USA or United Kingdom, and
• be returning from the country that issued the visa, and
• stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
• have documents required for their next destination.

You say that you are indeed returning from the USA, so all conditions should be satisfied and you should not need a visa. Just make sure you don't book a connection like JFK-FRA-MUC-DEL, because that would require you to enter Germany for the domestic flight!

Answer 2

Nationals of the following countries are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports in Germany: Afghanistan Ghana Lebanon Bangladesh India Mali South S udan Democratic Sri Lanka Republic of the Congo Iran Nigeria Sudan Eritrea Iraq Pakistan Ethiopia Syria Jordan *1 Somalia Exceptions: Turkey Nationals of the above named countries Do NOT require an airport transit visa if *2 1. they hold a valid visa for the United States of America, or 2. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by the USA and return from the USA and travel to a non-Schengen Member State within 24 hours after the expiration of their visa, or 3. they hold one of the following residence permits: × Form I-551 permanent resident card (valid for 2 to 10 years), × Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (valid for 2 to 10 years), × Form I-551 Alien registration receipt card (no expiry date), × Form I-327 Re-entry document (valid for two years — issued to holders of a I-551) × Resident alien card (valid for 2 or 10 years or no expiry date. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded one year), × Permit to re-enter (valid for two years. This document guarantees the holder’s return only if his stay outside the USA has not exceeded two years), × Valid temporary residence stamp in a valid passport (valid for one year from the date of issue). Please note that the advance parole (I-512) and the approval notice (I797) are not valid documents for visa free airport transit. An aiport transit visa must be obtained. 4. they hold a valid visa for a Schengen Member State, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania or UK, or 5. they hold a used valid or expired visa issued by Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania or UK and return from the country of visa issuance and travel to a non-Schengen Member State. Please note that an airport transit visa only allows a short stay in the international transit area of some airports: × Frankfurt/Main (open 24 hours) × Munich (open 24 hours) × Hamburg (4:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. only) × Düsseldorf (6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. only) and if the airline has arranged the transit beforehand with the authorities responsible for cross-border security (the Federal Police) × Cologne/Bonn (4:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. only) × Berlin (06:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. only) at Berlin-Tegel, for Air Berlin passengers only. The airline has to arrange the transit beforehand with the authorities responsible for cross-border security (the Federal Police). The connection time must be at least 75 minutes. Airport transit privilege does not apply and you will need a visitor visa if 1. you have to pick up your baggage and/or have to check-in again (please verify with your airline) or 2. you are transiting through two or more airports in the Schengen Countries (for example: Miami-Frankfurt-Paris-India or New York-Frankfurt-Munich-India) or 3. you hold an open ticket.