I hope you are well.

My name is Aneeka Karim, and I currently reside in Columbia, Missouri (USA). I am in the United States on an F-2 visa, as my husband is pursuing his PhD at the University of Missouri. I am planning to travel to Pakistan with my two children, and I urgently require clarification regarding my transit at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP).

I am scheduled to travel on 8 December 2025, and my itinerary is as follows:

Ticket 1 (United / Lufthansa – one ticket):

St. Louis → New York/Newark (United Airlines)

New York/Newark → Milan Malpensa (Lufthansa, operated by United Airlines)

Ticket 2 (Kuwait Airways – separate ticket):

Milan Malpensa → Kuwait → Islamabad (Kuwait Airways)

These flights were booked through BudgetAir under a “self-transfer” option. At the time of booking, I was not aware of the specific rules regarding self-transfer, nor the potential requirement for a Schengen visa. Since my tickets are non-refundable, it is very important for me to confirm whether I can complete my transfer without entering Italy.

I will be traveling only with hand baggage, with no checked luggage, and I will be accompanied by my two children. We are all Pakistani passport holders with valid U.S. F-2 visas, valid I-20 forms, I-94 records, and proof of lawful residence in the United States.

Both my arriving flight (Lufthansa/United) and my departing flight (Kuwait Airways) are scheduled to operate from Terminal 1 at Milan Malpensa.

To ensure that my transit is smooth and fully compliant with immigration regulations, I kindly request clarification on the following:

Schengen visa requirement in self-transfer case Given that my onward journey from Milan to Islamabad is on a separate ticket (self-transfer), and that I will need to change from a Lufthansa/United flight to a Kuwait Airways flight at Terminal 1, do I require a Schengen (Schengen transit or entry) visa, or can I complete the transfer without a Schengen visa as long as I remain in the international transit area and do not cross the external border into Italy?

Boarding pass and need to pass immigration a. If, before arriving in Milan, I am able to obtain my Kuwait Airways boarding pass on my mobile phone (for example, by checking in via the Kuwait Airways mobile app while I am still in New York), will I still be required to exit the international transit area and go through immigration/passport control at Milan Malpensa, or can I stay airside and proceed directly to my departure gate without a Schengen visa?

b. If, for some reason, I cannot obtain the Kuwait Airways boarding pass before landing in Milan, and instead I obtain it on my mobile phone after arrival (still while staying inside the terminal), will I in that case be required to exit the transit area and pass through immigration, or can I still remain airside and complete the transfer without a Schengen visa, assuming I have only hand luggage?

Because I am traveling alone with two children and our tickets are non-refundable, a clear confirmation from your side is extremely important for us to avoid any problems at the airport.

I would be truly grateful for your prompt response, as my travel date is approaching. For your convenience, I am attaching my ticket details to this email.

Thank you very much for your time and assistance.

Kind regards, Aneeka Karim Columbia, Missouri, USA

I currently reside in Columbia, Missouri (USA). I am in the United States on an F-2 visa, as my husband is pursuing his PhD at the University of Missouri. I am planning to travel to Pakistan with my two children, and I urgently require clarification regarding my transit at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP).

I am scheduled to travel on 8 December 2025, and my itinerary is as follows:

Ticket 1 (United / Lufthansa – one ticket):

St. Louis → New York/Newark (United Airlines)

New York/Newark → Milan Malpensa (Lufthansa, operated by United Airlines)

Ticket 2 (Kuwait Airways – separate ticket):

Milan Malpensa → Kuwait → Islamabad (Kuwait Airways)

These flights were booked through BudgetAir under a “self-transfer” option. At the time of booking, I was not aware of the specific rules regarding self-transfer, nor the potential requirement for a Schengen visa. Since my tickets are non-refundable, it is very important for me to confirm whether I can complete my transfer without entering Italy.

I will be traveling only with hand baggage, with no checked luggage, and I will be accompanied by my two children. We are all Pakistani passport holders with valid U.S. F-2 visas, valid I-20 forms, I-94 records, and proof of lawful residence in the United States.

Both my arriving flight (Lufthansa/United) and my departing flight (Kuwait Airways) are scheduled to operate from Terminal 1 at Milan Malpensa.

To ensure that my transit is smooth and fully compliant with immigration regulations, I kindly request clarification on the following:

Schengen visa requirement in self-transfer case Given that my onward journey from Milan to Islamabad is on a separate ticket (self-transfer), and that I will need to change from a Lufthansa/United flight to a Kuwait Airways flight at Terminal 1, do I require a Schengen (Schengen transit or entry) visa, or can I complete the transfer without a Schengen visa as long as I remain in the international transit area and do not cross the external border into Italy?

Boarding pass and need to pass immigration a. If, before arriving in Milan, I am able to obtain my Kuwait Airways boarding pass on my mobile phone (for example, by checking in via the Kuwait Airways mobile app while I am still in New York), will I still be required to exit the international transit area and go through immigration/passport control at Milan Malpensa, or can I stay airside and proceed directly to my departure gate without a Schengen visa?

b. If, for some reason, I cannot obtain the Kuwait Airways boarding pass before landing in Milan, and instead I obtain it on my mobile phone after arrival (still while staying inside the terminal), will I in that case be required to exit the transit area and pass through immigration, or can I still remain airside and complete the transfer without a Schengen visa, assuming I have only hand luggage?

Because I am traveling alone with two children and our tickets are non-refundable, a clear confirmation from your side is extremely important for us to avoid any problems at the airport.

I would be truly grateful for your prompt response, as my travel date is approaching. For your convenience, I am attaching my ticket details to this email.