If you are traveling through an airport in the Schengen area, even if you are not leaving the terminal, you may need to obtain a Schengen transit visa.    

What is an Airport Transit Schengen Visa?

  • A kind of visa (Type-A) allows you access to a specific airport in the Schengen area for the purpose of transiting through the area to reach your final destination outside of the Schengen area.
  • If you are traveling through an airport in the Schengen area, even if you are not leaving the terminal, you may need to obtain a Schengen Airport Transit Visa. The requirements stipulating your entry into a Schengen Airport as a third-country national are determined by your resident status and citizenship.
  • Pay close attention to the details of your trip, in the event that your journey involves you taking an indirect flight to a destination outside of the Schengen zone. If your flight involves changing planes in an airport within the Schengen zone, and you are forced to exit the international transit area in order to change terminals, you will technically be entering the Schengen zone, and you will therefore need to apply for a Schengen Transit Visa
    .

Eligibility: Who Can Apply for Transit Schengen Visa:

Which countries require Airport Transit Schengen Visas when passing through Schengen international airports?

Citizens of some nations must apply for an airport transit visa for all Schengen states whereas other nationalities must obtain an airport Schengen transit visa to transit through some of the international airports in the Schengen Area.

1. Citizens of the following nations must apply for an airport transit visa for all Schengen states:

  • Afghanistan
  • Bangladesh
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Somalia
  • Sri Lanka

2. Nationalities that must obtain an airport transit visa to transit through some of the international airports in the Schengen Area:

Some Schengen Member States require that some third-party nationals be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports situated on the territory of one of the Schengen Member States.

Note that for Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, the Airport Transit Visa requirement does not apply to holders of service or special passports issued by the countries concerned. In the case of France, the Airport Transit Visa requirement applies to holders of ordinary passports issued by the countries concerned unless indicated otherwise below.

Algeria

Algerian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)

Angola

Angolan nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • France (FR)

Armenia

Armenia nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)

Cameroon

Cameroonian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Greece (EL)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)

Central African Republic

Central African Republic nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • France (FR)

Chad

Chadian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • France (FR)

Congo (Republic of)

Congolese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Greece (EL)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)

Côte d’Ivoire

Ivorian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)

Cuba

Cuban nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)
  • Netherlands (NL)
  • Poland (PL)

Djibouti

Djiboutian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Spain (ES)

Dominican Republic

Dominican nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • France (FR)

Egypt

Egyptian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)

Gambia

Gambian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Spain (ES)

Guinea

Guinean nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)
  • Netherlands (NL)
  • Portugal (PT)

Note that, for France, the Airport Transit Visa requirement also applies to holders of Guinean service passports.

Guinea Bissau

Bissau-Guinean nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Spain (ES)
  • Netherlands (NL)

Haiti

Haitians nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • France (FR)

India

Indian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)
  • Spain (ES)

Jordan

Jordanian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Germany (DE)

However, the Airport Transit Visa requirement does not apply to holders of Jordanian passports or documents in lieu of passports, if they are in possession of a valid visa for Australia, Israel, or New Zealand and have a confirmed airline ticket or valid boarding pass for a flight to the country in question.

The Airport Transit Visa is also not required if travellers are returning to Jordan after an authorised stay in one of the above countries and if they accordingly hold a confirmed airline ticket or valid boarding pass for a flight to Jordan. The onward flight must leave from the airport to whose transit area they are confined within twelve hours of their arrival in Germany.

Lebanon

Lebanese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)

Liberia

Liberian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • Spain (ES)

Libya

Libyan nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)

Mali

Malian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)

Mauritania

Mauritanian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • France (FR)

Nepal

Nepalese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Netherlands (NL)

Niger

Nigerien nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of a single Schengen country:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)

Philippines

Filipino nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • France (FR)

Russia

Russian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • France (FR)

Note that the Airport Transit Visa requirement applies to Russian nationals travelling from an airport in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey, or Egypt.

Senegal

Senegalese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • France (FR)
  • Italy (IT)
  • Portugal (PT)

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leonean nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)
  • Netherlands (NL)

South Sudan

South Sudanese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)
  • France (FR)
  • Netherlands (NL)

Sudan

Sudanese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)
  • Greece (EL)
  • France (FR)
  • Netherlands (NL)

Syria

Syrian nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Denmark (DK)
  • Germany (DE)
  • Greece (EL)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)
  • Italy (IT)
  • Netherlands (NL)
  • Austria (AT)
  • Norway (NO)
  • Switzerland (CH)

Togo

Togolese nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of only one Schengen country, namely:

  • Spain (ES)

Turkey

Turkish nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Germany (DE)
  • Norway (NO)
  • Switzerland (CH)

Yemen

Yemeni nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Spain (ES)
  • Netherlands (NL) – Applicable from 15 June 2020

Palestine

Palestinians nationals are required to be in possession of an Airport Transit Visa when passing through the international transit area of airports of the following Schengen countries:

  • Belgium (BE)
  • Czech Republic (CZ)
  • Spain (ES)
  • France (FR)

Note that the Airport Transit Visa requirement for France applies to holders of the travel document for Palestinian refugees.

Required Documents for Schengen Transit Visa

How to Apply for Airport Transit Schengen Visa

  1. Determine the Schengen country you will be transiting through (i.e. the location of the airport in which you have a layover). You will apply for the Airport Transit Schengen Visa through that country’s consulate.
  2. Select “Airport Transit” as the purpose of the journey.
  3. Determine how many “Entries” to the Schengen area you need.
  4. Gather your Basic Required Documents.
  5. Fill out your application. Different Schengen countries provide different ways of accessing applications; you might have to use an online application portal or fill out a print application by hand.
  6. Pay the application fee (the standard fee for adults is 80 Euros). You will likely have to submit a service payment with your visa application. This is a separate cost from the visa fee, which you will likely pay in person, at your subsequent interview appointment at a Visa Application Center. Please note that these fees are non-refundable.
  7. Submit your application.
  8. Schedule an interview appointment. Interviews are conducted in person either at the embassy or the consulate of the country you are applying to, or at a Visa Application Center associated with the consulate of the country you are applying to.

When to Apply for Transit Schengen Visa

  • You should apply for an Airport Transit Schengen Visa at least 15 days prior to the day you intend to travel, and no earlier than 6 months before you leave.

Where to Apply for Schengen Transit Visa

  • You should apply for the Airport Transit Schengen Visa through the embassy or the consulate of the country in which the airport you are traveling through is located, or through a Visa Application Center associated with the consulate of the country.
  • In case of transiting through two or more Schengen countries, then you need to apply at the embassy, the consulate, or the associated Visa Application Center of the country where you will transit first.

Processing Time for a Schengen Transit Visa

  • The processing time for an Airport Transit Schengen Visa is generally about two weeks (15 days). In rarer cases, consulates can take anywhere from 30-60 days to render a decision on an application.