The Airport transit visas (ATV) for Schengen states has become a new requirement after Brexit and Covid pandemic and there are lot of confusions surrounding this. A transit visa may be required if you are traveling from an airport in a country located outside the Schengen Area and staying in the international zone of an airport  for connections or changing flights, located in any of the Schengen states.

If you are third country national traveling to US/Canada transiting through the schengen airports, be sure to check the visa requirement. Dont be caught off guard. Not applying for ATV’s makes you ineligible, you could be denied boarding at airports.

For example if you are Indian traveling to US, transiting through Germany, France, Spain or Czech republic (only 4 countries) you need to have airport transit visa issued by that schengen state. All other schengen states do not require this visa.

Exemption

You may be exempt from the airport transit visa requirement, if you:

  • hold a valid visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen state;
  • hold a visa valid for a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area, Canada, Japan or the United States ;
  • hold a valid residence permit issued by a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area ;
  • hold a residence permit issued by the Principality of Andorra, Canada, Japan, Republic of San Marino, or the United States, that guarantees unrestricted right of return;
  • are a family member of a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland ;
  • hold a diplomatic passport;
  • are a flight crew member national of a contracting party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

We have compiled a nice list on which country require schengen airport transit visa. The answer lies in depending on your country and where you go.

Airport Transit Visa

Third Country Airport Transit Visa Required for ..
Algeria Czech republic
Angola France
Armenia Czech Republic,
Bolivia France
Cameroon Greece, Spain, France
Central African Republic France
Chad Czech Republic, France
Congo (Republic) Greece, France, Spain
Côte d’Ivoire Spain, France
Cuba
Czech Republic, Spain, France, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland
Dijbouti
Spain
Dominican Republic
Belgium, France
Egypt
Czech Republic
Gambia
Spain
Guinea
Belgium, Spain, France, Netherlands, Portugal
Guinea Bissau
Belgium, Spain, Netherlands
Haiti
 Spain, France
 India  Czech Republic, Spain, France, Germany
Jordan
 Germany (The ATV 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 a confirmed airline ticket or valid boarding pass for a flight to the country in question, or are returning to Jordan after an authorized stay in one of the above
countries and 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  Czech Republic, Germany
 Liberia  Spain
Libya
 Czech Republic
 Mali  Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France
Mauritania
 Czech Republic, France
Nepal
Belgium, France, Netherlands
Niger
Czech Republic
Philippines
France
Russia
France (applies to Russian nationals traveling from an airport in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkey or Egypt.)
Senegal
France, Italy, Portugal
Sierra Leone
Spain, France, Netherlands
South Sudan
Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Netherlands
Sudan
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Germany, France, Netherlands
Syria
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands
Togo
Spain
Turkey
Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Switzerland
Yemen
Belgium, Czech Republic, Spain, Netherlands
Palestine
Belgium, Czech Republic, Spain,France

The full list is available at the European Commission website.

How to Apply

ATV (Airport transit visas) are valid for 24h. You can apply for ATV at the nearest embassy/consulate paying €60 (the first schengen country you enter) and the processing time takes 15 days.

If you need to leave the international transit area (e.g. in order to catch a connecting flight at another to leave the Schengen area), please apply for a Regular Schengen visa (these are short stay visas with 90 day validity).