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).
