Third-country nationals transiting through the airport of an EU country must have an appropriate visa. Find out what are the conditions for obtaining and processing a transit Schengen visa
The Gandhinagar District Consumer Dispute Resolution Commission has ordered the German airline Lufthansa to pay compensation to an Indian student who was not notified by the company about the requirement for a Schengen transit visa. The student was denied boarding when he was traveling from Mumbai to Munich, and then to Frankfurt and Toronto. The amount that Lufthansa will have to compensate is 729.29 euros (67,612 rupees) for tickets and about 1,078 euros for emotional suffering.
Given this, it can be said that knowledge of the requirements for a transit visa is crucial, which will allow you to avoid travel disruptions, in particular refusal to board and skip transfers.
What is a transit Schengen visa? Which countries do citizens need to apply for this permit and when? We’re telling you.
What is a Schengen transit visa?
A transit Schengen visa allows its holder to transit through the country of the Schengen Agreement to a destination country that is not part of the zone without leaving the transit territory of the airport.
For example, if you are heading to the USA, Canada orGreat Britain and your route includes a stop in a European country, for example,Germany, France or the Netherlands you may need a transit visa. This visa allows you to stay in the international transit area of airports, but does not allow you to enter the Schengen country or leave the airport.
An exception! Travelers who need to land at several airports in the Schengen area need to apply for a regular Schengen visa instead of a transit Schengen visa.
Important! If the traveler is traveling to a member state of the Schengen Agreement, for example, to Italy, and must transit through another Schengen country, for example, Germany then there is no need to obtain a transit visa, since the Schengen visa already allows the traveler to enter any Schengen country.
Which countries should citizens apply for a transit Schengen visa?
The countries whose citizens must obtain a transit visa while traveling through the international transit zone of airports located on the territory of each Schengen member State are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
To visit certain territories, citizens of: Syria, Dominican Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nepal, South Sudan, Sudan, Turkey, Chad, Egypt, India, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Yemen, Palestine, Russia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire may need a transit Schengen visaArmenia, Cuba, Djibouti, Gambia, Jordan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo and others.
In addition, the member countries of the Schengen Territory have the right to require a transit Schengen visa from citizens of all third countries. Therefore, before planning a trip through one of the European states, visit the website of the diplomatic institution of the transit state to find out if a Visa is needed or look for information on the portalVisit World.
Categories of persons exempt from obtaining a transit Schengen visa
Passengers belonging to one of the following categories do not need to apply for a transit Schengen visa.
– Holders of diplomatic passports.
– Holders of a valid single visa, a national long-term visa or a residence permit issued by a member State of the Schengen Agreement.
– Third-country nationals with a valid residence permit issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States of America.
– Citizens of third countries who have a valid visa or residence permit in a country of the Schengen area, the EU or the EEC.
– Third-country nationals who have a valid visa for Canada, Japan or the United States of America or when they return from these countries after using the visa.
– Flight crew members who are citizens of a Party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO).
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