Germany Airport Transit Visa

Visa requirements for an Airport Transit Visa for a Germany, who needs to apply, the application steps and available airports

A Germany Transit Visa is for those who need to land at a German airport in order to get another flight to their destination country. A German Transit Visa enables its holder to switch their flight in Germany, to a non-Schengen country.

A holder of a German transit visa can stay in the airport international transit area up to 24 hours. Leaving the international transit area of the airport with this visa is strictly prohibited and illegal.

Do I Need a Germany Airport Transit Visa?

Whether you need a German airport transit visa depends on your nationality. The list of those who need a Germany airport visa is quite narrow actually.

Citizens of the following countries need a Germany Airport Transit visa:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jordan*
• Lebanon
• Mali
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Syria
• Turkey

*Holders of Australia, Israel or New Zealand visas are exempt from the German transit visa requirement. Also, if your transit time does not exceed 12 hours, you will not need a German transit visa.

Note that if you need to stop at more than only one airport within the Schengen area, you will then need to apply for a regular Schengen visa. Whereas, if your destination country is one of the Schengen countries, to which you hold a short-stay visa, you will not need an airport visa to transit through an airport in Germany.

Do I Qualify for a German Airport Transit Visa?

If you are a national of one of the countries under the German Airport visa regime, you need to be eligible to apply for this visa. You will need to obtain a Germany Schengen Visa and not a Germany Transit Visa if you:

• Need to land at more than one airport within the Schengen Area.
• Your destination country is a member state of the Schengen Zone.
• Your return date is not fixed.
• You have to pick up your luggage and/or have to check-in again.
• Your stay in the international transit area is longer than 24 hours.
• You have to land at a German Airport that does not have an international transit area.

Germany Airport Transit Visa Exemptions

Yet, if you are a national of any of the countries listed above, you will be exempt from the transit visa requirement, if you are a:

• A holder of a US valid visa.
• A holder of a valid visa for a Schengen Member State, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania or UK.
• Turkish holder of a Service or Official Turkish passport.
• Jordanian national who has a visa to Australia, Israel or New Zealand and your transit time in Germany does not exceed 12 hours.
• A partner (married, common-law or same sex) or child of an EU/EEA/EFTA national and you hold a British “Residence Card of a Family Member of an EEA National.”
• A holder of Diplomatic Passports.

Required Documents for a German Airport Transit Visa Application

see also: Germany Visa

As per every other visa, you will need to submit some documents when applying for a German transit visa.

In addition to the standard required documents, find below the list of the required documents to apply for a Germany Airport Transit visa:

• German Transit Visa Application form. The form for a German airport visa is the same as for a German Schengen Visa. Click here to fill the application form.
• A signed Declaration of Accuracy of Information.
• Proof of onward journey:
  • A confirmed airline ticket to the final destination.
  • Copy of the valid visa for your destination country.
• Complete travel itinerary.
• Proof of purchased travel insurance.

Extra documents required for Airline staff:

• Staff member ID Card of Airline Company.
• An official letter from the airline company.
• A valid work contract with the Airline Company.

see also:

How to process a Germany EU Blue Card

Germany Student Visa and Student Applicant Visa

 

German Airports With An International Transit Area

Although there are over 50 airports in Germany, only six airports have an international transit area. Therefore, you can use your German transit visa only in the following airports:

• Frankfurt Airport.
• Munich Airport.
• Hamburg Airport. Between 4.30 am to 11.30 pm.
• Düsseldorf Airport. Between 6.00 am to 9.00 pm under an organized transit of Airline Company with the Federal Police.
• Cologne/Bonn Airport. Between 4.30 am to 11.00 pm.
• Berlin Airport. Between 6.00 am to 11.00 pm if you are an Air Berlin passenger, and under an organized transit of Airline Company with the Federal Police.