Airport transit visa vs short-stay Schengen visa: which one do you need for a layover?

What an airport transit visa (ATV) allows you to do

An airport transit visa allows you to connect through the international transit area of an airport in the Schengen area during a stopover or a change of flights. The key limitation is that an airport transit visa does not allow you to leave the international transit area.

For your specific route, check the official requirements of the Schengen country or countries where you will change planes before travel.

Nationals of certain countries must have an airport transit visa even to transit through the international (non-Schengen) part of an EU airport.

There are some categories of people who are exempt from the requirement to hold an airport transit visa.

There are exceptions to the visa requirements for certain types of traveller to certain countries, such as diplomats, armed forces, refugees and pupils on school excursions. Individual Schengen countries can also grant visa-free access to certain categories of people, such as diplomatic staff, armed forces, refugees and school pupils on an excursion.

This guide is independent general guidance, not a government service, and you should verify requirements with official sources before travel.

Key differences between an ATV and a short-stay visa

Short-stay visas cover stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The 180-day period starts when someone enters a country in the Schengen area. People can enter Schengen area countries as many times as they want but may only stay a total of 90 days every 180 days.

A single-entry visa allows you to enter the Schengen area once, while a multiple-entry visa allows several visits to the Schengen area for as long as the visa is valid. If you are considering a visa that permits repeated trips, you may want to understand the multiple entry Schengen visa validity rules before applying.

A Schengen visa can be used for tourism, business, or work.

For a short-stay visa, you must lodge your application for a Schengen visa at the consulate of the country you intend to visit.

A Schengen visa is generally valid for every country in the Schengen area.

If you are a US green card holder planning to enter the Schengen area rather than merely transit, the rules depend on your nationality rather than your US residence status. You can read more in the guide to the Schengen visa for US green card holders.

What happens if you leave the international transit area without a visa

Holders of Schengen visas can enter the Schengen area and are subject to entry and exit checks.

This guide does not cover what happens if you leave the international transit area without the correct entry authorisation. Check the official requirements of the Schengen country concerned before travel.

How individual Schengen countries can impose extra ATV rules

All 29 countries in the Schengen area apply the same visa rules.

The Schengen area is composed of 29 countries: 25 EU Member States and 4 non-EU countries. The four non-EU countries in the Schengen area are Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Bulgaria and Romania were the last countries to join the Schengen area, on 1 January 2025.

The EU visa code sets out the procedures and conditions for issuing short-stay visas, and Schengen visas are processed and issued by Schengen States in accordance with harmonised standards and requirements.

Check the official consular guidance for every Schengen country where you will pass through the international transit area.

How to determine which visa applies to your connection

First, confirm with your airline whether the connection can be completed without leaving the international transit area. If you will remain airside and your nationality is not on the ATV list for the transit country, you may not need any Schengen visa for that connection. If your nationality is on the list, you need an airport transit visa.

Second, if your connection requires you to pass through border control, change airports, collect baggage landside, or leave the airport for any reason, you are no longer in airside transit.

Third, check the country-specific ATV rules.

Fourth, check the general entry rules for your nationality.

Fifth, consider your documents. The passport's expiry date should be at least 3 months after the date of your departure from the Schengen area.

For some visa applications, particularly where a third party is supporting the trip, you may need supporting documentation. The guide to the Schengen visa sponsorship letter explains what is involved when a sponsor provides evidence of support.

Finally, do not rely on airline ticketing alone. A boarding pass or an e-ticket does not confirm whether you need an ATV or a short-stay visa. Airlines may check travel documents at departure, but the legal responsibility for holding the correct document rests with the traveller.

If in doubt, contact the embassy or consulate of the Schengen country where you will first transit or enter, and confirm the requirement in writing before you book or travel.

Common connection scenarios

The following examples are hypothetical and are intended only to illustrate how the rules apply. They are not a substitute for checking your specific nationality and route with the relevant consulate.

Airside connection in a single Schengen airport. A traveller flies from one non-Schengen country to another non-Schengen country via a Schengen airport, remains in the international transit area, and boards the onward flight without passing through immigration.

Connection requiring entry into the Schengen area. This is entry, not airside transit.

An ATV is insufficient because an airport transit visa does not allow you to leave the international transit area.

Two Schengen connections. A traveller connects through two different Schengen airports on the same journey.

US green card holder travelling on a non-US passport. US residence status does not by itself determine Schengen visa requirements. The relevant factor is the traveller's nationality.

The Schengen visa for US green card holders guide explains the entry-visa position in more detail.

Where to check official requirements

The European Commission's visa policy pages explain that an airport transit visa allows you to connect through the international transit area of an airport in the Schengen area during a stopover or a change of flights, and that it does not allow you to leave the international transit area. They also confirm that

For the official lists of visa-required and visa-exempt nationalities, consult Annex I and Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

The European Commission's applying for a Schengen visa page is a useful starting point, but the final decision on your specific route should be confirmed with the relevant national authority.

Official sources checked

• European Commission: applying for a Schengen visa
• European Commission: visa policy
• European Commission: the Schengen area

The facts in this guide were last compared with these official pages on 26 October 2026. Check the current page before you apply or pay.