Transit rules · Schengen area
Layover in the Schengen area: transit visa and leaving the airport
A connection from a non-Schengen country to another non-Schengen country stays in the international (non-Schengen) transit area with no border check; only nationals on the common airport transit visa (ATV) list or on the airport country's national ATV list need an ATV there (France adds the Philippines; none of our other nationalities is on a list for these eight airports). If the journey chains a Schengen flight with a non-Schengen one, the passenger enters (or exits) Schengen at the airport where the external flight lands (or departs), so the normal entry rules apply. Leaving the airport means entering Schengen: visa-free nationals (Annex II of Regulation 2018/1806) get 90 days in any 180-day period and are registered in the Entry/Exit System (EES, fully operational since 10 April 2026); ETIAS is not yet in operation. Self-transfer with bag recheck also requires entry.
At a glance, by passport
| Passport | Change planes airside | Leave the airport |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| Canada | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| United Kingdom | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| Australia | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| New Zealand | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | – | Yes, you are at home here |
| India | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa) |
| China (mainland) | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa) |
| Brazil | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| Mexico | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| South Africa | No document needed to stay airside | Not without a visa · 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa) |
| Philippines | Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies | Not without a visa · 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa) |
| Japan | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
| South Korea | No document needed to stay airside | Yes, no visa needed · 90 days in any 180-day period |
Changing planes without leaving the airport
Airside means you stay behind passport control: you walk from one gate to the next and never formally enter the Schengen area. Many countries let you do that without any document, some ask for an online authorisation or a transit visa even for this.
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document. Philippines passports need a transit visa to connect, unless one of the official exemptions applies.
Leaving the airport
To see the city you pass immigration and enter the Schengen area like any visitor, so the normal entry rule for your passport applies, however short your stay.
Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines. EU / EEA / Switzerland citizens are at home here.
Visa-free travellers may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and a few hours in the city on a layover count towards those 90 days. If you travel in Europe a lot, check your days with our sister site 90180.app.
Transit rules in the Schengen area
Airside transit in the international transit area (non-Schengen to non-Schengen)
Who: Everyone except nationals on the common ATV list (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka) and on the national ATV list of the transit country, unless exempt under Visa Code Art. 3(5).
- Both flights are to/from outside the Schengen area and the passenger stays in the international transit area (no border check).
- In Germany only Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg (04:30-23:30), Düsseldorf (06:00-21:00, prearranged) and Berlin-Brandenburg have an international transit area.
- A connection that includes a Schengen-internal flight means entry (arriving) or exit (departing) at the airport of the external flight.
- Self-transfer with baggage recheck or a change of airport requires entering Schengen.
Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission , European Commission , European Commission , Federal Foreign Office (Germany) , Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA)
Entry/Exit System (EES)
Who: All non-EU nationals entering for a short stay (visa-exempt and visa holders).
- Progressive start 12 October 2025; fully operational in all Schengen countries since 10 April 2026.
- Registration (face image, fingerprints) at the external border replaces passport stamping; not triggered by airside transit.
Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
ETIAS (not yet in force)
Who: Visa-exempt nationals (US, CA, GB, AU, NZ, BR, MX, JP, KR) once it starts.
- Not in operation as of 2026-11-01; no applications collected.
- Scheduled for the last quarter of 2026; the EU will announce the exact date several months before launch.
- Fee announced as EUR 20; valid 3 years or until the passport expires.
Source: European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs , European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
Layover in the Schengen area: do you need a visa?
Your passport in detail
United States passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; biometric registration in the EES at the first Schengen entry. ETIAS not yet required (not in operation). Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common ATV list (Annex IV / Annex 7A) or on any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
Canada passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
United Kingdom passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt third-country nationals since Brexit; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
Australia passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
New Zealand passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. (NZ bilateral agreements with some states may allow longer stays; not researched.) Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
EU / EEA / Switzerland passport
Yes, you are at home here
Official source: Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026)
India passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Annex I (visa-required) national: needs a Schengen short-stay (C) visa to leave the airport; a US/UK/CA visa does not replace it. EES registration at entry. Holders of a valid residence permit or long-stay visa of a Schengen state do not need a separate visa. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common ATV list. National ATV lists include India only for Czechia and Romania (not our airports). Germany lifted its ATV requirement for Indian nationals on 3 June 2026, so FRA and MUC are now ATV-free. Stay in the international transit area (FRA and MUC have one).
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Smart Borders (ETIAS status; page lists news up to 27 October 2026) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026) , Travel Facilitation at German Airports for Indian Nationals Takes Effect , I'm planning a trip by air and have to transit at a German airport. Do I need a visa?
China (mainland) passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Annex I national (PRC ordinary passport): Schengen C visa needed to leave the airport. Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR passports are visa-exempt (not covered here). Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common ATV list or on any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
Brazil passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
Mexico passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
South Africa passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Annex I national: Schengen C visa needed to leave the airport. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa).
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common ATV list or on any national ATV list (the 'South Sudan' rows of national lists do not concern South Africa).
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026) , Do I need an airport transit visa? (Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa)
Philippines passport
Leave the airport: Not without a visa Annex I national: Schengen C visa needed to leave the airport. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period (as allowed by the visa).
Change planes airside: Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies France only (CDG): France's national ATV list includes the Philippines (ordinary passports; seafarers with an ILO seafarer's identity document are exempt). Exempt from the ATV: holders of a valid Schengen visa, long-stay visa or residence permit; a valid visa issued by Cyprus, Ireland, Canada, Japan or the USA; a residence permit of Ireland, Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino, the USA or the UK. A UK visa does NOT exempt. At AMS, FRA, MUC, ZRH, HEL, LIS, MAD: free (no ATV).
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026) , Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 , Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 (UK visa example) , Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 (c)
Japan passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
South Korea passport
Leave the airport: Yes, no visa needed Visa-exempt; EES registration at entry. ETIAS not yet required. Stay: 90 days in any 180-day period.
Change planes airside: No document needed to stay airside Not on the common or any national ATV list.
Official source: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 , Visa policy , Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) , Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) , Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) , List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026)
How much time you get in the city
Being allowed out is half the answer; the other half is the clock. Count the time to get off the plane and through immigration, the trip into town and back, and getting back early enough for security and the gate. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS): the fastest public option, NS train Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal, takes 17 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Frankfurt Airport (FRA): the fastest public option, S-Bahn S8/S9 from the regional station under Terminal 1 to Hauptwache (Hauptbahnhof approx. 15 min), takes 20 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Helsinki Airport (HEL): the fastest public option, HSL commuter train I or P to Helsinki Central station, takes 30 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 35 min. Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS): the fastest public option, Metro Red line Aeroporto-Saldanha, change to Green line (Alameda) for Rossio / Baixa-Chiado, takes 20 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD): the fastest public option, Renfe Cercanías C1 from Aeropuerto T4 to Atocha (C1 continues to Príncipe Pío; does not stop at Sol), takes 25 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 15 min. Munich Airport (MUC): the fastest public option, S-Bahn S8 (via Ostbahnhof) or S1 (via Moosach) to Marienplatz / Hauptbahnhof, takes 40 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): the fastest public option, RER B train to Châtelet-Les Halles (25 min to Gare du Nord), takes 40 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min. Zurich Airport (ZRH): the fastest public option, SBB train Zürich Flughafen to Zürich HB, takes 15 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 4 h 55 min.
The planner on each airport page does this for your own flight times and lets you change every assumption.
Questions
Do I need a transit visa for the Schengen area?
Holders of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Japan and South Korea passports can change planes airside without any document. Philippines passports need a transit visa to connect, unless one of the official exemptions applies.
Can I leave the airport during a layover in the Schengen area?
It depends on your passport. Without a visa: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and South Korea. Only with a visa: India, China (mainland), South Africa and Philippines. EU / EEA / Switzerland citizens are at home here.
How long a layover do I need to leave the airport?
With our cautious defaults (45 minutes to get out, the trip into town and back plus 20%, 120 minutes back before departure, at least 90 minutes in the city): Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS): the fastest public option, NS train Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal, takes 17 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Frankfurt Airport (FRA): the fastest public option, S-Bahn S8/S9 from the regional station under Terminal 1 to Hauptwache (Hauptbahnhof approx. 15 min), takes 20 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Helsinki Airport (HEL): the fastest public option, HSL commuter train I or P to Helsinki Central station, takes 30 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 35 min. Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS): the fastest public option, Metro Red line Aeroporto-Saldanha, change to Green line (Alameda) for Rossio / Baixa-Chiado, takes 20 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 5 min. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD): the fastest public option, Renfe Cercanías C1 from Aeropuerto T4 to Atocha (C1 continues to Príncipe Pío; does not stop at Sol), takes 25 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 15 min. Munich Airport (MUC): the fastest public option, S-Bahn S8 (via Ostbahnhof) or S1 (via Moosach) to Marienplatz / Hauptbahnhof, takes 40 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): the fastest public option, RER B train to Châtelet-Les Halles (25 min to Gare du Nord), takes 40 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 5 h 55 min. Zurich Airport (ZRH): the fastest public option, SBB train Zürich Flughafen to Zürich HB, takes 15 minutes, so plan a layover of at least 4 h 55 min.
Official sources
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Annex 7A - Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to hold an airport transit visa (Visa Code Annex IV) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
AFGHANISTAN BANGLADESH DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ERITREA ETHIOPIA GHANA IRAN IRAQ NIGERIA PAKISTAN SOMALIA SRI LANKA
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List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa ... one/some Member States (PDF created 30 June 2026) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
List of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports situated on the territory of one/some Member States
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Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 (European Commission):
(b) holders of a valid visa issued by – Cyprus or Ireland; – Canada, Japan or the United States of America
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Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 (UK visa example) (European Commission):
holders of valid visas issued by the United Kingdom are not exempt from the airport transit visa requirement.
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Handbook for the processing of visa applications, C(2024) 4319, point 3.3.1 (c) (European Commission):
issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino, the United States of America or the United Kingdom guaranteeing the holder’s unconditional readmission
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Visa policy (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
Nationals of certain countries must have a visa - called an airport transit visa - even to simply transit through the international (non-Schengen) part of an EU airport.
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Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality (Annex CH-1, List 1), version of 3 April 2026 (State Secretariat for Migration SEM (Switzerland)):
Visa required for stays of up to 90 days
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Practical Handbook for Border Guards, C(2022) 7591, Part on air borders 1.5(a) (European Commission):
Passengers on a flight from an airport located outside the area without internal border controls to a Schengen State must be subject to an entry check at the airport of arrival of this flight.
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Practical Handbook for Border Guards, C(2022) 7591, air borders 1.4 (European Commission):
Access to the international transit area must be controlled; checks will normally not be carried out in the transit area
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Main differences between the EES and ETIAS: What travellers need to know (28 April 2026) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
The EES is fully operational across all Schengen countries since 10 April 2026.
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The new Entry/Exit System went live on 12 October (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
The new Entry/Exit System went live on 12 October
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Smart Borders (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026.
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Smart Borders (ETIAS status; page lists news up to 27 October 2026) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point.
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Main differences between the EES and ETIAS (28 April 2026) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
ETIAS is scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026.
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Smart Borders (ETIAS start announcement) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.
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Travel Facilitation at German Airports for Indian Nationals Takes Effect (German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office)):
Indian nationals will no longer require a transit visa when traveling to another country
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I'm planning a trip by air and have to transit at a German airport. Do I need a visa? (Federal Foreign Office (Germany)):
Only five airports in Germany have an International Transit Area.
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Do I need an airport transit visa? (Embassy of Switzerland in South Africa) (Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA)):
you are allowed to transit through Switzerland and stay in the airport international transit area without any visa.
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The European travel authorisation ETIAS will cost EUR 20 (17 July 2025) (European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs):
The European travel authorisation ETIAS will cost EUR 20
Checked against these sources on 2026-11-01. Rules change; the airline and the border officer have the final word. Found something out of date? Tell us.