Transit visa
A transit visa allows travelers to pass through a country on their way to another destination. Depending on the type, it may permit only airport layovers without leaving the transit zone (airport transit visa) or allow short entry into the country for a limited time (standard transit visa)—a few hours to 5 days.
The processing time and conditions of a transit visa vary between countries. For instance, an application for Germany’s transit visa is typically reviewed between 2 and 4 weeks, while an Airport Transit Schengen visa takes 15 to 45 days to be processed.
The requirements for applying for a transit visa include
- a valid passport,
- a completed visa application form,
- a passport-sized photograph,
- a evidence of your travel itinerary as proof of onward travel,
- a visa for the final destination, if needed, and
- a birth certificate and parental consent letter in case of unaccompanied minors.
Transit visas are different from digital nomad visas. The latter is issued for longer periods—often several months to a year—and is designed for remote workers who want to live in a foreign country while working online.
