Do holders of refugee documents need a transit visa for the Schengen area?
I will be traveling to Ghana, but I will have a layover in the Netherlands. As the holder of a Canada travel document, do I need a transit visa? I already have a Ghanaian visa.
I do have a Canadian permanent resident permit. My flight route: Vancouver transit Schipol-Accra. Returning: Accra-transit in Paris-Vancouver. I have a Ghanaian visa in my travel document because Ghana is my destination
Best Answer
According to the Schengen visa code:
5) The following categories of persons shall be exempt from the requirement to hold an airport transit visa provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2:
...
(b) third-country nationals holding the valid residence permits listed in Annex V issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States of America guaranteeing the holder’s unconditional readmission;
(c) third-country nationals holding a valid visa for a Member State or for a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area of 2 May 1992, Canada, Japan or the United States of America, or when they return from those countries after having used the visa;
So the answer is yes, you may transit the Schengen area visa-free if you have a Canadian residence permit or visa. The same applies if you were to have a residence permit or visa from USA or Japan.
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