Transiting in a Schengen airport with a Romanian visa

Transiting in a Schengen airport with a Romanian visa - Young ethnic man in earbuds listening to music while waiting for transport at contemporary subway station

I am an Indian traveling from Dubai to Sibiu (Romania). I am planning to travel with Lufthansa via Munich. Dubai to Munich and Munich to Sibiu flights are at terminal 2 in Munich. I don't have an Schengen visa and I have only Romanian visa. Is there any immigration problem to do this transit at Munich terminal 2?



Best Answer

My understanding is that you don't need a visa. The reasoning is the following:

  • Generally speaking, airside non-Schengen transit in Munich (or other airports with an international transit area) does not require a Schengen visa as long as you don't want to enter the Schengen area.
  • As an exception, the citizens from some countries (originally listed in annex IV to the Schengen agreement) do need an “airport transit visa” (ATV), even if they don't want to enter the Schengen area. India is not on that list so this ATV is not required everywhere in the Schengen area but can still be required in specific country. Germany does require Indian citizens to have an ATV so you can't generally transit there without a visa.
  • As an exception to the exception, people who would otherwise require an ATV are exempted from the requirement if they have (or return after using) a visa from some non-Schengen countries including the US and, most importantly for this question, Romania (or, in fact, any EU/EEA member).

If you read carefully, all these rules are detailed in the relevant Wikipedia article. The German embassy in London also confirms this. In any case, if that's possible, it's always best to have the airline confirm it as they have to check that you have the right to transit in Germany before allowing you to board the plane in India.




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Can I enter Schengen with Romania visa?

No, since Romania is not part of the Schengen Agreement yet, a Romanian visa does not allow the holder to travel to or enter any country in the Schengen Zone.

Do I need a transit visa for a connecting flight in Europe?

A transit visa is a travel document allowing you to pass through another country until you reach your destination. For example, if you are traveling from India to the US, but you need to stop in the Schengen Zone to continue your flight for the US, you require a transit visa for the Schengen Area.

Do I need a visa to transit through Schengen?

If you are transiting through two different Schengen airports for onward travel to a country outside Schengen and the first transit airport is in the Netherlands, you need to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. Airport transit visas are not valid for this purpose.

Does Romania require transit visa for airport?

You must submit a completed and signed Schengen visa application form. In the online form indicate 'airport transit' as the main purpose of your journey. Each person travelling with you on your travel document must submit their own visa form.



Transit Visas for Europe - FAQ Fridays




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Gustavo Fring