Explaining Transit Schengen Visa Requirement for Indians

The new necessity has left many confounded and baffled, incapable to comprehend the justifications for why this prerequisite has been forced on them now, Visaoperation.com reports.

"Indians (residents of underdeveloped nations) focused on to apply travel visa causing a ton of itinerary screw-ups. I accept this is the last time I booked an EU transporter to fly from London to India… disgrace on policymakers," a Twitter client under the overseer @Prem6senthil composed, sharing his experience.

Other Indian nationals, who traveled to India to enjoy the Easter break with their loved ones in their nation of origin, have additionally encountered something similar. They have been compelled to book flights through different nations, similar to Bahrain, which don't need travel visas.

In any case, while this is another necessity for Indians venturing out to the UK, a travel visa has for quite a while now been expected for Indian nationals traveling four EU nations - the Czech Republic, France, Germany, or Spain - on the way to a non-EU objective country.

What Is a Transit Schengen Visa?

A Transit Schengen Visa is a visa given by the Schengen Area part nations to the nationals of explicit nations wishing to travel one of the EU air terminals while heading to their non-EU/Schengen objective country.

"An Airport Transit Schengen Visa is a grant assigned for voyagers that need to change trips at a Schengen air terminal. It empowers them to pause and stand by in the global travel region of a Schengen air terminal for their trip to their objective country," Visaoperation.com notes, further making sense of that this visa doesn't permit the holders to leave the worldwide travel region of an air terminal, regardless of whether the explorer needs to stand by for the time being. With regards to a customary Schengen Visa for the travel industry, family visits, business and different purposes for a transient stay in the Schengen Area, the part nations have a joint rundown on who needs a visa and who doesn't. Notwithstanding, the case is different for Transit Schengen Visas.

The Schengen Area nations have two records, one joint rundown and one 'customized' rundown of nations, explorers from which need a travel visa to travel their domain. The joint rundown comprises of:

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Iran
• Iraq
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka

This implies that identification holders of one of the nations recorded above will require a travel visa no matter what the EU/Schengen country they are set to travel while heading to their objective country.

Then again, with regards to 'customized' arrangements of nations, for instance, Austria additionally required a travel visa for explorers from Syria traveling its domain. Belgium has a more drawn out list, which incorporates Dominican Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Nepal, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, as well as Palestine.

Which EU/Schengen Countries Require Indians to Obtain a Transit Schengen Visa?

Right now, just four EU/Schengen nations require Indian identification holders to acquire a Transit Schengen Visa to travel their domain. These nations and their customized records are as per the following:

• The Czech Republic - Chad, Egypt, India, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Yemen, and Palestine
• France - Angola, Bolivia, Cameroon, Central African, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican, Guinea, Haiti, India, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, the Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Yemen, and Palestine
• Germany - India, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey
• Spain - Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, India, Liberia, Mali, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Syria, Togo, and Yemen

This implies that Indian residents can travel worldwide air terminals in other EU nations without a Schengen visa.

Why Weren't Indians Previously Required a Transit Visa to the UK?

As the UK was a part nation of the EU, traveling some other EU country on the way to the UK was conceivable limitation free, without extra necessities like travel visas.

Notwithstanding, since the UK left the EU on December 31, 2020, the equivalent began being viewed as a third country to the square, and in this way, explorers to its domain never again partake in similar advantages.

Beginning from January 1, 2022, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, and Spain reimposed the necessity on Indian visa holders going with air transporters like Lufthansa, Air France and KLM, traveling their air terminals while heading out to the UK.

Since up to this point, there have been no corresponding flights from India to the UK with a visit in these four EU nations, primarily because of COVID-19, the issue has reemerged just at this point.

What Other Choices Do Indians Who Don't Want to Obtain a Transit Visa Have?

Indians for whom applying for and acquiring a Transit Schengen Visa is an over the top obstacle can go through other EU nations which don't ask them for such a visa, similar to the Netherlands.