Transit Visas

A transit visa will allow you to pass through immigration of the country and to remain for a fixed short period of time only.

There is great deal of confusion between a transit visa and an airport transit visa.

We will explain the differences.

An airport transit visa will allow you to land in a third country and then connect with your onward flight. YOU CANNOT GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION.

A transit visa differs in that you CAN GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION.

Examples:

A Pakistani passport holder flying to Spain by way of England will need a transit visa.

They need this visa to pass through immigration and to temporarily enter the country.

They fly into Heathrow and fly out from Gatwick they need to pass through immigration.

Although in the country for only 4-6 hours depending upon flight connections as they will be in country they need a transit visa.

An airport transit visa means that they cannot pass through immigration. Example.

A Pakistani passport holder flies into Frankfurt and flies out of Frankfurt to Canada then they will need an airport transit visa ( even if the transit time is only 1-2 hours)

Simply put:

Airport Transit Visa: DO NOT GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION

Transit Visa: CAN GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION.

Another distinction is that transit visas are generally for short periods of time only.

Normally from 1-72 hours.

Depending upon the country that you will be visiting if you will be in that country longer than 72 hours you will need a tourist visa/business visa or whichever visa is appropriate.

Depending upon the country that you will be visiting many transit visas are free of charge but you do need to check as this rule does not apply to every country.