The German government has officially confirmed that nationals from 20 countries must obtain an airport transit visa before travelling through any German airport, even if they do not intend to leave the terminal. This requirement applies to citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, and 16 other nations, who cannot use the transit privilege that most foreign travellers enjoy.
Full List of 20 Countries Affected
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, the following nationals must apply for a category A airport transit visa before travelling through Germany:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Turkey
These travellers are required to hold a category A airport transit visa regardless of their final destination. Unlike most foreign visitors, who can pass through German airports without a visa as long as they stay within the international transit area and their destination is outside the Schengen zone, citizens of these 20 countries do not enjoy that privilege.
Five German Airports with International Transit Areas
The German government also clarified that only five airports in Germany have an International Transit Area, which is the zone that allows travellers to stop over without formally entering the Schengen area. These are Frankfurt/Main, Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Berlin-Brandenburg.
Hamburg's transit area operates only between 4:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Düsseldorf's facility runs from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and only where the airline has made prior arrangements with the Federal Police.
Impact on Travellers and Next Steps
Travellers whose stopovers require them to cross into the Schengen area—for example, to change terminals or because their final destination is within Schengen—may need a separate entry visa. The German government advised all affected passengers to apply for the appropriate visa well before their travel date.
In a related development, Germany has previously named eight countries whose citizens can enter without a visa to live with their parents, and US passport holders are among those granted this privilege. Upon arriving in Germany, they may proceed directly to the local immigration office, known as the Ausländerbehörde, to begin the residency application process without first going through a consulate.
