A France Transit Visa is required if you are travelling from one country to another but you have a stopover in France. This visa allows you to stay at the France ports (Airport or Seaport) for up to 24 hours and you cannot leave the designated zone of the port. If the waiting time is more than 24 hours, you must have a Tourist Visa. In fact, this is needed for most countries because Schengen Countries don’t allow an individual to enter the area without a proper Schengen Visa.
Understanding Airport Transit Visa
The Airport Transit visa has been established by the Schengen States for the sole purpose of allowing you to stay (or wait) in France’s designated area if you have a change of flight (connecting flight). If you have a flight from one country to another but you have a change of connecting flight in France, you would require this visa. This visa allows you to stay in Airport’s International Zone for up to 24 hours maximum time.
Do I really need an Airport Transit Visa?
You will need an Airport Transit Visa if any of the below conditions are met:
- You hold an ordinary, service or special passport from any of these countries:
| Afghanistan | Bangladesh | The Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Eritrea | Ethiopia | Ghana |
| Iran | Iraq | Nigeria |
| Pakistan | Somalia | Sri Lanka |
- You hold an ordinary passport from any of these countries:
| Cameroon | The central African Republic | Chad |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Cuba | Dominican Republic |
| Haiti | Mali | Mauritania |
| Philippines | Republic of the Congo | Russia |
| Republic of Guinea |
- Service passport issued by the Republic of Guinea
- A travel document for Palestinian refugees
- ‘Refugee’ status from any country
Note: These conditions do not apply for holders of a diplomatic passport.
You do not need Airport Transit Visa if you are:
- Aircraft Crew Member
- Hold a Schengen Visa
- Hold a visa for a member of the European Union, European Economic Area, Canada, the United States, or Japan
Airport Transit Visa is further categorized into:
- One way ATV: Allows only one-way transit through France/Schengen country
- Return ATV: Allows a return transit in one or two Schengen countries
- Multiple ATV: Allows several transits through one or more Schengen countries
9 Surefire Ways to Improve Your Chances to Get Visa
- Passport (not older than 10 years, validity should be more than three months, at least 2 empty pages)
- Completed and signed short-stay visa application form
- Two recent passport-sized photos
- Visa for the final destination (for an onward journey, if applicable)
- A round-trip flight ticket reservation
- A cover letter, which is written by the candidate telling the reason for travelling to the final destination
- Bank statement of last three months
- Health insurance
- Visa fee payment proof
To know more in detail about the documents, you may read about the Schengen visa requirements.
Transit vs. Tourist Visa: Which one is preferred?
Transit Visa and Tourist visa are completely separate types of visas however the requirements, documents, fees, the procedure is the same. France tourist visa can be used to explore the country of France and other 25 Schengen states.
Blinkvisa recommends that you apply for Transit visa when your final destination is a non-Schengen country. If you apply for a Tourist Visa when you transit through France, you will be able to go outside the France International zone and explore the country as well during the time. Also, you’ll need to apply for a Tourist visa if your next flight is from different Airport, which means you’ll have to leave from one Airport and enter into France country to visit this second Airport. You cannot do that on a Transit visa.
Blinkvisa can help you get the Tourist visa with 100% cashback on your visa fees. You can use this cashback to book flights, hotels, and activities.
[su_button url=”https://blinkvisa.com/visa/france-schengen-tourist-visa” style=”flat” background=”#F49122″ color=”#ffffff” size=”6″ center=”yes” radius=”5″ icon=”icon: check” icon_color=”#ffffff” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Apply for France Tourist Visa[/su_button]
In conclusion, we recommend you to opt for Tourist visa as there is not much difference in requirements and fee, which are same for both.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where can I submit my documents for the visa?
If you’re in Bangalore, you can request for home pickup & drop service from Blinkvisa or you can come down to our office and submit the documents.
2. Is the visa fee refundable?
When you pay the visa fee, it is credited to your Blinkwallet as 100% cashback. You can use this cashback to book flights, hotels, and activities. Thus, it is akin to a refund. However, you may not encash it.
3. What is the exact process for France Schengen visa?
You can know how to apply for France Schengen visa here.
4. What are the documents required for the visa?
You will need certain mandatory documents like Passport, photos, itinerary, accommodation proof, bank statement and some additional documents are also required based on your current employment status and your purpose of visit. For more information, you can read France visa requirements.
5. I’m from Bangalore. How can I apply with Blinkvisa?
We can provide pickup and drop facility anywhere in Bangalore. You are also free to visit us to get more clarification. Our office address is:
L-176, Ground Floor, 5th Main, Sector 6, HSR Layout, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560102
To know more, please visit France visa from Bangalore.
