Visa category guide
A transit visa covers passing through a country on the way to somewhere else. Whether you need one depends on your passport, the transit country, whether you stay airside, and sometimes which other visas you already hold. It is the visa most travellers forget.
By Krosz Editorial Team · Reviewed by Krosz Visa Operations · Updated 2026-10-13
Typical stay
Hours to a few days
Work allowed?
No
Key document
Confirmed onward ticket
Big question
Airside or landside?
Overview
Airside transit means you stay in the international area and never pass immigration. Many countries allow this without a visa — but not all, and not for every passport. Landside transit means you pass immigration (to change airports, collect bags or stay overnight), which usually needs a transit or visitor visa.
Some countries require an airport transit visa even for airside connections, for certain nationalities. Several Schengen countries apply this to Indian passport holders in some situations, often with exemptions if you hold a valid visa for countries such as the US, UK or Canada. The US has no airside transit at all — every passenger passes immigration, so a visa is needed.
Separate tickets, airport changes and overnight connections are the usual traps. If your bags are not checked through, you will likely have to go landside.
At a glance
Dark marker = this category. Light dots = the other 11 categories. Positions are a typical, qualitative comparison and vary by country.
Visas in this category
Open any guide for permitted activities, full documents, process steps, refusal reasons and FAQs.
Flowchart
The general path most applications in this category follow. Exact steps differ by country.
Will you leave the airport or change airports?
Yes
Plan for a transit or visitor visa
No
Check airside rules for your passport
Map the full route
Every stop between departure and destination.
Airside or landside?
Same ticket, bags checked through and same airport usually means airside.
Check passport rules
Does this transit country need a visa for your passport here?
Check exemptions
A valid US, UK, Schengen or residence visa may exempt you.
Apply if needed
Airport transit, transit or visitor visa before you fly.
Compare
| Visa | Best for | How you usually apply |
|---|---|---|
| Transit Visa | Travellers with a layover in a country that requires a transit visa for their nationality. | Application before travel, often online or at an embassy, with the onward ticket. |
| Airport Transit Visa | Travellers whose nationality requires an airport transit visa for certain airports. | Application before travel with the onward ticket. |
| Crew / Seafarer Visa | Airline crew, ship officers and seafarers with a confirmed joining assignment. | Application with the crew assignment, vessel details and seafarer documents. |
A Krosz visa expert can match your trip to the right category and checklist.
Documents
A starting checklist for this category. Your destination and visa type decide the final list.
Passport
Valid for the whole journey.
Onward ticket
Confirmed travel to the final destination.
Destination visa
Valid visa for your final destination if needed.
Exempting visa
US/UK/Schengen/residence visa that may waive transit rules.
Crew documents
Seaman’s book or crew letter for crew transit.
Avoid refusals
For Indian passport holders
FAQ
Tell us where you're travelling and our visa experts will guide you on the right visa and documents.
Explore
Travel & visitor visas
Holidays, short stays and visiting family
Business visitor visas
Meetings, conferences and business trips
Work & skilled visas
Employment, sponsorship and skilled work
Nursing & care pathways
Named routes for nurses and care workers
Student & exchange visas
University, school and exchange programmes
Family & partner visas
Partners, spouses and eligible relatives
Investor & founder programs
Investment, startups and business ownership
Permanent residence
Settlement and long-term immigration
Digital nomad & remote work
Work online while living abroad
Protection & humanitarian
Humanitarian and protection pathways
Other named pathways
Specific roles and circumstances
Krosz is a private visa & travel assistance service — not a government website, agency or embassy. Visas are granted solely by the relevant government authorities.
Krosz is a private visa assistance platform and is not affiliated with any government or embassy. Visa decisions are made by the relevant authorities. Rules change — confirm the current requirements for your destination before applying. Last reviewed: 2026-10-13.
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