A transit visa is a visa for a country that you're not visiting or moving to, but just passing through on your way to a different country. Typically this means a country where you are doing an airport stopover, between flights. Unfortunately in some cases you will need a transit visa for this, even if you never leave the airport. 

When looking at plane tickets for our members to participate in our activities, we've seen that the most usual ones are for: the USA, Canada and Schengen area. Always be sure to check if you need one for the country where you are doing a stepover.

USA

According to the American Bureau of Consular Affairs, you will need a visa for transit in the USA. You must complete an online form, if you are aged between 14 and 79 you will have to attend an interview, and there is a fee of $160. However there is a visa waiver programme, whereby citizens of certain countries do not require a transit visa. In terms of IFM-SEI members, the waiver applies to the following countries: Belgium, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary,  Norway,  Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. 

Find more info here.

Canada

Canadian rules vary greatly depending on your nationality and the details of your trip. Citizens of many countries will only need to apply online for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), which usually only takes a few minutes, however other people may need to apply for a transit visa. You may not need a visa if you are travelling to or from the USA. You can use this link to find out your personal requirements.

If you do need a visa you can choose to apply online or on paper. It is possible you may be asked to attend an interview, attend a medical exam, or get a police certificate. According to the Canadian government's website, they process most transit visa applications within a few weeks or less. 

Schengen area

For transit in the EU Schengen zone, in terms of IFM-SEI member countries, citizens of Ghana and Iran will definitely need to get a visa, while for those from other countries it depends on the country that you're stopping in. You can find more information in the Schengen area part of the website