Transit rules by country

For each country: may you change planes airside, and may you leave the airport? The planner on each airport page shows the details and official sources for your passport.

green no document needed · amber online authorisation, conditions or transit rules · red visa needed.

Canada

YYZ Toronto

Canada requires every air transit passenger to hold an eTA (visa-exempt nationals) or a visa (visa-required nationals), regardless of how short the connection is; US citizens and US permanent residents are exempt. Visa-required nationals who stay 48 hours or less can use a free transit visa; leaving the airport to visit needs a visitor visa (CAD 100 + biometrics). Two airside-only schemes waive the visa for flights to/from the US: Transit Without Visa (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan) and the China Transit Program; at Toronto Pearson they work only in Terminal 1, within 24 hours, without leaving the international transit area. An eTA holder can leave the airport during the layover if admitted by the border officer.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada – Yes, you are at home here
United Kingdom Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Australia Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation
New Zealand Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation
EU / EEA / Switzerland Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation
India Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
China (mainland) Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Brazil Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Mexico Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
South Africa Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Philippines Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Japan Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation
South Korea Online travel authorisation needed even to connect Yes, with an online travel authorisation

Checked 2026-11-01.

Hong Kong

HKG Hong Kong

Hong Kong has its own immigration control, separate from Mainland China. Passengers in direct transit by air who stay in the airport transit area need no visa or registration. All nationalities covered here can enter visa-free (or, for Indians, after free online pre-arrival registration) for a city visit; periods range from 14 days (IN, PH) to 180 days (British citizens). PRC passport holders travelling to or from another country may land for 7 days without an entry permit.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, under the visa-free transit rules
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Japan

HND TokyoNRT Tokyo

Japan has no airport transit visa: passengers who stay in the transit area of the same airport do not land and need no permission. Leaving the airport (including a Narita-Haneda transfer) is a landing: visa-exempt nationals (74 countries/regions, normally 90 days on arrival) simply enter; visa-required nationals (e.g. China, India, Philippines) need a visa, or may be granted a Shore Pass (port-of-call landing, up to 72 hours near the port) or a transit landing permission (leave within 3 days from another nearby port, e.g. NRT in, HND out), which the airline must apply for. JESTA (an electronic travel authorisation) is not in force; Visit Japan Web is an optional online arrival form that can speed up entry.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan – Yes, you are at home here
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Mainland China

PEK BeijingPVG Shanghai

Every foreign national may transit airside visa-free for up to 24 hours with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, staying in the port's restricted area (24-hour direct transit). Leaving the airport needs either the 30-day unilateral/mutual visa exemption (50 countries as of 2026-02-17, most until 2026-12-31), the 240-hour visa-free transit (57 countries as of 2026-08-20, onward ticket to a THIRD country or region, Beijing Capital/Daxing and Shanghai Pudong/Hongqiao are eligible ports), or a temporary entry permit from border inspection. Transferring between Hongqiao and Pudong counts as leaving the transit area and needs a temporary entry permit.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, under the visa-free transit rules
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
China (mainland) – Yes, you are at home here
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, under the visa-free transit rules
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Mexico

MEX Mexico City

Since 22 October 2023 Mexico requires anyone who needs a Mexican visa to carry it even for an immediate connection at a Mexican airport, so there is no visa-free airside transit for visa-required nationals. Anyone, of any nationality, is exempt from the Mexican visa if they hold a valid visa of Canada, the US, Japan, the UK or a Schengen country, or permanent residence in those countries or in a Pacific Alliance country (Chile, Colombia, Peru). Visa-exempt visitors may stay up to 180 days for tourism, transit or business. Brazilians need a visa, available since 5 February 2026 as a single-entry, air-only electronic visa.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
China (mainland) Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Brazil Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Only with an e-visa
Mexico – Yes, you are at home here
South Africa Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Philippines Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Panama

PTY Panama City

Tocumen (PTY) has an international transit zone: passengers whose nationality is not on Panama's transit-visa list can stay airside for up to 12 hours without a visa. Nationals on that list (e.g. India) need a transit visa unless they hold a valid multiple-entry visa or residence of the US, Canada, Australia, South Korea, UK, Singapore or an EU state (or meet other exemptions). To leave the airport, visa-exempt nationals need only a passport (US/Canada up to 180 days, others up to 3 months); visa-required nationals (China, India, Philippines) need a Panamanian visa or a valid visa/residence of the US, Canada, UK, EU, Japan, Korea, Australia or Singapore (Decree 521 of 2018, amended by Decree 196 of 2024), which allows up to 30 days.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Qatar

DOH Doha

Hamad International Airport (DOH) is a single-terminal hub where connecting passengers stay airside without passing immigration. Leaving the airport needs visa-free / visa-on-arrival eligibility (the Interior Ministry says over 95 nationalities) or a Hayya e-Visa; Qatar Airways passengers who are not visa-free can get a transit visa at the Discover Qatar Transit Desk for layovers of at least about 5-6 hours, valid up to 4 days. Per-nationality stay lengths could NOT be confirmed from a fetchable government page (MOI, Hukoomi and embassy sites failed), so most landside entries below rely on Qatar Tourism (visitqatar.com, marked official: false as instructed) and are listed under uncertain.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, with a visa on arrival
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Only with an e-visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Singapore

SIN Singapore

At Changi (SIN) passengers who connect without clearing Singapore arrival immigration have no specific requirements and need neither a visa nor the SG Arrival Card. If you must collect bags or a boarding pass and check in again (common with low-cost carriers), you enter Singapore and must meet normal entry rules. Most of the covered nationalities are visa-free; Indian nationals need a visa unless they qualify for the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility. Anyone clearing immigration must submit the free SG Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

South Korea

ICN Seoul

Incheon has a full airside transfer area: passengers who do not clear immigration need neither a visa nor a K-ETA. To leave the airport, visa-free nationals need a K-ETA (KRW 10,000, valid 3 years) unless their country is on the temporary K-ETA exemption list, which runs until 2026-12-31 (no extension into 2027 announced yet). Visa-required nationals (e.g. IN, CN, PH) can enter visa-free for up to 30 days only under the 'tourists in transit' scheme (valid US/CA/AU/NZ or listed European visa, travelling to/from those countries). The airport's free transit tour (layovers up to 24h) is an entry into Korea and follows the same rules.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
India No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea – Yes, you are at home here

Checked 2026-11-01.

Thailand

BKK Bangkok

IMPORTANT CHANGE: the 60-day visa exemption of July 2024 was replaced by a new 30-day Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme effective 15 September 2026 (60 countries/territories, at most two entries per calendar year), alongside bilateral agreements (China 30 days; Brazil, Korea 90 days). Visa on arrival (15 days, THB 2,000) now covers only Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia. Everyone entering Thailand must submit the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within 3 days before arrival (since 1 May 2025). Airside connections at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) stay in the international transit area; no official page on airside transit rules was fetched.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

Schengen area

CDG ParisAMS AmsterdamFRA FrankfurtMUC MunichZRH ZurichHEL HelsinkiLIS LisbonMAD Madrid

A connection from a non-Schengen country to another non-Schengen country stays in the international (non-Schengen) transit area with no border check; only nationals on the common airport transit visa (ATV) list or on the airport country's national ATV list need an ATV there (France adds the Philippines; none of our other nationalities is on a list for these eight airports). If the journey chains a Schengen flight with a non-Schengen one, the passenger enters (or exits) Schengen at the airport where the external flight lands (or departs), so the normal entry rules apply. Leaving the airport means entering Schengen: visa-free nationals (Annex II of Regulation 2018/1806) get 90 days in any 180-day period and are registered in the Entry/Exit System (EES, fully operational since 10 April 2026); ETIAS is not yet in operation. Self-transfer with bag recheck also requires entry.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland – Yes, you are at home here
India No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Philippines Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

United Arab Emirates

DXB Dubai

Dubai International (DXB) connections normally stay airside; a transit visa is only needed if you are not visa-free / visa-on-arrival eligible and intend to step out of the airport. The UAE foreign ministry lists US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ, EU states, Switzerland, China, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Korea as 'Visa Free'; India, South Africa and the Philippines need a visa, but get a visa on arrival if they hold qualifying US/UK/EU (and since 25 June 2026 more) residence documents. Others can get a 48- or 96-hour transit visa, arranged before arrival through a UAE-based airline, travel agency or airport hotel.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Yes, with a visa on arrival
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.

United Kingdom

LHR London

Heathrow has airside transit: on a single booking you stay airside, even when changing terminals (free airside shuttle bus), and do not pass UK border control. Airside transit passengers currently do not need an ETA (a temporary exemption the Home Office keeps under review), but nationals on the Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) list (including India, China and South Africa) need a DATV unless they hold an exempting document such as a valid US, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand visa. Leaving the airport, self-transferring on separate tickets (bag recheck) or connecting to a domestic flight means passing UK border control: ETA nationals need an ETA (GBP 20), visa nationals need a Visitor in Transit visa (up to 48 hours) or a Standard Visitor visa, unless they qualify for landside Transit Without Visa.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
United Kingdom – Yes, you are at home here
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
India Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
China (mainland) Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
South Africa Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Not without a visa
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Not without a visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, with an online travel authorisation

Checked 2026-11-01.

United States

JFK New YorkLAX Los AngelesSFO San FranciscoORD ChicagoATL AtlantaDFW DallasMIA Miami

The United States has no airside (sterile) international transit: the Transit Without Visa provisions in 8 CFR 212.1(f) are 'Reserved', and CBP processing must be completed at the first US airport, so every connecting passenger is inspected by CBP and formally enters the US. Visa Waiver Program nationals therefore need an approved ESTA even for a same-airport connection; everyone else (except Canadians) needs a visa (C-1 transit or B-1/B-2). Checked bags are normally reclaimed, cleared through customs and re-dropped before the connecting flight. Once admitted, a passenger can leave the airport during the layover on the same ESTA/visa.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States – Yes, you are at home here
Canada No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation
Australia No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation
New Zealand No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation
EU / EEA / Switzerland No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation
India No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
China (mainland) No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
Brazil No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
Mexico No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
South Africa No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
Philippines No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Not without a visa
Japan No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation
South Korea No airside transit: everyone passes immigration Yes, with an online travel authorisation

Checked 2026-11-01.

Türkiye

IST Istanbul

Istanbul Airport (IST) has an international transit area: passengers who stay in the transit lounge need no transit visa, whatever their nationality (MFA FAQ). To leave the airport you need to be visa-exempt or hold a visa; many nationalities can get a single-entry e-Visa online at evisa.gov.tr (tourism or business only). Turkish Airlines runs a free city tour (Touristanbul) for 6-24h connections, but it still requires normal entry eligibility.

PassportChange planes airsideLeave the airport
United States No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Canada No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
United Kingdom No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Australia No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
New Zealand No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
EU / EEA / Switzerland No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
India No document needed to stay airside Only with an e-visa
China (mainland) No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Brazil No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
Mexico No document needed to stay airside Only with an e-visa
South Africa No document needed to stay airside Only with an e-visa
Philippines No document needed to stay airside Only with an e-visa
Japan No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed
South Korea No document needed to stay airside Yes, no visa needed

Checked 2026-11-01.