Visahjelp

Airport transit visa (ATV) — NOT REQUIRED for Vietnamese passport holders (as of 2026-05-14)

The Airport Transit Visa (Type A) is not required for Vietnamese passport holders. This visa exists only for nationals of a specific list of countries — Vietnam is not on that list. If you hold a Vietnamese passport and are connecting through a French airport without leaving the international transit zone, you do not need any separate visa for the transit. However, if your connection requires you to leave the international zone — for example, to stay overnight in a hotel outside the airport — you would need a standard Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) for that. Re-verify the list on france-visas.gouv.fr before each consultation, as it can be updated by EU regulation.

From the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“No ATV application required from Vietnamese passport holders for pure transit in airport international zones. For transit needs that involve leaving the international zone, apply for a standard Schengen short-stay visa instead. Re-verify the ATV-required nationality list on france-visas.gouv.fr/visa-de-transit-aeroportuaire before each consultation; the list is set by EU regulation and may be updated. EES does NOT apply to pure airport-transit-zone movement (no border crossing); EES DOES apply if the international zone is exited.”
— French Ministry of Foreign Affairs · French consulates

What you need

  • Not applicable — Vietnam is not on the ATV-required nationalities list per france-visas.gouv.fr/visa-de-transit-aeroportuaire. Re-verify the list before each consultation; ATV-nationality lists can be updated. **Operational note**: if the Vietnamese applicant needs to exit the airport international zone (e.g., for overnight layover with hotel stay outside the airport), they must obtain a standard Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) — see the tourism or family-visit subtypes for that procedural path.

Checklist

1
  • ATV NOT required for Vietnamese passport holders — verify list before consultation *

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