Do I need German Transit B visa?

Does a moroccan national need a visa to transit through spain?

• I apologise sincerely if this subject has been covered in a previous place. I had planned a trip to Turkey with my boyfriend this July. I suggested this destination as he is a Moroccan National and it is one of the few places he is able to travel to without a visa. The problem is that whilst all (affordable) direct flights have already been booked, I suggested that he books a flight through Iberia or Alitalia, they fly Casablanca - Turkey connecting in Madrid and Rome respectively. I checked for information regarding transit visas and apparently, for a Moroccan National who is travelling through a Schengen State, in transit from and to a non schengen state, with proof of the ongoing journey, not leaving the transit area, with proof of maintenance and sufficient funds for their stay - will not require a transit visa. Apparently this is the same for transit through Italy also - as long as the transit period is less than 48 hours and you do not leave the Airport ie do not travel through border control and into the Country. I lifted this infromation from a website called http://www.timaticweb.com/ which is IATA registered and states that its border control infromation is taken from the TIM (Travel Information Manual). So, I belive that Moroccan Nationals, travelling through Spain or Italy, via an airport large enough to route is transit passngers to a connecting flight area rather than border control should be able to implement these regulations? right? Well, my boyfriend tried to but his ticket through Iberia today and he was told that unless he has a schegen visa, he will be returned to Casablanca. Apparently too many Moroccan nationals have snuck into Spain using this tactic (???? the agent's words not mine) and therefore the Spanish authorities are returning moroccan nationals without schengen visas. I dont really understand this on two levels: 1. there is border control for a reason - and transit travellers shouldnt need to go through border control AT ALL in international airports and hence the exemption of a visa requirement as long as the travller can show a genuine intention to travel on to a third country (maintenance and connecting flight confirmation) 2. The regulations are EU regulations right? and not policies that individual airports can withdraw without notice. ie, if theSpanish consulate in Casablanca confrims that a visa is not required to transit through Spain in the way described above, can the airport still refuse him entry onto his connecting flight? just to be clear, the airline will transfer his baggage and he will be waiting only 1.5 hours for the connecting flight. so if anyone out there can help me clarify this - it will help me save him £300 as he is adamant that he will book and attempt this flight despite the agent's warning. any advice is appreciated! many thanks fuzzy

• Answer:

  Sorry to be harsh, but those travel agents are really a pain in the a***. If you check the visa requirements for an Airport Transit Visa for citizens of Morocco you can read that only the Czech Republic (CZ) requires them to hold a visa. http://www.udiregelverk.no/~/media/Images/Rettskilder/Visa%20Code/Visumh%C3%A5ndboken%20med%20vedlegg/handbook%20annex%2007B.ashx .. All other Schengen countries allow the transit provided the Moroccan passport holder shows that he: • arrives and departs from/to a non-Schengen country • continues his journey to a third country on a connecting flight • holds a ticket with confirmed seats for his next destination • holds all documents required for his next destination (valid Moroccan passport [http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa ..]) • has his luggage checked through to his final destination • does not leave the airport transit area http://www.timaticweb.com/cgi-bin/tim_website_client.cgi?SpecData=1&VISA=&HEALTH=&page=both&NA=MA&AR=00&TR=ES&DE=TR&VT=MA&EM=MA&PASSTYPES=PASS&user=SKYWEB&subuser=SKYWEB1 On the website of the Spanish Embassy in London you can also read which countries require an airport transit visa [footnotes 1 and 2]; Morocco is not among them. http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Consulados/Londres/en/MenuPpal/Servicios/Visados/Paginas/visaenter_services.aspx .. Just disregard the advise of that stupid travel agent and have him book his ticket; he just needs to make sure that he will only transit through one Schengen country on his way from Morocco to Turkey and back home. For a transit via Spain and Italy he would need a type C transit visa..