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I'm travelling from Saudi Arabia to London through Amsterdam. Do I need a visa for a 2-hour layover in the Amsterdam airport?

Do I need a Schengen visa?

I travelled to USA many times through Amsterdam airport and never needed to get a visa, but things may have changed.

Relaxed
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Eidan
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    Even though it is a duplicate, the Netherlands and Benelux actually have extra nationalities needing an airport transport visa in addition to the nationalities that require it in all Schengen countries -- see linked PDF on this Dutch government site: https://www.government.nl/topics/visa-for-the-netherlands-and-the-caribbean-parts-of-the-kingdom/documents/publications/2013/11/28/nationals-of-the-following-countries-need-an-airport-transit-visa-to-change-aircraft-at-an-airport-in-a-schengen-country – EMotion Sep 14 '16 at 15:31
  • I have a Saudi passport and Saudi Arabia is not in the list ,, guys it's just 2 hours layover to change aircraft,, I travelled to America through Netherland and I didn't need visa ,, but Now I have British visa ,, just want to make sure that I'm in the safe side... – Eidan Sep 14 '16 at 15:44
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    @Eidan in any event, your valid British visa would exempt you from the need for an airport transit visa, if you needed one. But you don't, so you're doubly fine. – phoog Sep 14 '16 at 16:07
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    @EMotion Most Schengen countries do, that's detailed in the answer to the other question. – Relaxed Sep 14 '16 at 16:09
  • I'd say this is not a duplicate of this question because it asks about specific airport. The other answer even mentions that "Whether you can transit without leaving this area will depend on your specific connection (airport/terminal, airline, time). For example, some German airports close at night, so that it's not possible to remain in the international area for an overnight transfer" - thus the actual answer would depend on the airport (and airport layout and sometime airlines). – George Y. Sep 14 '16 at 16:53
  • @GeorgeY. Yes it makes sense but the other question was designed to be more general as many seem concerned that we have too many visa questions and cannot possibly have one question for each airport/citizenship/destination combination, not to mention a few other parameters (personally I don't feel strongly either way). – Relaxed Sep 14 '16 at 20:31
  • I'm not sure about the usefulness of having a generic answer which essentially says "you may or may not need a visa depending on your citizenship and transit airport" - this is something more suitable for Wikitravel. But in Q-A format I would certainly expect - and answer - the questions related to specific circumstances. Yes, they might not be important in a year - but many questions here aren't (for example particular bus schedule questions), yet we still allow them, and not just say "various buses have different schedule" – George Y. Sep 15 '16 at 13:27

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Assuming you're flying through Schiphol airport, it has the airside transit, so you will not need to go through Schenghen area. All UK flights in AMS depart from a non-Schenghen zone (D-E-F-G gates), as well as the rest non-Schenghen flights. You'd only have a (rather long) walk from D gates to F gates or so.

As @phoong mentioned in comments, this only applies to citizens of the countries who do NOT need a transit visa for Netherlands. Saudi Arabia citizens do not.

Also, while this is the case with Schiphol, this is not the case with all airports. For example, my flight from Bucharest to Berlin (TXL) dumped us straight into the passport control, even though my next flight was outside EU, thus requiring me to go through passport control twice.

Regarding H/M gates mentioned below, there is a passport control booth, but an hour ago it was completely ummanned, so my idea of asking them how it worked failed. Most likely it worked similar to many Asian airports, where a passport booth is only manned when the gate is turned into "international" (in this case Schenghen) departure, and otherwise people just go to the gate without passport control.

George Y.
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  • Yes, through schiphol airport by KLM. – Eidan Sep 14 '16 at 15:55
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    It would be good if this answer noted that it doesn't apply to those who require an airport transit visa in the Netherlands. Nationals of the following countries need one, according to http://www.amsterdamairport.info/visa.html: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Colombia, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea *, Guinea Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Syria. – phoog Sep 14 '16 at 16:09
  • Sure, I'll add it. Didn't do it first because the OP explicitly asked whether he needs a Schengen visa; feel free to edit. – George Y. Sep 14 '16 at 16:10
  • Technically, some UK-bound flights (low-cost flights) depart from the H/M gates (IIRC H, M being the name the same gate get when they host a Schengen flight). Not sure whether a visa-free transit is possible in this case (with online check-in and hand-luggage only, it might be). – Relaxed Sep 14 '16 at 16:12
  • AFAIR (haven't been there a few weeks) only B and C gates host Schengen flights in AMS. But I will confirm on Fri, as I'm flying through AMS. – George Y. Sep 14 '16 at 16:13
  • @GeorgeY. Well, you're forgetting low-cost flights again. After a quick look-up, M is for Schengen flights and H for non-Schengen flights. You haven't listed H or M in either of your lists but the H-pier does exist, I can vouch for that, been there many times! – Relaxed Sep 14 '16 at 20:35
  • @GeorgeY. Regarding TXL, the Airport authorities will arrange dedicated transport to the next flight if notified by the Airline in advance. So visa-free transit is possible there too – Crazydre Sep 14 '16 at 22:41
  • The thing about TXL is that it is not built with separate air- and landside bits. Rather, a group of two to four (I think) gates are always joined by a time airside lobby behind security, but most of the airport is landside. Thus it is extra work to make an airside-only transit. – Jan Sep 15 '16 at 19:31
  • @Crazydre: do you have any info about this? Who should be notified, by whom and how? This may be worth a separate Q/A. – George Y. Sep 16 '16 at 10:21
  • @Relaxed: yep, you're right. Just left Schiphol an hour ago. – George Y. Sep 16 '16 at 10:33
  • @GeorgeY. The airline taking you to TXL must notify the handling manager at TXL via telex, providing your name, itinerary, flight date, nationality and seat number. The connection time must be at least 75 minutes, and the facility is not available if travelling with animals – Crazydre Sep 16 '16 at 12:21
  • @GeorgeY. This is briefly mentioned in this document from the German Missions in the US – Relaxed Sep 16 '16 at 17:10
  • Thank you. Again, might be worth another question as the situation with online checkin (and when your documents are only checked at gate, if at all) makes it unclear. – George Y. Sep 16 '16 at 21:01