Transit Visa

It is not clear what your flights are.
A) Cairo to Zürich
B) Munich to USA
But what about between Zürich and Munich, is that fly, train, or what? And how long between the two flights?

The important facts are:

• Both Germany or Switzerland are in the Schengen Area
• As a US citizen you do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180.
• If you are flying to from outside the Schengen Area, and taking an onward flight to a destination outside the Schengen Area, on the same ticket, then you stay "airside" and do not technically enter the Schengen Area.
• If you are flying: Outside - Schengen --> Schengen location A --> another Schengen location (B), then you must enter the Schengen Area at A, as the flight from A to B is a Schengen internal flight.
  • As a US passport holder this is no issue, you just get stamped in and out.

It might help to more clearly state your Itinerary, including some dates...It sounds like you will leave Cairo, landing in Zurich, changing planes to Munich, changing planes to a flight to the US, likely all the same day, or next day?

If so, then that would require entering the Schengen Zone as the Zurich to Munich Flight will essentially be the equivalent of a domestic flight, no ability to stay in International Transit.

If you only have a US Passport, there should be no issue, you can enter the Schengen Zone for transit, unless you are over your 90 in 180 days limit, then yes, you may need some additional allowance. If you have dual Egyptian/US citizenship and passports for both, you still should not need a Transit Visa, but must present the US Passport to enter the Schengen Zone. Since you will leave Egypt on your Egyptian Passport, the manifest will list your Nationality as Egyptian, so that may create some confusion possibly, but showing Dual Citizenship should clear that up. If you only had an Egyptian Passport, then yes, you would need a Transit Visa.

You might contact the Swiss Embassy, as your entry point, for further clarification.

Yeah sorry, forgot to say there's a flight from ZRH TO MUC. Looks like I'm in the clear. Thanks a lot!

Ok here are the details. I'm a US citizen and only hold that passport. Flying out of CAI on November 30 to ZRH (50 minute layover) and then on to MUC (3 hour layover) before flying home to LAX. All on the same day.

Thank's for the clarification.
You will have to go through passport control in both Zürich and Munich, stamped in to the Schengen Area in Zürich and out again in Munich. With a US passport this should be no problem, unless you have already used up your 90 days.
50 minutes in Zürich should be OK as long as your incoming flight is on time.

This sounds like a curious route, could you not fly direct from Cairo to LAX, or at least with only one connection?

I am assuming this is all on one ticket. If not, then you have to collect your bags and check in again, which would take longer.

Hi Chris, yes it's all the same ticket. Yes, I originally had a connection in MUC only. I changed the flight because there was a schedule change with my original flight which resulted in a 50 minute layover in MUC. I'm flying business class from MUC to LAX and I changed my flights to arrive in MUC earlier to take advantage of the business class lounge haha.

BTW I also chose the Swiss Air option (option B was transit through Athens) because I'm hoping I can make a quick pit stop at COOP and buy some Cailler chocolates. Assuming the flight is on time do you think that's doable?