Big relief for Indian flyers: After France, Germany scraps airport transit visa requirement

The German Embassy in Delhi has kept a promise made in January this year and announced that Indian nationals will no longer need a transit visa when traveling to another country with a stopover at a German airport.

“Abolition of the so-called airport transit visa requirement for Indian citizens was announced in the Federal Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) on June 2, 2026 and becomes effective on June 3, 2026,” said a press release from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany New Delhi shared by ANI.

“This is the result of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s trip to India in January this year. It underlines the commitment of the federal government to deepen relations with Germany and India, facilitate the movement of people and further strengthen economic ties,” the note reads.

During the visit of Federal Chancellor Merz to India on 12–13 January 2026, it was announced that Germany intends to abolish the airport transit visa requirement for Indian nationals in the near future.

“This decision underlines the federal government’s commitment to deepen German-Indian relations, facilitate the movement of people between our countries and further strengthen economic ties,” said a statement released by the German missions in India.

She said airport transit visas would no longer be required once the federal Home Office formally implemented the decision. “This is expected to happen over the next few months,” the statement said.

However, he added: “The exact date from which airport transit visas will no longer be required will be announced in due course.”

Now, months later, it has been announced that Indian nationals will no longer need a transit visa when traveling to another country with a stopover at a German airport.

In April this year, France abolished transit visa requirements for Indian passport holders.

The Embassy of France in India issued a statement saying, “Indian nationals holding an ordinary passport are no longer required to have an airport transit visa when passing through the international zone of airports located in French territory.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said at a press conference that the decision reflects the enduring partnership between India and France, “elevated to the level of a special global strategic partnership during the recent visit of President Macron and further facilitating the smoother movement of people and strengthening people-to-people ties.”