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

Keeping the promise made in January this year, the German Embassy in Delhi announced that Indian nationals will no longer require a transit visa when travelling to another country with a layover at a German airport.

"The lifting of the so-called airport transit visa requirement for Indian citizens was announced in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) on June 2, 2026, and takes effect on June 3, 2026," read the press note by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany New Delhi and shared by ANI.

"This implements a result of Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz's trip to India in January of this year. It underlines the Federal Government's commitment to deepening German Indian relations, facilitating the movement of people, and further strengthening economic ties," the note stated.

During Federal Chancellor Merz’s visit to India from January 12 to 13, 2026, it was announced that Germany intends to lift the airport transit visa requirement for Indian nationals in the near future.

"This decision underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening German-Indian relations, facilitating the movement of people between our countries and further strengthening economic ties," a statement posted by the German missions in India read.

It stated that airport transit visas will no longer be required as soon as the Federal Ministry of the Interior formally implements the decision. "This is expected to happen within the next few months," the statement read.

It, however, added, "The exact date from which airport transit visas will no longer be required will be announced in due course."

Now, months later, it was announced that Indian nationals will no longer require a transit visa when travelling to another country with a layover at a German airport.

In April this year, France scrapped transit visa requirement for Indian passport holders.

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

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said in a media briefing 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 facilitation of smoother movement of people and enhanced people-to-people ties.