Good news! France scraps transit visa requirement for Indian passport holders

Indian nationals transiting through mainland France will no longer need an airport transit visa, with effect from April 10, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday, April 23.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal 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.”

Embassy of France shares details

Earlier in the day, 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."

The statement noted that during his recent visit to India in February 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron had announced that measures would be taken to ease Indian nationals’ travel via France.

"Subsequent to President Macron’s statement, a decree amending that of 10 May 2010 regarding the documents and visas required for the entry of foreigners into French territory was adopted, and published in the Official Gazette (Journal Officiel) on 9 April 2026," it added.

Consequently, with effect from 10 April 2026, 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, the embassy's statement said.

"This measure applies to passengers remaining in the international zone during a layover at a French airport en route to a third country," it read.

The embassy also informed that the change has also been reflected in the procedures on the France-Visas platform.

Other scenarios when you do not require an airport transit visa

As per the embassy, one does not require an airport transit visa if they are:

1. Holders of diplomatic passports
2. An aircraft crew member or a national of a country that is party to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation (except China)
3. A holder of a valid residence permit issued by a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area
4. A holder of a residence permit guaranteeing the right of return and issued by Monaco, the Principality of Andorra, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States or the Republic of San Marino, by one or more countries or public bodies from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius)
5. A holder of a valid visa for a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area, Canada, the United States or Japan, by one or more countries or public bodies from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius), regardless of the airport of departure and regardless of the airport of arrival located outside the Schengen Area In the case of a return trip, the holder of a visa issued by one of the above-mentioned countries is exempt from the airport transit visa even if the visa has been used and is therefore no longer valid, provided that the return trip is made from an airport located in the country that issued the visa
6. A family member of a national of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland
7. A holder of a valid Schengen visa, a national long-stay visa, or a residence permit issued by a Schengen country