Germany's Visa-Free Transit For Indian Passport Holders Begins Today

New Delhi ( Raghwendra Pratap Singh) : In January 2026, Germany announced that Indian nationals would no longer require a Schengen Airport Transit Visa (Type A) when transiting through its international airports. The decision was announced during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's first official visit to India on January 12 and 13, 2026.

This exemption applies to passengers connecting through major German hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich while travelling onward to a non-Schengen destination.

Starting today, June 3, 2026, the removal of the airport transit visa requirement has officially come into effect.

In an official press note issued on June 2, 2026, the German Embassy in New Delhi stated, "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."

The note added, "This implementation is 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."