New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at facilitating travel and strengthening bilateral ties, Germany has announced that Indian nationals will no longer require an airport transit visa when travelling to a third country via German airports. The new rule will come into effect from June 3, 2026.
The announcement was made by the German Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday, bringing relief to thousands of Indian students, professionals, business travellers and tourists who transit through Germany each year while heading to destinations across Europe, North America and other regions.
“Indian nationals will no longer need 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 on June 2, 2026, and takes effect on June 3, 2026,” the embassy said in an official statement.
According to the embassy, the decision reflects Germany’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with India and promoting easier mobility between the two countries.
“It underlines the Federal Government’s commitment to deepening German-Indian relations, facilitating the movement of people, and further strengthening economic ties,” the statement added.
The embassy noted that the development follows German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to India in January this year, during which both sides discussed expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.
The move comes just weeks after France implemented a similar policy for Indian travellers. In April, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that Indian nationals transiting through mainland France exclusively by air would no longer require a transit visa from April 10, 2026.
Speaking at a media briefing at the time, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the French decision reflected the strong strategic partnership between India and France and would facilitate smoother movement of people while boosting people-to-people ties.
Following Germany’s latest decision, Jaiswal welcomed the development, stating in a social media post that the new arrangement would further strengthen people-to-people connections between India and Germany.
The waiver is expected to simplify international travel for Indian citizens and reduce both travel costs and administrative procedures for passengers using German airports as transit hubs.
https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2061848987771306106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2061848987771306106%7Ctwgr%5Ef4f08e37e56e5d4a5a268fea26af798ee64dbf25%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etvbharat.com%2Fen%2Fbharat%2Fgermany-waives-airport-transit-visa-requirement-for-indian-travellers-enn26060206141
