Good news for Indian travellers. Indian citizens will no longer need a transit visa if they are travelling to another country and have a stopover at a German airport.
The announcement was made by the German Embassy on Tuesday, bringing relief to thousands of Indians who travel through Germany every year.
Contents
New Rule Effective From June 3
According to the embassy, the new rule came into effect on June 3, 2026.
Germany is a major transit hub for international travel. Every year, many Indian students, professionals, tourists, and business travellers use German airports while flying to other countries.
With this change, passengers will no longer need to apply for an airport transit visa when changing flights in Germany on their way to another destination.
Official Notification Published
The German Embassy said the decision was officially notified in the Federal Law Gazette on June 2, 2026.
In its statement, the embassy said that Indian citizens travelling to another country through a German airport are now exempt from the airport transit visa requirement.
Move Aims to Strengthen India-Germany Ties
The embassy said the decision reflects the German government’s commitment to strengthening relations with India.
According to the embassy, the move will help increase people-to-people connections, make travel easier, and support stronger economic ties between the two countries.
The decision comes after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited India in January this year.
France Had Also Given Similar Relief
Germany is not the only European country to ease transit rules for Indians.
In April, India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced that France had also introduced a visa-free transit facility for Indian citizens travelling through the European territory of France.
This means Indian travellers now have more convenient transit options while flying through both Germany and France.