Germany eases travel rules for Indians, scraps airport transit visa requirement

Indian citizens will no longer need an airport transit visa, according to a press note by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. This was announced in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) today, June 2, 2026, and will be effective from Tuesday, June 3, 2026.

"Indian nationals will no longer require a transit visa when traveling 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 Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany said in the press note.

"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," it added.

What this move means for Indian travellers

This means Indian passengers who use Germany as a connecting hub to travel to another country will no longer need to obtain a separate visa.

In January this year, Merz first announced the visa facilitation measure. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the decision and thanked Federal Chancellor for easing the travel rules for Indians.

At the same time, PM Modi also invited German universities to establish campuses in India. This was part of initiatives to improve bilateral relations and expand collaboration in higher education.