What's changed

Indian passport holders no longer require an airport transit visa to pass through a German airport air-side when travelling onward to a destination outside the Schengen Area, such as the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom. The exemption is confined to air-side transit — travellers who remain in the international transit zone — and does not extend to entry into the Schengen Area, which continues to require a Schengen visa where the traveller's nationality is subject to one.

The German Embassy in India described the measure as underlining the federal government's commitment to deepening German-Indian relations and facilitating the movement of people. The change traces to a commitment announced during Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to India in January 2026, now operationalised through the Federal Law Gazette.

Who's affected

The exemption applies to Indian nationals using German airports — including major hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich — as connection points on journeys to non-Schengen destinations. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the operationalisation, stating that the arrangement applies to Indian nationals transiting through Germany exclusively by air. The measure does not change the requirements for Indian travellers entering Germany or the Schengen Area, nor does it affect land or sea transit.

When it takes effect

The exemption took effect on June 3, 2026, the day after its publication in the Federal Law Gazette on June 2. Because the change removes a requirement rather than adding one, no transitional arrangements apply; Indian nationals transiting air-side from June 3 onward no longer need to hold an airport transit visa.