Flying via France or Germany? Indians no longer need airport transit visa

Indian passport holders can now transit through French airports without a visa from April 10, 2026. Here's who the exemption applies to

Indians transiting through France exclusively by air will no longer require an airport transit visa, after the French government operationalised an agreement to remove the requirement.

 

In a statement issued on Thursday, the French embassy said: “With effect from April 10, 2026, Indian nationals possessing an ordinary passport are no longer required to hold an airport transit visa when passing through the international zone of airports located on French territory.”

 

Earlier, Indian nationals were exempt from this requirement only if they held valid visas for the United States, Canada, Japan, or the European Union while transiting through France. The latest move removes that condition.

   

The development comes months after Germany announced in January that Indian nationals would no longer need a Schengen airport transit visa when passing through its international airports.

 

Who does it apply to?

 

The exemption applies to passengers who remain within the international transit zone of a French airport while travelling onward to a third country.

 

“This measure applies to passengers remaining in the international zone during a layover at a French airport en route to a third country,” the embassy said.

 

Agreement between India and France

 

The move follows an announcement made during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in February 2026, when he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to remove the transit visa requirement.

 

“Indian nationals transiting through the European territory of France exclusively by air will no longer require a transit visa with effect from April 10, 2026,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.

 

“We welcome the announcement on the operationalisation of visa-free transit for Indian nationals transiting through French airports. As you may recall, the removal of the requirement of transit visas for Indian passport holders was agreed between the prime minister and President Macron during their meeting in Mumbai in February this year,” said Randhir Jaiswal.

 

Germany had moved earlier

 

France is not the only European country to ease transit rules for Indian passport holders.

 

In January 2026, Germany announced that Indian nationals would no longer require a Schengen airport transit visa, also known as a Type A visa, when transiting through its international airports.

 

The exemption applies to passengers connecting through major hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich while travelling to a non-Schengen destination. The decision was announced during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first official visit to India on January 12 and 13, 2026.