Germany offers visa-free transit for Indian travellers

Germany on Monday announced that Indian nationals will no longer require an airport transit visa while passing through its international transit areas, a move expected to ease travel for Indian passengers with layovers in German airports. The announcement was made during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first official visit to India. Previously, Indian travellers needed a Schengen transit visa even for secure international connections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the decision at a joint press conference with Chancellor Merz, describing it as a step that would further strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Germany.“The comprehensive roadmap on higher education developed today will give new direction to our partnership. I thank Chancellor Merz for announcing visa-free transit for Indian citizens,” PM Modi said, while also inviting German universities to establish campuses in India. During their discussions, the two leaders addressed key global and regional issues, including the conflict.

#WATCH | Gandhinagar, Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "I express my gratitude to Chancellor Merz for the announcement of visa-free transit for Indian citizens. This will further strengthen the ties between the people of both countries. I am happy that the German… pic.twitter.com/PjqgXP2TQr

— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2026

Chancellor Merz’s visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of India-Germany diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership.Under this new facility, Indian travelers transiting through Germany will no longer be required to apply for an airport transit visa when catching a connecting international flight. This development is set to remove a long-standing administrative hurdle for Indian passengers flying through key European hubs such as Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and others.

(State Correspondent)