The decision, first announced in January during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s official visit to India on January 12–13, has now been formally published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt), confirming its implementation from Tuesday.

“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 on June 2, 2026, and takes effect on June 3, 2026,” the German Embassy in New Delhi said in a statement on its website.

It further stated that the move reflects outcomes of discussions during the German Chancellor’s visit earlier this year and underscores efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

“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,” the statement added.

India welcomes decision

Welcoming the development, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India appreciates Germany’s decision to operationalise the visa waiver for Indian nationals transiting through its airports.

“We welcome the operationalisation by Germany of the announcement waiving requirement of transit visa for Indian nationals transiting through Germany, exclusively by air, with effect from June 03, 2026,” Jaiswal said in a post on X.

He further noted that the announcement followed discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Merz during the German leader’s visit to India in January 2026.

“This new arrangement would further enhance people-to-people ties between India and Germany,” he added.