13/01/2026
Germany on Monday (January 12) announced a visa-free transit facility for Indian passport holders travelling through its airports, a move that is expected to ease international travel for Indian nationals and strengthen ties between the two countries.
Earlier, Indian nationals required the Schengen transit visa, while transiting via German airport or the wider Schengen area.
However, this facility will not allow the travellers to leave the international airport area or enter Germany. This facility will also not be applicable on Indian nationals who are planning to visit Germany for business, tourism or other such purposes.
The decision was announced in the India-Germany joint statement issued on Monday following German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s official visit to India from January 12–13.
This was Merz’s first visit to India and his first visit to Asia as Federal Chancellor.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Chancellor Merz for the visa-free transit facility announcement.
"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," PM Modi said at a joint press conference with Merz in Gujarat's Gandhinagar.