For years, an Indian passport holder changing planes in Frankfurt, Paris or Madrid on the way to the US, Canada or Latin America needed a Schengen airport transit visa (ATV), even without ever leaving the airport. In 2026 that changed for three of the busiest hubs. Spain, France and Germany have all removed the requirement for Indians, but a few Schengen countries still list India, and the exemption only covers one specific kind of layover.
This guide explains where you still need an ATV as of October 2026, when you need a full Schengen visa instead, and which existing visas already exempt you.
The short answer (October 2026)
- No ATV needed for Indians at: Spain (from 4 March 2026), France (from 10 April 2026), Germany (from 3 June 2026). Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium do not list India either.
- ATV still required for Indians: Czechia and Romania (India remains on their national lists).
- The exemption only works airside: you must stay in the international transit area and fly on to a country outside Schengen.
- Need a full Schengen visa if you pass passport control, change airports, re-check bags on a separate ticket, or have two stops inside Schengen.
What an airport transit visa is (and is not)
A Schengen airport transit visa (type A) lets you wait in the international transit zone of a Schengen airport between two international flights. It does not let you enter the Schengen Area, not even for a few hours. EU law requires it for nationals of a short common list of countries, and each Schengen state can add more nationalities to its own national list. India is not on the EU-wide list. Historically several states, including Germany, France and Spain, required it of Indians through their national lists, which is why so many itineraries via Europe needed one.
Country by country: the 2026 picture for Indian passport holders
| Transit country | ATV for Indians? | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Spain (Madrid, Barcelona) | No | Requirement removed from 4 March 2026, per the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi (notice of 19 February 2026). |
| France (Paris CDG, Nice) | No | Removed from 10 April 2026 by an order published in the Journal officiel on 9 April 2026. Applies to ordinary passports; France said it would review the measure after a six-month pilot. |
| Germany (Frankfurt, Munich) | No | Announced during Chancellor Merz’s visit to India in January 2026; in force from 3 June 2026 after an ordinance removed India from Germany’s transit list. |
| Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium | No | India does not appear on their national ATV lists. |
| Czechia (Prague) | Yes, unless exempt | India remains on the Czech national list. |
| Romania (Bucharest) | Yes, unless exempt | India remains on the Romanian national list. |
When “no transit visa” still means you need a Schengen visa
The removal of the ATV only covers a true airside connection. You need a normal short-stay Schengen visa (type C) if any of these apply:
- You pass through passport control, for example because your connecting flight leaves from a different terminal that requires immigration, or you want to step out of the airport.
- You change airports (Paris Orly to CDG, or Milan Malpensa to Linate).
- Your bags are not checked through, because the two flights are on separate tickets (“self-transfer”) and you must collect and re-check luggage landside.
- You have two stops inside Schengen, such as Delhi to Munich to Lisbon to São Paulo. The internal Schengen flight means you enter the Schengen Area.
- An overnight layover where you would leave the transit zone for a hotel.
Who was always exempt
Even in the countries that still require an ATV, Indian travellers are exempt if they hold any of the following (based on the EU Visa Code exemptions):
- A valid Schengen visa, a national long-stay visa or a residence permit of a Schengen state.
- A valid visa of the USA, Canada, Japan, Ireland or Cyprus, including when travelling back from those countries after using the visa.
- A valid residence permit of the USA (green card), Canada, Japan, Ireland, the UK, Andorra or San Marino that guarantees unconditional readmission.
Note that a UK visitor visa on its own does not exempt you; a UK residence permit does. Whether a UK eVisa is accepted as that proof has not been clearly confirmed by every country, so carry the share code and a printout and confirm with the airline.
How to apply if you still need an ATV
- Identify the transit country (Czechia or Romania in most remaining cases) and its visa centre in India.
- Prepare the application form, a passport issued within the last 10 years with at least three months’ validity beyond your trip, photos, your confirmed onward ticket and the visa for your final destination, if needed.
- Book an appointment and give biometrics (unless you gave Schengen fingerprints in the last 59 months).
- Apply no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before travel; decisions usually take up to 15 days.
Practical tips for Indians flying via Europe
- Book on one ticket. Through-checked bags on a single booking keep you airside. Self-transfer itineraries are where travellers get caught without a visa.
- Check the terminal. Some hub connections require a security or passport check between terminals. Your airline can tell you whether your connection stays airside.
- Avoid two Schengen stops. If your route touches two Schengen airports, you need a full Schengen visa regardless of the ATV rules.
- EES does not apply airside. The EU Entry/Exit System only registers you if you cross the border. A pure airside transit does not trigger it.
Sources
- Embassy of France in India, notice on the removal of the airport transit visa for Indian nationals (April 2026)
- Embassy of Spain in New Delhi, notice of 19 February 2026
- German Missions in India: Transit visa for Indians and the June 2026 implementation
- European Commission list of third countries whose nationals require an airport transit visa (version of 30 June 2026)
- EU Visa Code, Article 3 (airport transit visa exemptions)
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Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a transit visa for Frankfurt or Munich in 2026?
No, not for an airside connection. Germany removed India from its airport transit visa list from 3 June 2026. You still need a Schengen visa if you leave the international transit area or pass passport control. Source: German Missions in India and the German ordinance of 26 May 2026.
Do Indians need a transit visa for Paris Charles de Gaulle?
No. Since 10 April 2026, Indian ordinary passport holders can transit through French airports without an airport transit visa, as long as they stay in the international transit area and continue to a non-Schengen country. France described the measure as a pilot to be reviewed after six months. Source: Embassy of France in India; order in the Journal officiel, 9 April 2026.
Do Indians need a transit visa for Madrid or Barcelona?
No. Spain removed the airport transit visa requirement for Indian nationals from 4 March 2026. Source: Embassy of Spain in New Delhi, notice of 19 February 2026.
Which Schengen countries still require an airport transit visa for Indians?
As of October 2026, Czechia and Romania still list India for airport transit visas, unless you hold an exempting visa or residence permit. Source: European Commission list of airport transit visa requirements (30 June 2026).
Do Indians need a transit visa for Amsterdam Schiphol?
India does not appear on the Netherlands’ airport transit visa list, so an airside connection does not need one. Confirm with your airline before travel. Source: European Commission list of airport transit visa requirements (30 June 2026).
Does a US visa exempt me from the Schengen airport transit visa?
Yes. A valid visa for the USA, Canada, Japan, Ireland or Cyprus, or a valid residence permit of the USA, Canada, Japan, Ireland, the UK, Andorra or San Marino, exempts you in the countries that still require an airport transit visa. Source: EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), Article 3.
Is a UK visitor visa enough to avoid a transit visa?
No. A UK visitor visa alone is not an exemption. A UK residence permit that guarantees readmission is. Source: EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), Article 3.
I have two stops in Europe. Do I need a visa?
Yes. If your route touches two Schengen airports, for example Munich and then Lisbon, you enter the Schengen Area on the internal flight and need a regular short-stay (type C) Schengen visa. Source: EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), Article 3.
My flights are on separate tickets. Do I need a visa?
Usually yes. If your bags are not checked through, you must pass passport control to collect and re-check them, which means entering Schengen and needing a type C visa. Source: EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), Article 3.
Can I leave the airport during a long layover without a visa?
No. Leaving the international transit area means entering the Schengen Area, which requires a Schengen visa. Source: EU Visa Code (Regulation 810/2009), Article 3.
How do I apply for an airport transit visa if I still need one?
Apply to the consulate of the transit country (for example Czechia) with the application form, passport, photos, onward ticket and the visa for your final destination, no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before travel. Source: German Missions in India, airport transit checklist.
Will I go through the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) on an airside transit?
No. EES registers travellers who cross an external Schengen border. A pure airside transit does not cross the border. Source: EU Entry/Exit System rules (Regulation 2017/2226).