As of April 10, 2026, Indian citizens holding ordinary passports are no longer required to obtain an Airport Transit Visa (ATV) when transiting through French airports. This change was announced by President Macron during his recent visit to India. This new policy means that Indian travelers can navigate French airports without needing a transit visa. The announcement comes as part of Macron’s commitment to facilitate easier travel for Indian passport holders, which he emphasized during his trip to India in February 2026.
The French Embassy in India has also shared this update on X, confirming that from the effective date, passengers can stay within the international zones of French airports without needing an ATV while en route to another destination. According to the embassy’s press release, this exemption applies specifically to travelers who do not leave the international zone during their layovers.
Transit Visa For Indian Travelers No More A Requirement
As of 10 April 2026, holders of ordinary Indian passports no longer require an Airport Transit Visa (ATV) when transiting through the international zone of any airport in France, as announced by President Macron during his recent visit to India. #ChooseFrance pic.twitter.com/mHeCRpEsVL
— French Embassy in India 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@FranceinIndia) April 23, 2026
Additionally, a report from Business Today indicates that a decree revising an earlier regulation from May 10, 2010, was officially published in France’s Official Gazette on April 9, 2026, and these fresh transit rules took effect the following day. The previous 2010 order outlined the visa and document requirements for foreign nationals entering France.
In fact, in early 2026, Germany also announced that it would relax transit regulations for Indian passport holders. Indian travelers are no longer required to obtain a Schengen Airport Transit Visa when connecting to non-Schengen destinations at major airports such as Frankfurt and Munich. This new rule was revealed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his inaugural official visit to India on January 12-13, 2026.
