There are 44 European countries; of these, 27 are Schengen countries. India is not connected via air to all these countries. Only a handful of European countries are connected by direct air connectivity from India. Major European Airlines, like Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, etc., connect India with other parts of the world with their hubs in European countries. You may be planning to transit through these hubs, and you may need a Schengen or Europe Transit Visa to transit through their hubs.
European Countries Direct Air Connectivity with India
Nine European countries are directly connected to India and are as follows:
- Austria
- Denmark
- France
- Finland
- Germany
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
Why should you be aware of the Europe Transit Visa?
Several Airlines have hubs in Europe and will connect you to other parts of the world. You likely won’t be leaving the airport for connecting flights, yet you may still be objected to a Transit Visa. For Example, Not all Schengen Countries allow Indian Travellers to transit in the country without a Valid Transit Visa. Also, there may be exemptions for Indian Travellers if they hold visas from some other countries.
Austria Transit Visa [No Visa]
Air India flies to Vienna in Austria. Indian travellers transiting through Austria are not required a Transit Visa if they do not leave the international transit zone of an airport during a stopover. Austria Air, the flag carrier of Austria and Air India are Star alliance members.
Denmark Transit Visa [No Visa]
Air India files directly to Copenhagen, Denmark’s Capital. If Indians are transiting via Denmark, they don’t need a transit visa until they leave the international transit zone.
France Transit Visa [Visa Required]
Air India, Air France & Vistara files to Paris, France from India. Transiting via France requires Indian Travellers to have a Transit Visa.
If you are unsure whether you require a transit visa from France, use this Visa Wizard on the French government website. You will get results like the one below:
Finland Transit Visa [No Visa Required]
Finnair flies to Helenski and will connect to another part of the world. Indians transiting through Finland don’t need a transit visa if they don’t leave the international transit area of an airport during a stopover or a change of flights.
Germany Transit Visa [Visa Required]
Air India, Vistara, and Lufthansa fly directly to Germany. And Indian travellers transiting through Germany need a Transit Visa. Air India & Lufthansa are Star alliance members that can offer connecting flights to other parts of the world.
Italy Transit Visa [No Visa Required]
ITA Airways and Air India fly directly to Italy, and if Indians are transiting via Italy, they don’t need a Transit Visa.
Netherlands Transit Visa [No Visa Required]
Air India & KLM, a SkyTeam airline, fly directly to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Indians transiting via the Netherlands don’t need a transit visa if they don’t leave the international transit area of an airport during a stopover or a change of flights.
If unsure, you can check the Government website to see whether you need a Netherland Transit Visa online. For Example, I checked for transiting via the Netherlands to my final destination in Egypt with the change of plans, and the result was that I don’t need a Visa to transit.
You can use Flying Blue miles to fly KLM airlines.
Poland Transit Visa [No Visa Required]
Indians don’t need a Transit Visa if transiting through Poland.
Switzerland Transit Visa [No Visa Required]
Air India & Swiss Air fly directly to Switzerland. Indian travellers transiting via Switzerland don’t need a transit visa if they don’t leave the international transit area of an airport during a stopover or a change of flights.
United Kingdom Transit Visa [Visa Required]
The United Kingdom has two types of Transit Visas. One is a “Direct Airside Transit Visa” or DATV, and the other is a Visitor in Transit Visa.
If you will not be passing through immigration control, then you will need a DATV, and if you will pass through Immigration Control for transiting, then you will need a Visitor in Transit Visa.
If you are unsure whether you will need a transit visa, you can check by answering some questions.
Summary
| Country | Transit Visa | Airline Hub |
| Austria | No | Austrian Airlines |
| Denmark | No | Scandinavian Airlines [SAS] |
| France | Yes | Air France |
| Finland | No | Finnair |
| Germany | Yes | Lufthansa |
| Italy | No | ITA Airways |
| Netherlands | No | KLM |
| Poland | No | Polish Airlines |
| Switzerland | No | Swiss Air |
| United Kingdom | Yes, DATV | British Airways, Virgin Atlantic |
Frequently Asked Questions
Only four Schengen Countries require a Transit Visa for Indians. These countries are Czechia, Germany, Spain & France—official Link.
You won’t need a Schengen Transit Visa if you have a Valid Schengen Tourist Visa.
You can transit via Schengen countries with a valid USA, Canada or Japan Visa.
If you have a Valid Canada, New Zealand, Australia or USA visa, Indian Travellers don’t need a Direct Airside Transit Visa—official Link.
Use Online Visa Checker
Even though I have tried to simplify the Europe Transit Visa for Indian travellers, their itineraries may be complex, involving multiple countries, and it is better to check from reliable sources to know if you need a transit visa.
For Example, Skyteam has a good and easy Visa Checker. You need to fill in the details, which will tell you what Visa you need.
Another good option is Traveldoc, which has a more explicit interface and mentions if you require a transit visa.
Other options can be checking airline websites as some of them also have a handy Visa Checker like Emirates & Vistara.
Bottomline
Schengen & Europe Transit Visa may apply to Indian Travellers transiting through certain countries. It is always better to check before you may want to book your next flight ticket.
