France Lifts Airport Transit Visa Requirement for Indian Passport Holders — In Effect from 10 April 2026

On 10 April 2026, France officially lifted the Airport Transit Visa (ATV) requirement for Indian nationals holding ordinary passports.

The decree amending France's 10 May 2010 entry-and-visa regulation was published in the French Journal Officiel on 9 April 2026 and took effect the following day. The French Embassy in New Delhi confirmed the change on 23 April 2026.

The change followed President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to India in February 2026, where Prime Minister Modi and President Macron announced the agreement.

The exemption is specific and narrowly scoped. Understanding what it does and does not cover is critical to avoid being denied boarding or refused entry at a French border.

In practice, this exemption is most valuable for Indian travellers who do NOT hold a valid US, UK, Canadian, Australian, or Schengen visa. Previously, these travellers had to apply for a French ATV just to make an airside connection — adding cost, paperwork, and time. Now, they can simply book the flight and transit.

Indian nationals form the largest expatriate community in the UAE — approximately 3 million people, or 38% of the population. Many use Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) as a transit hub for onward travel to destinations not directly served from Dubai.

Direct flights from Dubai to CDG operate multiple times daily on Emirates, flydubai, and Air France. From CDG, Indian travellers commonly connect onwards to Latin America, West Africa, and the Caribbean — regions where Paris is a major aviation hub.

A common misunderstanding is that this change allows Indian travellers to enter France or any other Schengen country without a visa. It does NOT.

The exemption applies ONLY to airside transit at French airports. If you want to leave the airport — even for a few hours of sightseeing in Paris — you still need a full Schengen visa. The same applies if you plan to continue from France to another Schengen country (Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.) — you would need a standard Schengen visa for that.

Indian nationals applying for a Schengen visa from Dubai continue to use the standard process: apply through TLScontact in Dubai for the French Schengen visa, or through VFS Global for other Schengen countries. The visa fee, document requirements, and processing time remain unchanged.

1. 1Confirm you hold an ordinary Indian passport (not diplomatic or official). The exemption applies to ordinary passports only.
2. 2Check that your full journey is via airside connection — that you will not leave the international transit zone in France.
3. 3Confirm your onward destination has its own valid visa (Brazil visa for São Paulo, Mexico SAE for Mexico City, Senegal visa for Dakar, etc.).
4. 4Carry printouts of your onward boarding pass and destination visa — airline staff at Dubai check-in may still ask for these as proof.
5. 5If your itinerary requires you to exit the French airport (overnight outside airside, sightseeing, transferring to a Schengen country), apply for a Schengen visa as before.
6. 6OraVisa can help you plan your full Dubai → Paris → onward itinerary, including the destination visa, travel insurance, and supporting documentation.

This update is based on publicly available information from the French Embassy in India, the French Journal Officiel, and credible international travel reporting as of 26 April 2026. The Airport Transit Visa exemption for Indian ordinary passport holders is active from 10 April 2026. This analysis is provided for informational purposes to help Indian-passport-holding UAE residents understand the change. It does not constitute legal advice. For the latest official information, visit the French Embassy in India website at in.diplomatie.gouv.fr.