Whether you can transit a Schengen country without a visa depends heavily on your nationality and the specifics of your flight. For Indian citizens in 2026, there is significant news: as of early 2026, Germany has officially lifted the airport transit visa (ATV) requirement for Indian nationals, following an announcement by Chancellor Merz in January. This means that if you are flying from India to a non-Schengen destination (like the US or Canada) with a single layover in a German airport like Frankfurt or Munich, you generally do not need a visa as long as you stay within the international transit area. However, if your journey involves two stops within the Schengen Area (e.g., Delhi to Paris to Frankfurt to New York), you will enter the Schengen zone at your first stop and therefore require a full Schengen Visitor Visa. For other Schengen countries like France or the Netherlands, Indian citizens still generally require an ATV unless they hold a valid visa or residence permit from the US, Canada, Japan, or another EEA country.