# Visiting Germany with Another Schengen Residence Permit: Indians > Indians living in another Schengen country can visit Germany for up to 90 days in any 180 without a German visa. What the rule covers, and when you still need a German visa. _Published: 2026-11-02 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1171_ ## TL;DR German Missions in India say Indians holding a long-stay visa or residence permit from another Schengen state need no separate visa for short stays in Germany of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Moving to Germany, working or studying there is a different matter and goes through the national (D) visa process. If your permit lapses and you are back in India, you need a Schengen visa from VFS. ## Key takeaways - A residence permit or long-stay visa from another Schengen state covers short stays in Germany of up to 90 days in any 180. - Ordinary Indian passport holders without such a permit need a German visa; there is no visa on arrival or eVisa. - Moving to Germany for work, study or family needs a national (D) visa through the Consular Services Portal. - If your permit has lapsed and you live in India, apply for a Schengen visa at VFS: EUR 90 / INR 9,900. - Since 3 June 2026 Indians need no airport transit visa for a layover at a German airport. **Yes. According to German Missions in India, Indians holding a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by another Schengen state need no separate visa for short stays in Germany of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Longer stays, such as moving to Germany for work or study, fall under Germany's national (D) visa process.** ## Article That one rule answers most questions from Indians who live in another Schengen country and want a weekend in Berlin or a family visit in Munich. The details below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the standard visa routes from India, see our Germany visa guide for Indians. ### What exactly do German Missions in India say? The starting point is strict. German Missions in India state that Indian citizens require a visa for Germany. There is no visa on arrival and no German eVisa for Indian passport holders, and visa-free travel is available only to holders of Indian diplomatic passports under a bilateral agreement. The exception sits inside that same entry rule: Indians holding a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by another Schengen state need no separate visa for short stays in Germany of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The document that matters is the permit or long-stay visa itself, together with your Indian passport. ### Which situations still need a German visa? The exemption is narrow. It covers short stays and nothing else. The table sorts the common cases. Your situationGerman visa needed?What appliesValid residence permit from another Schengen state; short visit of up to 90 days in 180NoYour permit and passportValid long-stay visa from another Schengen state; short visitNoYour long-stay visa and passportYou want to live, work, study or join family in GermanyYesGerman national (D) visa via the Consular Services PortalYour permit has expired and you live in India againYesSchengen (C) visa at a VFS centre in IndiaOnly changing planes at a German airport, onward to another countryNo airport transit visa since 3 June 2026Your onward ticketIndian diplomatic passportNoBilateral exemptionFamily members are assessed on their own documents. A spouse or parent travelling with you from India who does not hold their own Schengen permit needs a Schengen visa from VFS, usually under Visit Family & Friends or Tourism. ### How should you count the 90 days? The limit is 90 days in any 180-day period, and the period rolls. On any day of your visit, look back over the previous 180 days and add up the days you spent in Germany; the total must stay within 90. A single long holiday is rarely the issue. Repeated trips, such as monthly visits to a partner or frequent work meetings, are where people lose count. Keep travel records: boarding passes, hotel invoices and train tickets. They let you prove your dates if anyone asks, and they help you plan the next visit inside the limit. ### Can you work, study or move to Germany on that permit? A short stay is a visit, not a move. Anything longer than 90 days, or a plan to live in Germany, belongs in Germany's national visa system. Since 1 January 2025, national visas for skilled workers, apprentices, students and family reunification can be applied for online through the Consular Services Portal, and German missions in India have made the portal compulsory for every visa type offered there. One detail matters for Indians abroad: in the Consular Services Portal you choose your country of residence, not your citizenship. German Missions give the example of an Indian living in Dubai, who picks the United Arab Emirates. An Indian resident in another Schengen state likewise selects that country, and the German mission responsible for it handles the on-site appointment. Even on a short visit, check the purpose. For Schengen business visits, German Missions list Federal Employment Agency approval for international staff exchange or contracts for work and services. If your trip involves more than meetings, confirm whether that approval applies before relying on your permit. The work routes themselves are the same as from India. An EU Blue Card needs a recognised degree and a salary of at least EUR 50,700 a year in 2026, or EUR 45,934.20 in MINT and other shortage professions. ### What if your permit expires or you move back to India? Once you no longer hold a valid permit from another Schengen state, the exemption no longer covers you. If you live in India, you apply for a Schengen (C) visa: - Where: any of the 11 VFS centres, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Goa and Thimphu, regardless of where in India you live. - Fee: EUR 90 (INR 9,900) for adults, plus the INR 1933 VFS service fee pre-paid at booking. - Time: 15 working days from the day the file reaches the visa section, plus up to six working days for transfer from VFS. - Insurance: travel medical cover of at least EUR 30,000 from an approved Indian insurer. If you are only visiting India while still living abroad, German Missions accept a Schengen application in India only when you are lawfully present and can justify not applying in your country of residence. Scheduling constraints or long travel are usually not enough. ### What should you double-check before you travel? - Travelling on a permit that has expired, or one you have surrendered after moving. - Treating the exemption as a right to take up work in Germany. - Losing track of days across repeated visits and passing 90 in a 180-day window. - Assuming relatives from India are covered by your permit. They need their own visa. - Applying at VFS India while living abroad without a solid reason. The rules for Indian citizens are summarised on the German Missions general visa information page. If relatives are joining you from India on a Schengen visa, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram can prepare their flight reservation, hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can my parents from India visit me in Germany on my Schengen residence permit? No. The exemption covers only the holder of the permit or long-stay visa. Parents travelling from India without their own Schengen permit need a Schengen visa, applied for at a VFS centre in India. #### Do I need a transit visa to change planes in Germany on the way to my Schengen country of residence? Not since 3 June 2026. German Missions in India announced that Indian nationals no longer need an airport transit visa for a layover at a German airport when travelling on to another country. #### Can I apply for a German Schengen visa in India if I live in another country? Only in limited cases. German Missions accept it if you are lawfully present in India and can justify not applying in your country of residence; scheduling constraints or long travel are usually not sufficient. #### How do I apply for a German national visa if I live in another Schengen country? Use the Consular Services Portal and select your country of residence, not your citizenship. The portal ends with a link to book an on-site appointment. ## FAQ ### Can my parents from India visit me in Germany on my Schengen residence permit? No. The exemption covers only the holder of the permit or long-stay visa. Parents travelling from India without their own Schengen permit need a Schengen visa, applied for at a VFS centre in India. ### Do I need a transit visa to change planes in Germany on the way to my Schengen country of residence? Not since 3 June 2026. German Missions in India announced that Indian nationals no longer need an airport transit visa for a layover at a German airport when travelling on to another country. ### Can I apply for a German Schengen visa in India if I live in another country? Only in limited cases. German Missions accept it if you are lawfully present in India and can justify not applying in your country of residence; scheduling constraints or long travel are usually not sufficient. ### How do I apply for a German national visa if I live in another Schengen country? Use the Consular Services Portal and select your country of residence, not your citizenship. The portal ends with a link to book an on-site appointment. ## Sources 1. [German Missions in India - Visa: General Information (Indian citizens require a visa)](https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/2341254-2341254) — German Missions in India 2. [German Missions in India - National Visa](https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/2755482-2755482) — German Missions in India 3. [German Missions in India - Airport transit visa requirement lifted for Indian nationals (02.06.2026)](https://india.diplo.de/in-en/2773896-2773896) — German Missions in India