Transit rules for Indian passport holders flying between India and Australia

The one rule that avoids most problems

Book the whole journey on one ticket, with bags checked through to the final airport, and a connection where the traveller stays airside (inside the transit area, without going through passport control). The most common transit problem comes from separate tickets: for example, a full-service flight to Kuala Lumpur and a separate low-cost flight onwards, where the traveller must collect bags, clear immigration and check in again.

Airside transit rules also depend on the airline's transfer arrangements. Singapore's immigration authority (ICA) notes that most passengers connecting to or from low-cost carriers have to clear immigration to get onward boarding passes. So the same airport can be visa-free for one itinerary and need a visa for another.

Hub by hub: Indian passport holders (checked 20 October 2026)

Hub	Airlines on India–Australia trips	Staying airside	If you must leave the transit area
Singapore	Singapore Airlines, Scoot	No visa needed if you stay in the transit area with onward boarding passes (ICA)	A Singapore visa, or the 96-hour Visa-Free Transit Facility: you need a valid visa or long-term pass (valid at least one more month) for Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the USA, plus an onward ticket within 96 hours. The ICA officer decides at the border (ICA)
Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Batik Air	Usually no immigration check if you connect within the same terminal on one ticket. The Malaysia Digital Arrival Card is shown at the immigration counter, so it applies when you enter Malaysia (Immigration Malaysia). We confirm the transit rules for your connection	Visa-free entry for up to 30 days for Indian nationals until 31 December 2026, with the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card filed within 3 days before arrival (Immigration Malaysia). As of 20 October 2026, Malaysia hasn't announced whether this continues in 2027. Moving between KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 means clearing immigration
Dubai	Emirates	No visa needed if you stay in the airport and don't pass immigration (u.ae)	Since 13 February 2025, Indian passport holders with a valid Australian visa or residence (also US, UK, EU, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore or South Korea) can get a 14-day visa on arrival. The passport needs at least six months' validity. Otherwise, a UAE visa in advance. Check the current terms with the UAE's ICP before relying on this
Doha	Qatar Airways	No transit visa needed if you don't leave the airport (Hamad International Airport)	Indian nationals can get a visa on arrival if they book accommodation through Discover Qatar before travel, or apply online for a Hayya entry visa (Visit Qatar). Visit Qatar also describes a transit visa for Qatar Airways passengers with a layover of at least six hours, but we couldn't confirm it is being issued now, so ask us before planning on it
Bangkok	Thai Airways	No visa if you stay in the transit area for less than 12 hours with bags checked through (Thai Embassy), and no Thailand Digital Arrival Card if you don't pass immigration (Thai Embassy)	Visa-free stay for tourism cut from 60 to 30 days from 15 September 2026 (Thai Embassy, New Delhi). The Digital Arrival Card is needed
Colombo	SriLankan Airlines	Sri Lanka's ETA covers travellers who enter the country, including a free transit ETA for stays of up to 2 days (eta.gov.lk). Ask us to confirm the rules for an airside connection	An Electronic Travel Authorisation before travel. Tourist ETAs have been free for Indian nationals since 25 May 2026, for stays of up to 30 days with double entry (eta.gov.lk)
Hong Kong	Cathay Pacific	No pre-arrival registration needed for direct transit without leaving the transit area (Immigration Department)	Free online Pre-arrival Registration before travel, valid six months, for visits of up to 14 days

"Generally" matters in this table. Airlines check passengers against their own transit database before boarding, and immigration officers have the final say. Treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Rules change, so we check your itinerary

Transit and entry rules move more often than most people expect. In 2026 alone, Thailand halved its visa-free stay for Indian nationals, Sri Lanka changed its ETA fees, and Malaysia's visa-free scheme for Indians is due to end on 31 December 2026 unless it is extended. A trip booked now for December–January can cross that date.

Before we issue a ticket for a traveller on an Indian passport, we check the transit rules for that exact route, airline and connection time. If the rules change between booking and travel, we'll tell you what it means for the trip. The airline and the immigration authority still make the final decision, so if anything in the table matters for your trip, ask us to check it on the day.

Situations that need extra care

• Separate tickets or self-transfer. Collecting bags means clearing immigration. Avoid this for elderly parents.
• Overnight connections. If the layover is long enough to need a hotel, the traveller has to enter the country. On the way to or from Australia, a parent holding a valid Australian visa may qualify for Singapore's 96-hour transit facility or Dubai's visa on arrival, but check first.
• Changing terminals. At Kuala Lumpur, Terminal 1 (Malaysia Airlines) and Terminal 2 (AirAsia) are separate, and moving between them means passing through immigration.
• Missed connections. If a delay means rebooking to the next day, the airline usually arranges a hotel, but the traveller may still need permission to enter.

For parents flying to Australia

The transit rules are only one part. Parents must also hold a valid Australian visa before boarding (see our parents' visa guide), and when they fly back home, check whether India's Air Suvidha health declaration still applies (see our e-Arrival Card guide). We also book wheelchair help at every airport, which is free with the airline. Our parents' page covers what we take care of.

From Adelaide, the simplest one-ticket options are Singapore Airlines via Singapore, Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur, Emirates via Dubai and Qatar Airways via Doha. See Adelaide to Amritsar, Adelaide to Delhi and Melbourne to Delhi for the non-stop option.

Talk to a real person about transit and your parents' tickets

Fares and schedules change every day, so we don't publish prices on this page. For live fares, call or WhatsApp the Travel Care team on 0421 882 733. We're a family-run agency at 222 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville, booking flights since 2010, and we speak English, Hindi and Punjabi. Seen a cheaper fare somewhere else? Send us the screenshot and we'll see what we can do.

Last checked: 20 October 2026 by the Travel Care team.