Visitor Visa

A so-called "Schengen Visa Type C" is the visa you need to visit Germany for a few days or weeks- it allows you to stay in Germany for up to 90 days. This is the type of visa you need if, for instance, you are visiting family or friends in Germany, want to travel to Germany as a tourist or for a business trip.

To have a chance of obtaining a Schengen visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• You have to offer an adequate, credible reason for your trip. You can read more about this in our chapter "Invitation Letter for a visitor visa".
• You must be able to secure your travel and living expenses during your stay. You can prove that, for example, by showing your bank statements from the previous three months, proof of your assets, etc. If you cannot prove that you have enough money, someone living in Germany can submit a so-called "declaration of commitment" for you. You can find out all about that in our chapter "Declaration of commitment for a visitor visa".
• You need to have travel health insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 for the Schengen area for the entire duration of your trip. Such travel insurance costs around €10 per week.
• The staff at the embassy/consulate must conclude that you will leave the country after your visa has expired. Possible evidence of your willingness to leave the country is, for instance, having a job or educational commitment in your home country, showing a purchase contract for a flat in your home country, having underage or dependent family members in your home country, etc. You need to submit relevant, convincing evidence when applying.

Please Note: You must meet ALL of the above requirements to obtain a visa. The decision on whether you should be issued a visa is up to the embassy/consulate. Unfortunately, it could be pretty hard to obtain a visa when numerous people from your home country flee to Germany.

You need to apply for a Schengen visa in person at the German embassy/consulate in your home country or a neighbouring country (if there is no German embassy or consulate in your home country) or the country where you reside. You can find the addresses of all German embassies and consulates on the website of the German Foreign Office. You have to make an appointment in advance to submit the application. 

You can usually download and print out the form for the visa application on the website of the embassy/consulate. There you will also find a list of all the documents that you have to submit. If you cannot print out the form yourself, you can find it in your language free of charge on-site and fill it out.

Alternatively, you can fill out the form online at videx.diplo.de and then print it out. The website works in many languages.

Yes. When you apply for a Schengen visa, you must briefly describe the reason for your trip (e.g., attending a wedding, a holiday with friends, etc.) and your travel details and prove it, e.g., through hotel bookings or invitations.

For a Schengen visa, you usually need at least the following documents:

• A valid passport
• Current biometric passport photos
• A completed visa application
• Proof of your accommodation
• (If you want to visit someone) an invitation from relatives or acquaintances or an institution or company. You can learn more in our chapter "Invitation Letter".
• Your travel dates according to your tickets
• Proof of your financial resources or a letter of commitment. You can learn more in our chapter "Declaration of commitment for a Visitor Visa".
• Schengen visa travel insurance

The processing fee for a Schengen visa is €80, and you have to pay the money when you apply. Important: You will not get this money back even if your visa application is rejected.

Please note: There are exceptions to the costs for certain groups of people. You can find out more (in German) in the German Foreign Office's leaflet.

In principle, you will have to wait up to 14 work days until the embassy/consulate decides on your visa application. You can apply for the visa up to 6 months before the planned trip, and you can make an appointment for the application in advance.

If your application is rejected, you will receive a written notification about the reason. You can object to the decision - to find out where and how to file your objection, check the written notice of rejection. 

If you stay in Germany after your visa has expired, your stay will be considered illegal. The authorities will demand that you leave the country - and if you don't, you could get deported.

An extension of a Schengen visa is only possible in exceptional cases. For instance, if you are sick and unable to travel. The local Immigration Office where you are staying will decide whether your visa should be extended.

You can enter Germany with a Schengen visa and then apply for asylum in Germany. Whether your asylum application will be approved depends on the circumstances in your home country. In principle, people who have a chance of asylum usually are not issued a visa at all. You can learn more about the asylum procedure in Germany in our chapters "Asylum Procedure" and "Residence Permit for Refugees".

Please note: Until a decision has been made on your asylum application, you or the person who has made a declaration of commitment for you must cover all upcoming costs (accommodation, food, medicine, etc.)- including expenses of possible deportation. You can learn more in our chapter "Declaration of commitment for a Visitor Visa".