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Citizens of non-Schengen countries get Schengen or national visas to Germany. A German consulate normally considers visa applications within 14 days. 3-day processing is available under the fast-track procedure.
You can also enter the country with a residence permit from one of the EU states. Another way is to present a passport of a state with a visa waiver agreement with the EU.
There are three types of visas you can obtain to visit Germany.
What type of Germany visa to apply for
The Schengen A transit visa to Germany is required when a passenger flies to another country with a transfer at a German airport. The A visa does not allow leaving the transit zone and is valid for 2 days. The consular fee for a visa is €65.
The Schengen short-term C visa to Germany is Issued to tourists or those arriving in the country for treatment, business purposes, or under the guest invitation. If the traveller has time to walk around the city when transferring to a flight, they can apply for a short-term C visa.
The consular fee for a visa is €35 or €80, depending on the applicant’s country of citizenship.
Types of C visas for entry to Germany
| Covered area | Validity | Duration of stay |
| Schengen Area | Up to 30 days, can be issued for the duration of one trip | Up to 30 days within six months |
| Schengen Area | Up to 90 days | 30 to 90 days within six months |
| Schengen Area | Up to 1 year | 30 to 90 days within six months |
| Schengen Area | Up to 5 years | Up to 90 days within six months |
The national long-term D visa is suitable for those who come to study, work, or plan to reunite with the family. The D visa is valid for up to 1 year; the consular fee for a visa is €76.
You can also enter Germany with a visa from one of the 29 states of the Schengen Area.
How many times can you enter Germany with a C visa?
The Schengen C visa is the most popular and most often requested for tourist trips. C1 is issued for a single entry; C2, C3 and C4 are for multiple entries.
A visa for numerous entries is called a multi-entry Schengen visa. It allows you to enter Germany unlimited times and stay for 30 to 90 days in half a year. A multi-entry visa is valid from three months to five years.
If the applicant has never applied for a Schengen visa, the first one will be issued for the trip duration. When revisiting the country, you can request a multi-entry visa.
When is the German national D visa issued?
The national D visa is issued for a stay with a specific long-term purpose. At the same time, the visa holder can travel to other Schengen countries for 90 days every six months. The D visa is valid for 3 months to 1 year.
People with a 1-year German D visa say they have a residence permit in Germany. The D visa and residence permits are tied to the purpose of the visit, for example, work or study, and require a registered address. However, they are different documents.
The D visa is a mandatory first step for those applying for a residence permit. A person receives a D visa at a German consulate in their home country, then comes to Germany and applies for a residence permit. A residence permit allows you to buy real estate and cars in your name and travel around the Schengen Area without restrictions.
Purposes to visit Germany with a national D visa
Family reunion. Foreigners who have relatives in Germany in a direct line can apply for a national visa.
Marriage to a German citizen. The D visa is issued to come to marry a citizen of Germany. A prerequisite is a certificate from a German registry office confirming the registration for the wedding ceremony. You can submit an equivalent certificate from the registry office in the future spouse’s country.
Another way is to register marriage in the spouse’s country first, not in Germany, and then get a D visa for family reunification. Or enter Germany on a C visa, register marriage and apply for a residence permit.
Education. A visa is issued under the invitation of an educational institution. It is suitable for student exchanges, study at universities, schools and language courses.
Work. The visa permits you to work in Germany. It is issued upon the invitation from a German company or for running your own business.
Participating in the program of late migrants. To obtain this status, you need to know the German language, have a German relative and have documents confirming nationality and family ties.
For other purposes. You can also apply for a national visa for different reasons. The main thing is to prove that you must stay in Germany for more than three months.
Documents required for a Schengen visa to Germany
To reduce the risk of refusal of a visa to Germany, you must collect the complete package of the following documents:
- 3 colour photographs on a white background 3.5×4.5 cm, taken within the last six months. The applicant must be photographed full face, without headwear.
One of the reasons why a visa to Germany may be denied is the photographs that were already used for a previous visa more than six months ago.
- The passport.
- If a country issues an international passport, it must also be presented. The document’s validity must be at least 3 months after the planned departure date. The document must have at least two clean pages.
- Documents confirming the minimum bank balance and professional status of the applicant: bank statements and certificates of employment.
- Health insurance that is valid in all Schengen countries. The minimum coverage is €30,000.
- Documents that confirm the purpose of the trip. For an employee, it is an invitation from a company in Germany, for treatment — an agreement with a medical clinic. For a tourist trip, you must submit a paid flight or railway ticket, hotel reservations, and a description of the route for travelling by car.
- The questionnaire must be completed on a computer or in capital letters by hand, in English or German. The application form can be downloaded on the website of the visa centre accredited by the German representative office.
The applicant provides all original documents, except for the questionnaire and photographs, with two copies.
A Schengen visa to Germany for a child
A visa is requested for each of the minors.
Documents. If you plan to travel to Germany with a child under 18, you need to fill out a separate form and add the following documents:
- a birth certificate and its copy;
- a certificate from an educational institution if studying at school.
If a child travels to Germany with their father and mother, both parents sign the application form. If only the mother accompanies, she signs the application, and the father provides a notarized consent.
Both parents give notarized consent if the child travels with someone else, such as a grandmother. In this case, the child needs their own passport. If the child is included in the parent’s passport, they will not be able to travel with their grandmother.
If one of the parents has died or their whereabouts are unknown, you must attach a death certificate or a document from the police.
Photo. A photograph must be pasted for a child over 6, included in the parent’s passport.
Money. The parent or accompanying person shows the minimum amount of money in the bank account due to the expenses on the child. The minimum amounts are indicated on the website of a German Consulate.
Biometrics. Children aged 12 and older are fingerprinted.
The visa is pasted into the child’s or parent’s passport if the child is included in the parent’s document.
How to apply for a Schengen visa to Germany
You can initiate the Schengen visa application process by six months before the trip. To not worry about the disruption of the journey, you need to apply for a visa two months before the start of the trip.
Usually, to obtain the Schengen visa, you must complete the following steps:
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Collect the required documents
You can collect the documents, fill in the application form for a Schengen visa to Germany, and submit them directly to a German consulate or embassy.
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Figure out where to apply
Regional consulates usually accept only residents of their respective districts. All citizens of the country, and not just one region, can apply to the embassy. Addresses and office hours are listed on the websites of German representations.
Another way is to apply through a commercial visa application centre accredited by German representatives. You can also submit documents through other visa centres, but then an additional intermediary will appear in the chain.
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Submit documents and make payment
Agencies may submit papers on the applicant’s behalf. This service is much more expensive and starts at €150.
The standard Schengen visa fee is €80. Children between the ages of six and twelve pay a reduced amount of €40, and children under six are exempt from payment.
Commercial visa application centres take a service fee and the visa fee. The cost of paperwork depends on the region and is €70+ per person.
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Receive visa
The term for consideration of the application is 14 days, excluding possible additional requests.
Reasons for visa refusal
Visa applications may be denied due to incomplete documents or inaccurate information.
Other reasons for rejection are the following:
- false documents, for example, a printed flight ticket is forged;
- violations of the entry or stay rules during previous trips to the Schengen Area. An example of such a violation is an unpaid fine.
How to enter Germany without a visa
Citizens of non-Schengen countries can visit Germany without a visa. Investors can get residence permits if buying real estate or securities in an EU country. The status allows them to freely enter and leave the Schengen Area, even if the chosen country has closed its borders. State programs for investors operate in Malta, Portugal, Greece and Spain.
The second citizenship of a country with a visa-waiver agreement with the EU also allows you to visit Germany without a visa. For example, you can get Caribbean citizenship. In this case, you will be able to enter the Schengen Area without a visa for 90 days in half a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Schengen visa open for Germany?
Yes, it is. From October 2022, all travel restrictions have been lifted.
You can apply for two types of Schengen visa, as follows:
- Airport Transit Visa of the A category allows its holder to travel through the international zone of the Schengen country’s airport without entering the Schengen Area;
- short-term visa of the C category allows its holder to reside in the Schengen Area for a certain period, depending on the document’s validity.
How long does it take to process a German Schengen visa?
The processing time for visa applications takes up to 14 days, excluding possible additional requests.
Can I enter Germany without a visa?
Yes, it’s allowed for nationals of countries where the European Community has abolished the visa requirement.
Also, you can get residence permits if buying real estate or securities in an EU country and freely enter and leave the Schengen Area. State programs for investors operate in Malta, Portugal, Greece and Spain.
What should I do if the German Embassy refuses to issue a visa?
If a Schengen visa to Germany is refused, the applicant can file an appeal or reapply. Writing a request in German or attaching a certified translation is better.
The application can be submitted by email, regular mail or fax. The German Embassy will re-examine your documents, but the process may take several months.
Who can get an EU blue card?
The Blue Card is a residence and work permit in Germany for highly qualified foreigners. The Blue Card is a work visa, which is easier to obtain due to the high qualifications of the applicant. Qualifications must be confirmed by a diploma of higher education, certificates of income and work experience.
More often than others, specialists in professions that are in demand in Germany receive a Blue Card: doctors, architects, programmers, engineers, and experts in the field of natural sciences. A visa is issued for the contract duration with the employer, up to four years.
