Visa for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

Visa for Cultural, Film Crew, Sports, and Religious Event Purpose

Visa for Spouse / Relatives of EU / German Nationals

Family Reunion Visa to Join a Relative or Partner

Travel Insurance for Visitors Tourists

Health Insurance for International Students

Health Insurance for Guest Scientists Researchers

Health Insurance for Foreign Workers

Health Insurance for Refugees/Asylum Seekers

Immigration Residence Permit

Visa for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

Visa for Cultural, Film Crew, Sports, and Religious Event Purpose

Visa for Spouse / Relatives of EU / German Nationals

Family Reunion Visa to Join a Relative or Partner

Travel Insurance for Visitors Tourists

Health Insurance for International Students

Health Insurance for Guest Scientists Researchers

Health Insurance for Foreign Workers

Health Insurance for Refugees/Asylum Seekers

Immigration Residence Permit

Visa for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

Visa for Cultural, Film Crew, Sports, and Religious Event Purpose

Visa for Spouse / Relatives of EU / German Nationals

Family Reunion Visa to Join a Relative or Partner

Travel Insurance for Visitors Tourists

Health Insurance for International Students

Health Insurance for Guest Scientists Researchers

Health Insurance for Foreign Workers

Health Insurance for Refugees/Asylum Seekers

Immigration Residence Permit

Germany Tourist Visitor Visa

Germany Tourist Visitor Visa

The Old Town Hall in Bamberg, the Schwerin Castle, Nuremberg Christmas Market, Octoberfest, Cologne Cathedral, and many other places and events in Germany have been very alluring for travellers around the world.  In addition, the variety of beers, delicious bread and sausages, peoples hospitality and much more have attracted 459.6 million visitors to the Federal Republic of Germany in 2017 alone.

However, many tourists will need to obtain a visa before they can enter Germany. Although Germany has visa facilitation agreements with over 60 countries (including the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan, etc.), there are still many countries worldwide whose citizens need to obtain a visa even for short tourist trips.

This visa is known as a German Schengen Visa, and allows the holder to visit Germany and all other countries in the Schengen Area for the duration it is issued (max. 90 days).

You have to apply for a Schengen visa if you plan to visit Germany for a period shorter than three months, for either visiting family or friends or sightseeing.

Learn how to apply for a Schengen visa for tourism, as well as the visa requirements, fees, duration, and more.

A Schengen Tourism / Visitor visa to Germany is a visa established by the Schengen states, which allows its holder to visit Germany and all of the27 Schengen member countries. It is issued in the form of a sticker affixed to the passport of the traveller.

The Schengen visa for tourism purposes or visiting friends and family members limits you to only travelling and sightseeing throughout the Schengen area.

Please note that as a holder of a Schengen tourist visa, you are not allowed to work or study; thus, you must apply for astudent visaorwork visa (national visa)or other visa types according to your purpose of entry if you wish to enter Germany for other than tourism.

Whether you need a short-stay visa to Germany or not, it all depends on your nationality/citizenship, according to the common visa policies established by the Schengen states. There is alist of more than 60 countrieswhose citizens do not need to apply for a visa to enter the Schengen area and Germany.

Here are the categories of travellers that would need and those who dont need a visa to visit Germany:

Visitors that do not need a visa to visit Germany

Visitors that need a visa to visit Germany

Do not have a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen member states

Citizens of one of the countries that have established a visa-free regime with the Schengen states*

Have a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen countries, but the traveller was rejected from entering visa-free by border guards

Holders of visas from other Schengen countries

Holders of national visas issued by one of the member states

Holders of permanent residence permits issued by one of the Schengen countries

*Starting November 2023, all travellers from this category will need toapply for an ETIASbefore their travel towards any of the Schengen member states to be allowed to enter the territory.

To get a German Tourist/Visitor visa, you will have to follow theapplication process stepslisted below:

. For example, this could be the German embassy/consulate/visa center in your home country.

. You may appoint it online or in person at the German consulate/embassy.

. The interview may last around 20 minutes, during which the visa consular will ask you questions about your trip and require your documents.

Wait for a response on your application

Germany Tourist/Visitor Visa Application Requirements

The required documents for a German tourist visa are as follows:

The form should be fully, honestly and correctly completed, printed and signed at the end.

Declaration of Accuracy of Information.

. Please note that these photos should be identical and fulfil the Schengen states visa photo requirements.

. The passport should be no older than 10 years and have at least one blank page to affix the visa sticker on it and fulfil theother passport requirements.

Personal bank statements for the last three months.

. You should submit a confirmation letter from your health insurance stating coverage for emergency medical treatment with a minimum of €30,000. We recommendPROVISIT VISUM by DR-WALTER It is very cheap, and it is accepted by German consulates worldwide. You can cancel it free of charge, subject to the presentation of proof that a visa has been refused!PROVISIT VISUMprovides the mandatory insurance certificate required when you apply for a Schengen visa.

. This can be ahotel bookingfor your whole stay in the Schengen region or aletter of invitationfrom a family member or friend residing in any of the Schengen countries.

visa consultation serviceslike this one

A bank statement not older than three months or

A letter of sponsorship from another person Declaration of Commitment Verpflichtungserklärungen.

If you are a student, your school or university should issue this certificate to you.

If you are an employee, your employer or the company where you work should issue this letter.

If you are not a student and you do not work either, this certificate is not required.

. This personal cover letter should explain why you wish to visit Germany, how long you intend to remain there, and what you will be doing there, amongst others.

. A letter of invitation from the person the applicant is visiting in Germany, which may take the form of sponsorship or private accommodation. The invitation letter should also include the address, period of stay and contact details of the host.

. That could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, spouses death certificate, ration card (if applicable), etc.

Your drivers license and/or utility bill in your name.

This is required as proof of residence in the consulate where you plan to apply for the visa.

If travelling unaccompanied by the parent(s), a consent letter signed by both parents

Copy of the parent(s) passports data page

Where to Apply for a Germany Tourist/Visitor Visa?

If Germany is your only Schengen destination, depending on how the German authorities have regulated visa applications in your country, you may have to apply at:

However, if you plan to visit more than only Germany, you can apply at the German embassy/consulate/visa centre in your home country only if Germany is your main destination. That means:

You will visit other countries but will be spending more days in Germany than in any other.

You will spend equal days in every country you visit, but you will enter the Schengen through Germany.

If none of the above statements applies to you, despite that you plan to visit Germany, among other countries, you may have to apply at the embassy of another Schengen member state.

The earliest you can file your Schengen visa application is at most six months before your intended trip to Germany. Whereas the latest you can do so is two weeks before your trip to Germany.

However, you are highly recommended to apply for a tourist visa at least 3 weeks before your travel date to avoid any processing delays.

You will need to pay a visa fee for your application to be processed. Thecost of a Schengen visaas of 2020 is €80. However, some categories areexempt from paying the visa fee or have to pay a reduced fee. Make sure you check if you belong to any of them before you pay the fee.

Please note the visa fees will not be reimbursed in case of visa rejection, and the price is subject to change at any time.

Short-stay visas to Germany take around ten days to be processed. However, when the embassy is processing many visa applications, tourism visas may take a bit longer sincebusiness visasor others are treated with more priority. This is the main reason why you are suggested to file your application for a German tourism/visitor visa as soon as possible.

The longest time you can remain in Germany with a tourist Schengen visa is three months,according to the 90/180 rule. However, the German embassy in your home country is the one that decides how many days you can spend in Germany and within which dates. Therefore, please understand that there is a slight difference between visa validity and the duration of stay.

Visa validity is the first date you can enter the Schengen Area and leave the last day. Whereas the duration of stay is the number of days, you can spend in the Schengen within the validity of your visa. Therefore, the validity of a visa has always been longer than the duration of the stay. Do not violate the validity of your visa nor the duration of your stay; otherwise, you may face a ban or deportation.

A Schengen visa can be converted into a residence permit only if some requirements are fulfilled while being in Germany. For more information, please read Converting Schengen Visa Into a Residence Permit.

If you still have questions about a visa to Germany, please read theFrequently Asked Questions about a Germany Visaand their answers, so you may find what you need.

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