09/23/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2021 08:24
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Updated 23 September 2021
Germany is a land blessed with beautiful landscapes, stimulating culture, metropolitan jewels, as well as traditional villages. Visitors to the country must steel themselves for a rollercoaster ride of captivating landscapes, high-voltage history, and gastronomic delights.
For those looking to visit Germany, we take a look at the German tourist visa; its requirements, validity period, fees, and extendability.
What is the German tourist/visitor visa?
The German tourist visa is an official document allowing its holders to temporarily stay in Germany for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. The German tourist/visitor visa can also be referred to as the Schengen short-stay visa.
As the German tourist visa is issued to accommodate travellers visiting Germany for leisure purposes, travellers must not take up gainful employment during their stay and must not overstay their welcome.
Note: The holder of a Schengen tourist visa is not allowed to work or study. Therefore, you must apply for a student visa or work visa (national visa) or other visa types according to your purpose of entry if you wish to enter Germany for other than tourism.
Do I need a tourist visa to enter Germany?
If you're a national of the EU, no visa is required to enter Germany. British citizens may also enter Germany without a visafor stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The same applies to citizens of countries in which the EU has abolished the visa requirement.
For other nationalities, travelling to Germany for non-essential purposes requires a German tourist/visitor visa.
How do I apply for the German tourist/visitor visa?
Applying for the German tourist/visitor visa involves locating and visiting the nearest German mission to your place of residence. All the required documents must be submitted in person following an appointment. Make sure to consult the website of the German mission beforehand to ensure that you have all the necessary requirements.
In the event that there isn't any German embassy or mission in your country of residence, you are advised to locate and visit the German embassy in a neighbouring country. You can find the address of the nearest German embassy here.
To complete your application, simply follow these steps:
What are the required documents?
The required documents for the German tourist/visitor visa are quite extensive. Please refer to the following:
Things to consider
The strict nature of the German immigration laws requires the following from all applicants of the tourist visa.
When should I apply for the tourist visa?
Starting from February 2020, applicants are allowed to submit their visa application form six months prior to their travel.
However, you are highly recommended to apply for a tourist visa at least 3 weeks before your travel date to avoid any processing delays
How long is the validity period of the tourist visa?
The German tourist/visitor visa's validity depends on the embassy that issued the visa.
Is the German tourist/visitor visa extendable?
It is generally not possible to extend the validity of the tourist/visitor visa except in certain exceptional cases. Furthermore, this can only be done by the foreign authority in Germany covering the place of residence of the visa holder.
How long will the application process take?
There are no fixed timeframes for the application process of the German tourist/visitor visa. It's been reported that the processing period takes around two weeks but in some cases, the process may take up to 30 days.
What is the fee for the German tourist/visit visa?
The fee for obtaining a German tourist/visitor visa is €80 for adults. Minors ages 6 to 12 are required to pay €40. Nationals of countries that have visa-facilitation agreements with the EU will have to pay €35.
Please note that the price for the German tourist/visitor visa is subject to change at any time without prior notice. Should your tourist visa application is rejected, there will be no refunds.