How to apply for a tourist visa to Germany

15 answers to questions

Germany joins Schengen

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To travel to Germany, Russian citizens need a Schengen visa. If a tourist plans to spend the most time in this country, you need to apply for a document at its representative office. If entry is through German cities, but the main period of your vacation will be spent in another country, then it is recommended to obtain a visa from the main country of destination. You can submit papers either directly to the consulate or to accredited visa centers.

Since Germany is part of the Schengen countries, you can visit other countries with a multiple-entry visa. This is beneficial and convenient, especially if the applicant is not applying for a document for the first time and can qualify for a three-year right of entry.

Applying for a visa yourself

The package of documents for a tourist visa can be taken to one of the visa service centers, where it is advisable to register through the office. representative website. This is a convenient option for those who are not confident in their abilities and are afraid of making mistakes in their papers. Employees will answer all questions, make photocopies and photographs for a fee, and can also arrange for your passport to be delivered to your home. The application must be submitted no earlier than 3 months and no later than 3 weeks before the trip.

The standard visa processing time is 10 working days, but in service centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kaliningrad you can order express processing in 3 days (this is a paid service).

In addition, travelers can contact the consulate directly, but in this case, the time for issuing the document may be delayed. You can make an appointment through the office. German Embassy website.

Where to get a multiple entry visa to Germany

To obtain a German multiple entry visa, you can contact:

• to one of the German representative offices in the Russian Federation (in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk)
  . All German consulates accept appointments by appointment only. Everywhere except Novosibirsk, you are required to fill out an electronic form online.

Documents must be submitted translated into German. The matter is further complicated by the fact that all German missions have different requirements for accompanying documents. When applying for a visa, a consular fee of 35 euros is paid (this amount is not refundable in case of visa refusal).

The period for issuing a permit is from 10 working days. However, in the pre-season, you should apply for a visa no later than a month before your trip;

• to the Germany visa center in the Russian Federation
  . Similar organizations exist in many Russian cities. They accept documents from the population and forward them to the consulates. They do not provide any guarantee of issuing a visa, and the processing time increases significantly (after all, it takes time to send).

Documents for a visa to Germany

To apply for a visa yourself, you must prepare the following documents:

1. Application form
   Filled out online, printed along with the received barcode and signed personally by the applicant in three places. Guidelines for filling out the questionnaire can be found at the office. visa center website. Before entering data, you are asked to select a language (including Russian).
2. Consent to the processing of personal data
   signed personally by the applicant.
3. International passport
   Issued no more than 10 years ago, with a validity period of at least 3 months from the end of the trip and with at least 2 blank pages.
4. Copy of international passport
   With passport data and Schengen visa (if any). with previously submitted biometrics. If the expired passports contained Schengen, you must also provide copies of them. If the applicant has a second valid passport, this must also be presented.
5. Photos
   2 color photographs 3.5x4.5 cm on a light background, without corners.
6. Health insurance policy
   Valid throughout the Schengen area and for the entire duration of stay. Insurance coverage must be at least 30,000 EUR. The policy must include the applicant's first and last name.
7. General passport
   Original.
8. A copy of the general passport.
   Photocopies of all sheets that contain information, as well as a page with notes on issued international passports, even if it is blank.
9. Confirmation of accommodation
   Hotel reservation or rental agreement for the entire stay.
10. 
    Round trip tickets If tourists plan to travel by car, they must provide transport documents and a detailed description of the trip.
11. Financial guarantees
    An original bank account statement for the last three months indicating the remaining cash balance, or a savings book (original and copy), or a sponsorship letter from a third party in the prescribed form, a financial document of the sponsor and a copy of the personal data page of the sponsor's civil passport.
12. Certificate of employment
    Certificate of employment on company letterhead stating the applicant’s position and salary, and company contact details. Individual entrepreneurs provide an extract from the tax register, an original and a copy of the individual entrepreneur registration certificate, a copy of the tax return, a 2NDFL or 3NDFL certificate. Pensioners - original and copy of pension certificate and certificate from the pension fund on the accrual of pension.
13. For students and schoolchildren
    A certificate from the place of study with a stamp and signature, a sponsorship letter from one of the parents.
14. Documents confirming readiness to return to the Russian Federation
    Additionally, you can provide papers confirming ownership of real estate in Russia, family ties, etc.

If the purpose of the trip is business, education or treatment, documents confirming the stated plans will be required: an invitation from the host party, educational or medical institution. For those visiting close relatives in Germany, an invitation and sponsorship letter from them are required.

A transit visa is required for those who have a layover in Germany and fly to countries not included in the Schengen agreement. In addition to the list above, you will need tickets for onward travel, as well as permission to enter the country of destination (if necessary).

At the airports of Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Hamburg (from 16:30 to 23:30), Dusseldorf (from 6:00 to 21:00, only by pre-registration), Cologne/Bonn (from 16:30 to 23: 00) and Berlin (from 6:00 to 23:00) transit zones operate. When making a transfer, you can do without a visa, but the rules must be clarified before purchasing a ticket.

Samples of all necessary forms and forms can be found at the office. visa center website.

Work in Germany - list of documents

Any list of documentation for a Schengen national visa can be divided into main and additional.

When ordering a national travel document, the main register of official papers includes:

• Applicant application form , filled out on a computer or by hand. It is important to leave information in each chapter and ensure that the data entered corresponds to reality.
• A foreign passport was issued no earlier than 10 years ago and has a validity reserve sufficient to return to your homeland after the expiration of the visa period.
• The domestic passport does not contain any blots or corrections, and was issued no earlier than 9-10 years ago.
• 3 photographs in Schengen format are created on matte paper with a white or light background. The applicant's face must be exposed; wearing hats and dark glasses is prohibited.
• Financial documents confirm the availability of material resources to support oneself:

1. products,
2. place of residence,
3. basic necessities.

• Social documentation indicates the presence of:

1. relatives from the Schengen area,
2. spouses,
3. minor children in Russia,
4. real estate in any country in the world.

• Medical insurance is issued for the entire period of tourists’ stay abroad and is valid in all EU countries. The minimum coverage is 30,000 euros.

For an employment visa, you must additionally attach an invitation from a German employer and confirm your qualifications by attaching:

• diplomas,
• certificates,
• certificates of increasing the level of professionalism.

The work record reflects the applicant's previous work experience.

If previously held positions or education do not correspond to those proposed in the invitation, the issuance of a category D visa will follow.

Registration of visas for children

For a minor, parents fill out a separate form. In addition, you must provide the original and a copy of your birth certificate, passport for those over 14 years old, as well as copies of your parents’ foreign passports with personal data and visas.

If the child is traveling with only one of the parents or with other adults, a notarized consent to take the minor abroad from one or both parents will be required. If mom or dad is not present, a supporting document is required (death certificate, single mother's paper, etc.).

Photo requirements

To obtain a visa, you will need two color photographs of 3.5x4.5 cm on a white background without corners, frames or retouching, taken no earlier than 6 months before submitting the documents. Photos must be clear, high-quality, free from dirt and scuffs.

The face is placed in the center and occupies 70-80% of the frame, the size from the top of the head to the chin is 2.5 cm. The photo is taken from the front, with the gaze directed directly at the camera. Headwear, sunglasses and other accessories such as large, extravagant hair decorations, headbands, etc. are not allowed. The exception is items that are needed for medical reasons, such as an eye patch. It is advisable to keep your ears open.

Facial expression is neutral, a slight smile is possible. If a person wears glasses, they can be left, but only if the frames are not too large and original, and do not cover the eyes and eyebrows. There cannot be other people or foreign objects in the frame. Even in photos of small children.

Consular fee – 35 €

The consular fee is 35 EUR, it is paid in rubles, in cash or by credit card at the current exchange rate of the European Central Bank. At the visa center you need to pay additionally for services - 20.40 EUR. Consular and service fees are not refundable.

Children under 6 years of age, schoolchildren, students and teachers entering for the purpose of educational activities (supporting documents will be required), members of official delegations, as well as spouses of German citizens and parents of minors who are German citizens are exempt from payment.

When applying at the consulate, the cost of a visa is 35 EUR, when submitting documents at the visa center: 35 EUR + 20.40 EUR (service fee).

Fingerprinting

Each applicant is required to submit fingerprints and take a digital photo. The information is valid for 5 years, after which it must be updated. The fingerprinting procedure and photography are carried out using special equipment at the visa center (consular section of the embassy). The requirement applies to all applicants over 12 years of age, with the exception of people who are physically impossible to take fingerprints due to injury.

If over the past 5 years a person has been fingerprinted, then he can submit the application not in person, but through an intermediary using a notarized power of attorney.

How long does it take for the document to be ready?

Typically, the applicant’s documents are reviewed within ten working days, but under some circumstances this period can be extended up to thirty working days. Schengen visas usually take longer to process during the peak summer holiday season.

We have told you everything you need to know about obtaining a Schengen visa through the German Embassy. As you can see, if you know and follow the rules, this is not at all difficult to do. Write your questions in the comments if you have any, share this article with your friends on social networks and catch cheap air tickets to Germany !
What else do you need for travel and where to find, buy or order it :
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Visa validity period

Short-term visas require that the traveler will spend no more than 90 days in six months in the Schengen area. To calculate the number of days in a specific 6 months, you can use a calculator.

The first time a visa is usually issued for a trip or six months, then for a year, two, and so on up to 5 years. In order to obtain longer entry permits, you must comply with visa laws and reinforce your intention to visit Germany frequently with regular visits.

Additional documents for other types of visas

Depending on the purpose of the trip, additional documents are attached to the standard package of papers.

If the applicant is not a resident of Russia, but a citizen of another country, then he must attach a document to the main package of papers that confirms the legality of his stay in the Russian Federation.

Such documents can be permanent residence, patent, residence permit, long-term visa, registration with the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The supporting document must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of departure from the Schengen area.

If the applicant has real estate in Germany, then during registration it is advisable to provide a copy of the property purchase and sale agreement. This document will serve as confirmation that the person has a place to live in this republic.

If the applicant’s goal is to visit the grave of a relative, then a document is submitted to the diplomatic mission that confirms the existence of such a cemetery (the document is taken from the city hall). In addition, you will need to provide papers confirming the relationship between the buried person and a foreign resident wishing to travel to Germany.

Tourist

A tourist visa to Germany is issued for a period of no more than 90 days. This visa permit is issued only for the purpose of tourism and sightseeing.

For registration you will need the following documents:

• A certificate from a bank account confirming the presence of money in it.
• Certificate of income from place of employment.
• Travel voucher or hotel reservation.
• Flights.
• A foreign passport, valid for at least 3 months.
• 2 photos of a standard sample.
• Insurance policy.
• Internal Russian passport (photocopy and original).

Transit

A transit visa is a document that is issued for a transfer at the airport. Types of visas to Germany:

• A. The permit allows the traveler to be not only in the transit zone at the airport, but also to go beyond it.
• B. The main rule is to stay only in the transit zone.

To register, you need to submit a standard package of documents and a ticket to the destination country.

Transit permit type A is rarely opened today. In most cases, it is replaced by Schengen C. Transit permit B is issued if the time interval between flights is no more than 24 hours.

Transit is processed only if a person travels to Germany by plane. In cases where the German border is crossed by land, transit is not interrupted.

Transit or transfer at the airport - how not to get lost in the terminal using the example of Munich Airport. Watch the video.

Visitor visa

List of required additional papers for a guest visa:

• Invitation letter from the host in the original.
• Documents about family relationships.
• Sponsorship letter. If the receiving party does not undertake to bear all the costs associated with the trip to Germany, then the applicant should submit a certificate of income and a certificate of employment.
• Papers that confirm the legality of residence of the inviting person in Germany. This can be permanent residence, residence permit or a civil passport of a citizen of Germany.
• Documents confirming the solvency of the receiving person. This paper is required if the inviting person sends a sponsorship letter.
• Photocopy of the 1st page of the inviting person’s passport.

Work Visa

A work visa is a document that allows you to stay in Germany for up to 1 year with the right to further extension. It is worth immediately noting that a work visa in itself does not allow you to work, but only gives the right to a long stay. To work in this republic, foreign residents will need to obtain a work permit.

The right to work in Germany is only granted by a work visa opened for participation in the AU-PAIR program.

There are several types of work visas in Germany. One of the most popular is the blue card. This document allows you to find a job in Germany and other EU republics.

To open a blue card, a foreign resident must meet the following requirements:

• The applicant must have a higher education.
• A person who intends to receive a blue card must have an employment contract signed with a German employer.

One of the main requirements is to have a profession in demand that pays at least 39,600 euros per year.

Germany blue map

The second type of work visa is intended for general employment, that is, for a larger number of employed people.

The third type of visa permit is intended for employment for up to six months. The main condition for obtaining this permit is to change it to a residence permit after employment.

To get a visa to Germany, you need to find a place of employment, since the basis for obtaining a visa permit is a drawn up employment contract with a German employer.

Invitation to work in Germany

In addition, to obtain a visa to work in Germany, a foreign resident must obtain a work permit. The employer is responsible for obtaining a work permit.

Initially, he is required to submit a vacancy to the labor exchange. If there is no required applicant with German citizenship or citizenship of EU countries for the submitted vacancy, the employer reports this to the authorized bodies, which allow hiring an employee from another country.

Then, on the basis of this permit, a work permit is issued, which the employer sends to the potential employee to obtain a work visa in his home country.

A potential employee is required to schedule an interview at a diplomatic mission.

After this, the following additional documents are submitted for obtaining a visa:

• Employment contract.
• Invitation letter from the employer.
• Documents confirming the qualifications and education of the applicant for a visa permit.
• Employment history.

Usually a work visa is issued for a period of up to a year, but in some cases the validity period of a residence permit is equal to the period of concluding an employment contract.

Student for study

Intended for training at one of the schools or universities of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Types of German student visas in 2021:

• “Visum zum Schulbesuch” – permission is issued for studying at school.
• “Visum zum Sprachkurs” – a visa is issued for taking German language courses.
• “Visum für Studienbewerber” – a permit with a period of stay of no more than 90 days. Issued when the applicant has already submitted documents to the university, but the invitation letter has not yet been issued.
• “Visum zum Studium” - this visa is intended directly for studying at a university. Issued for the entire period of study.

Required additional papers:

• Invitation letter from the university.
• Document on admission to study (original and 2 photocopies must be submitted).
• Document confirming payment for training.
• Autobiography.
• Motivation letter.
  

  A sample letter in German with a translation into Russian can be found

• A document confirming your knowledge of the German language.
• Confirmation of admission to the university.

Business

A business or business visa is issued for setting up a business or conducting negotiations.

List of required additional papers:

• An invitation letter drawn up by a legal entity of the Federal Republic of Germany.
• Extract from the German trade register.
• A photocopy of the inviting person's ID.
• Certificate from the place of employment.

How to open your own business in Germany? Useful tips in the next video.

Visa for treatment

Required if the foreign resident intends to undergo treatment in one of the medical institutions over a long period of time.

Required additional papers:

• An invitation from a medical institution, signed by the chief physician of the clinic. The invitation must be submitted in the original. If it is not possible to provide it in the original, then you can submit it electronically.
• Documents about payment for treatment.
• Papers confirming the need to return to your home state.

Embassy and consulates of Germany in Russia

Visa department of the German Embassy in Moscow

Germany Visa Application Center in Moscow

Consulate General of Germany in St. Petersburg

Consulate General in Kaliningrad

Consulate General in Yekaterinburg

Consulate General in Novosibirsk

National visa

National visa (stay over 90 days)

For a one-time stay in Germany for more than 90 days, you need to apply for a national visa.
An application for a national visa can be submitted exclusively to the Diplomatic Mission corresponding to the administrative district of your actual residence and only by appointment.

Starting from 02/10/2021, the German Visa Center in Moscow begins accepting documents for a national visa for long-term stays for educational purposes. University students with an unconditional letter of acceptance from a German university or pre-university college (Studienkolleg), as well as students already registered at such an institution, can submit their applications through VisaMetric.

Starting from 01.03.2021, the German Visa Center in Moscow begins accepting documents for a national visa for an internship lasting up to one year as part of an international exchange program or as part of studying at a higher educational institution after the 4th semester in agreement with the Federal Employment Agency.

Registration is possible only in Moscow and only for citizens with an actual residence address belonging to the administrative district of the German Embassy in Moscow.

Please note that to apply for a national visa, the personal presence of each applicant , since the fingerprinting procedure takes place on the day of submission of documents.

At the moment, registration for submitting documents is made only through the call center from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 13:00 by calling +74959908979.

Online registration is temporarily unavailable.

Please read the information from the German Embassy in Moscow regarding the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The list of required documents can be found at the link .

Instructions for filling out an online application for a national visa are available here .

You can obtain information about the complete list of required documents, as well as familiarize yourself with the rules for submitting for other purposes of stay, on the website of the German Diplomatic Mission in Russia .

Before submitting your application:

• Prepare the necessary documents in accordance with the purpose of your trip
• For your convenience, you can pre-register for the submission of documents
• Read the rules for submitting and receiving documents
• Come to the Visametric office in accordance with the administrative district of your actual place of residence
• Fill out the online form

At the time of application:

• Reception of documents and the fingerprinting take place at the Visametric office, then applications are sent to the relevant German Diplomatic Mission for consideration
• When submitting documents, you can use additional services

After submitting your application:

• You can track the status of your application on our website
• After processing the application, you can pick up the finished passport at the Visametric office or by courier delivery , if this service was arranged when submitting documents at the Visametric office.

If you request additional documents from the German Embassy in Moscow, you can use the mail [email protected] , indicating in the subject of the letter the identification number, surname, first name and date of birth of the applicant. Please do not send any documents to the Visa Section of the Embassy on your own initiative, especially before submitting your application. These documents cannot be stored and/or processed by the Visa Office. Please provide a complete set of all required documents at the time of application.