Germany Visa for Indians: Requirements, Visa Fees, Visa Types, And Processing Times

An extremely popular country located in the western part of Europe, Germany has been a tourism melting pot for years. A part of the Schengen Area, the country is known for its forests, mountain ranges, North Sea Beaches, Christmas Markets, and of course, world-famous festivals such as Oktoberfest and Berlinale. As holders of the Indian passport, you need to obtain a Germany Tourist Visa for Indians in order to visit the country.

Depending on your purpose of visit, you can choose between a short stay visa (single, double, and multiple entry), an airport transit visa, and a long-term visa (1 year, 3 years, and 5 years). If you want to travel to Germany for a short term which is up to 90 days for a visit, as a tourist, on business, or for medical treatment you will need a Schengen visa.

In this post, I would mainly discuss the types of Germany tourist visa for Indians, the process, and the requirements for applying for and obtaining single and multiple Germany Tourist Visas for Indians.

As Indians, all of us require the above-mentioned Germany tourist visa For Indians to visit the country for tourism purposes or to visit friends and family in Germany.

Is the Germany Tourist Visa and Schengen Tourist Visa the same?

Well, yes. The Germany Schengen Visa and Germany Tourist Visa for Indians are the same Germany visa for Indians. It all depends on what you like to call it. Nonetheless, this is the Germany visa for Indians you'll need if you plan to visit Germany for tourism purposes.

After reading through this guide, you'll be able to easily apply for your next Germany Tourist Visa for Indians.

Here's what I'll cover in the post:

General Information About The Germany Schengen Visa

What Are The Required Documents For The Germany Schengen Visa?

How To Apply For The Germany Schengen Visa?

How To Get A Germany Schengen Visa Without Effort?

General Information About The Germany Schengen Visa

Before jumping into the Germany visa For Indians visa application and its requirements, let us address some of the most Germany Visa Information with the popular queries most travelers traveling to Germany tend to enquire for before applying for a Germany Schengen Visa.

Types Of Visas for Indians

What Is The Germany Schengen Visa?

Do I Need A Germany Schengen Visa?

How Long Can I Stay In Germany With A Schengen Visa?

Where Can I Apply For The Germany Schengen Visa?

What Is The Germany Schengen Visa Processing Time?

When Must I Apply For My Germany Schengen Visa?

How Much Is The Germany Schengen Visa Fee?

What Are The Minimum Financial Requirements To Visit Germany?

Can I Travel To Other Schengen Countries With The Germany Schengen Visa?

If you already have a general understanding of the Germany Schengen Visa, feel free to skip to the required documents or the visa application process.

Types Of Visas for Indians

There are several Germany visas from India you can apply for as an Indian passport holder (Germany National Visa for Indians).

Au Pair Visa.

Work Visa knowingly as Employment Visa (EU Blue Card).

Skilled Workers - Academic Degree (Germany Visa For Indians).

Work Visa knowingly as Employment Visa (Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications).

Family Reunion / Spouse Germany Visa For Indians.

Family Reunion Visa for the parent of a German citizen or EU citizen Child.

Family Reunion Visa for a Child joining one or both parents in Germany.

Dependents accompanying spouse or children(Germany Visa For Indians).

Intended Marriage Germany Visa For Indians.

Guest Scientist/Research Germany Visa For Indians.

Job-Seeker Visa(Germany Visa For Indians).

Specialty Cook Germany Visa For Indians.

Germany Student Visa For Indians.

Training/Internship Germany Visa For Indians.

German national Germany Visa For Indians - self-employment.

German national Germany Visa For Indians– self-employed freelancers (Section 21 (5) of the Residence Act.

Voluntary Service Germany Visa For Indians.

What Is The Germany Schengen Visa?

The Germany Schengen Visa, also known as the Tourist Visa, allows you to enter Germany for tourism purposes. Such purposes include vacation, site seeing, leisure, and so on.

Short business trips are also allowed under the Germany tourist Visa from India. However, you can't work in the country. Acceptable business purposes include attending meetings, functions, meeting clients, etc.

If your trip to Germany does not include tourism or business, you need to apply for another type of visa.

Some travelers refer to the Germany Schengen Visa as the Germany Tourist Visa, Germany visa For Indians, and short-stay visa. These terms refer to a German visa for Indians that allows you to enter the country (the only difference being the name). In this post, I'll use both these terms.

Do I Need A Germany Schengen Visa?

Yes. As a citizen of the Indian sub-continent, all of us require to obtain a Tourist Visa before entering Germany.

How Long Can I Stay In Germany With A Schengen Visa?

The single-entry Schengen Visa allows you to visit Germany for a maximum of 90 days within every 180-day period. To calculate your stay in Schengen, you can use the Schengen Visa Calculator. Please note that you are not allowed to take up residence or work on a Schengen visa.

In some cases, you may only stay in Germany for the duration you specified in your visa application form. Therefore, always check the validity period on your Germany Tourist visa For Indians visa sticker before traveling.

Remember:

Overstaying your welcome in Germany can lead to heavy fines, jail time, and even a ban.

Where Can I Apply For The Germany Schengen Visa?

Although it was possible to apply for a Germany Tourist Visa at the Embassy and Consulate General of Germany located across the country before, the application process is now majorly handled only by VFS Germany visa application centers across the country.You can book an appointment at the closest VFS center by registering online with VFS.

Additionally, here is a list of VFS Application Centers across India:

New Delhi – For applicants staying in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand as well as the Union Territories of Chandigarh, NCT of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep including Minicoy and Amini.

Mumbai – For applicants staying in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Daman, and Diu.

Kolkata – For applicants staying in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.

Bangalore – For applicants staying in Karnataka and Kerala.

Chennai – For applicants staying in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Pondicherry. Check whether you’re eligible to apply for it.

I have explained more on this below so you can directly jump to the section of How To Apply For The Germany Schengen Visa?

What Is The Germany Schengen Visa Processing Time?

The usual visa processing time for Schengen visas is between 15 to 30 days. However, you can apply up to 6 months in advance.

When Must I Apply For My Germany Schengen Visa?

At the latest, you can start your German visa for Indians application 15 days before your planned trip. Sometimes it can take up to 45 days in case it is necessary to make a more detailed exam of the application.

Thus, the earliest you can apply is 3 months before your trip. I recommend starting your application as soon as you can so you have enough time should something unexpected happen (like a longer Germany tourist visa for Indians processing time).

How Much Is The Germany Schengen Visa Fee?

So when you are applying for the Germany visa for Indians, shortly before your appointment you need to verify the current exchange rate for your Germany visa For Indians visa fee: it will be in Euro and Indian Rupee. You can expect to pay the following fees for your Germany Schengen Visa:

For adults: INR 6700 | EUR 80

For children 6 - 11 years: INR 3400 | EUR 40

For children under 6 years: Free

Note: An important thing to know here is that holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as students and researchers traveling for research or educational training do not need to pay for the Germany visa For Indian visa fee (to be evaluated case per case). The same also applies to representatives of non-profit organizations, aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, and cultural or educational events by non-profit organizations.

What Are The Minimum Financial Requirements To Visit Germany?

You'll find that all Schengen Member States have their own minimum financial requirements when visiting. This requirement has been implemented to ensure that visitors have the financial means to support themselves during their stay.

For Germany, you have to show a minimum balance of EUR 3000|INR 2,43,506 approx. over the last 6 months.

Remember, this is only the minimum amount. Your Germany tourist visa For Indians visa application will look much more compelling if you prove you have more finances. Anything within the ballpark of INR 8 to 10 lacs should solidify your application even further.

Can I Travel To Other Schengen Countries With The Germany Schengen Visa?

You're allowed to travel to any Schengen state with your Germany Schengen Visa. Nonetheless, you need to clearly state that you plan to travel to other countries in your application.

You can visit the following Schengen Member States with your Germany Tourist Visa for Indians:Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

What Are The Required Documents For The Germany Schengen Visa?

Now that you have a general understanding of the Germany Schengen Visa, we can look at its requirements and application process.

One of the first things you would need to before you begin the application process is to ensure that you have all the necessary documents ready to be presented at the Germany visa For Indians visa center. The VFS Germany Visa Application Center provides a Document checklist for Schengen Tourist Visa.

Here are the documents you'll need to submit to the Embassy:

A duly completed and signed Germany Visa Application form to be filled online.

A duly completed and signed Declaration on True and Complete Information

A duly completed and signed Declaration on Health Insurance

A duly completed and signed Additional Contact and Legal representative Information

One passport photo of yourself. It must meet the requirements set out by Germany.

A valid passport or travel document with at least two blank pages. It must be valid for 3 months after the end of your trip and be issued no later than 10 years ago.

Schengen Travel Insurance/Medical Insurance that provides a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000 and is valid for the entire duration of travel. The insurance must cover the entire Schengen area and not just Germany. Also, Travel insurance must cover all COVID-19-related health emergencies.

Proof of accommodation. This can be private accommodation, a rental agreement, hotel reservations, etc. but it has to cover the duration of the whole stay and all the Schengen countries you plan to visit other than Germany. If you have booked a packaged tour, attach detailed travel itinerary.

Proof of financial funds. This includes a cover letter as well as bank statement of the last 3 months, stamped and signed by your bank manager, a copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR V acknowledgment of the previous financial year, and a signed and stamped leave permission from your employer.

Proof of employment/studies on official letterhead, stamped and dated; containing contact information (address, email, telephone number) as well as the name, position, and signature of the countersigning officer. The letter must state the name and position of the applicant, salary, years of employment/studies, and approval of absence/position after leave. For unemployment: unemployment certificate and proof of income, if any (married: employment certificate of spouse, the document of the income of the spouse, and a marriage certificate).

A return flight ticket that proves you plan to return to your home country.

A cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip, what you plan to do, and when you'll return home. Basically, it just proves the purpose of your trip.

Your employment status.

Document Requirements Depending On Employment Status

If you are self-employed, you need to present a copy of your business license in India, company income tax returns for the past two years, and a copy of the company’s bank statement for the past 3 months, signed and stamped by the bank manager.

If you own a business in India, you need to present the certificate of registration of the company (Form B, rule 5(1) or Form ST3, rule 11)

If you are a student, you have to present a copy of the enrolment paper that serves as a proof that the applicant has planned to study in that school/university and a copy of No Objection Certificate from the respective school or university.

If you are salaried, proof of employment/studies on official letterhead, stamped and dated; containing contact information (address, email, telephone number) as well as name, position and signature of the countersigning officer. The letter must state the name and position of the applicant, salary, years of employment/studies and approval of absence/position after leave.

If unemployed, unemployment certificate and proof of income, if any (married: employment certificate of spouse, document of the income of the spouse and a marriage certificate).

What Are The COVID-19 Required Documents?

Covid requirements and protocols can change without notice. For this reason, I can't specify the exact documents you require as they might have already changed. So instead, use Atlys's COVID-19 tool to learn about the country requirements and what you need to enter Germany.

One thing I can include is that you must have fully recovered from COVID-19 in the past 6 months or be fully vaccinated against the virus. Keep in mind that only approved vaccinations will allow entry into Germany.

You won't be able to visit Germany with only a negative COVID-19 test result.

How To Apply For The Germany Schengen Visa?

You now know the documents you need to submit for a successful Schengen Visa application. Next, I'll walk you through the steps you need to take when you start your application.

Step 1 - Collect The Required Documents

Step 2 - Fill In Your Schengen Visa Application Form

Step 3 - Find Where You Need To Apply At

Step 4 - Schedule A German Visa Appointment

Step 5 - Attend Your German Visa Appointment

Step 6 - Receive Feedback From The Embassy

Step 1 - Collect The Required Documents

Start collecting the required documents first.

Why?

It's the most time-consuming part of the process. Doing this first will allow you to leave enough time for unexpected delays, such as collecting an incorrect document, finding accommodation, and so on.

When gathering all your required documents, make a list of what you need to get. It's the easiest way to keep track of the documents you've collected.

Step 2 - Fill In Your Schengen Visa Application Form

Ok, so you've got all the required documents.

Now download and start filling in the Germany Visa application form.

Remember, all the information you provide must be correct and accurate.

The form is self-explanatory, but ensure that you fill in all the details carefully. Once done, save and download the form.

Quick tip: Keep your passport close when filling out your Germany visa For Indians visa application form. Always refer to your passport when entering your personal details.

Did you know:

Most visa applications get denied due to incorrect information on a Germany visa For Indians visa application form. Here's a guide highlighting the mistakes you should avoid when applying for your Schengen Visa.

Step 3 - Find Where You Need To Apply At

As I mentioned, not all countries have a local Germany representative. Therefore, you should always check where you need to apply before submitting your application.

Step 4 - Schedule A German Visa Appointment

Please schedule an appointment for your Germany visa For Indians visa interview at the competent German Mission or application center. Please make sure you arrive on time for your appointment and have your documents prepared. After you've determined where you need to apply, you must schedule a visa appointment.

Be mindful that you might not find an appointment time suitable to your needs. As a result, you may have to keep your schedule open for the next few weeks, or at least until you find an appointment. This is another reason why you should start your visa application procedure at the earliest so as to receive your Germany visa For Indians in time for your ravel

Step 5 - Attend Your German Visa Appointment

On the day of your appointment, visit the Germany visa For Indians visa application center at the scheduled time. Arrive at least half an hour early in case there is a rush at the center and make sure you carry all the documents with you.

Once the Germany tourist visa For Indians officer checks your document, they might interview you for a short while but there is nothing to be nervous about. Answer each question truthfully and it should be okay. For Indian nationals, you can set appointments for Schengen Visas for your submission of your Schengen visa application at your nearest Visa Application Centre. Please schedule an appointment at VFS Global by telephone (022-67866013) or online. For personal Germany tourist visa For Indians interviews at the federal republic of Germany Mission at your local jurisdiction.

German Embassy New Delhi.

VFS Global.

German Consulate General Bangalore.

German Consulate General Chennai.

German Consulate General Kolkata.

VFS Global.-German Consulate General Mumbai VFS Global.

Quick tip: You can use your required documents to support your answers. For example, should they ask where you plan to stay in Germany, you can present your proof of accommodation.

After attending your interview and submitting your documents, you'll be requested to submit your biometric information.

What's that?

It's just your fingerprints and a digital photo of yourself. This is not required if you've been to the Schengen Area in the last 59 months.

Step 6 - Receive Feedback From The Embassy

After completing steps 1 - 5, you're basically done. The only thing left is to wait for your Germany visa For Indians to be processed. As mentioned, this can take between 15 - 30 days.

After it's processed, you'll receive feedback from the Germany visa For Indians visa application center via email, a call, SMS, or your preferred contact method. You can Track Your Application here.If your Germany Visa For Indians is approved, you can travel back to the Germany visa For Indians visa application center to collect your passport. Attached inside, you'll find your brand new Germany Schengen Visa.

How To Get A Germany Schengen Visa Without Effort?

Now, if you are someone who values your time and energy, we've got some great news for you! You don't need to read through this entire guide on getting a German Schengen Visa. Instead, all you need to do is download Atlys and use it to complete your application for you.

With Atlys, you can immediately start your next German Tourist Visa application. A benefit of Atlys is that you don't need to stress about the Germany visa For Indians application process and everything it entails. All you need to do is select a destination, travel date, and enter your relevant details. Afterward, Atlys will do all the tedious paperwork for you. With Atlys, you can receive your next Tourist Visa in no time!

Now you know how to apply for your Germany Tourist Visa for Indians!

Ensure that you follow my exact steps, and you'll have your Germany visa For Indians in no time. The final step is to make some unforgettable memories in Germany!

Happy Travels!