Schengen Visa for Germany: What the Federal Foreign Office Says
Last verified October 9, 2026. Visa rules change often, so confirm current requirements at Auswärtiges Amt, Federal Foreign Office before applying. Your specific case may have factors not covered here.
If you need a visa to visit Germany for up to 90 days, you apply for a Schengen visa. The Federal Foreign Office explains how on its Visa & Service pages. This guide sets out what those pages, the EU's Visa Code and the EU's own border-system pages say, and links the main pages at the end.
Not everyone needs a visa. The Federal Foreign Office says third-country nationals generally need one, except nationals of the countries for which EU law has abolished the visa requirement for short stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period, and it publishes a table of the countries whose citizens do and do not need a visa. For longer stays you apply for a national visa instead.
Entry/Exit System (EES)
The EU says the Entry/Exit System has been fully operational at all external border crossing points of the countries that use it since 10 April 2026.
- If you need a short-stay visa, the system stores only your facial image, because your fingerprints were already registered when you applied for the visa.
- Your passport is not stamped, and the 90 days in any 180 are counted across all 29 European countries that use the system.
- In principle both biometric and non-biometric passports are accepted at the border, if the passport is valid and the other entry conditions are met. A biometric passport is only needed to use the self-service systems.
Where and When to Apply
Germany's embassies and consulates general are responsible for issuing visas. The mission responsible for you is the one for the area where you ordinarily live. The Federal Foreign Office adds that the mission of the Schengen state in which your sole or main destination lies is the one competent in terms of subject matter.
- Which country: the Visa Code makes the state of your sole destination competent. If the visit includes more than one destination, or several separate visits within a period of two months, it is the state of the main destination in terms of the length of stay, counted in days, or the purpose of stay. If no main destination can be determined, it is the state whose external border you intend to cross to enter. The Federal Foreign Office says the country of entry and departure is not the determining factor.
- When: you can apply for a Schengen visa at the earliest six months before your trip and generally no later than 15 days before it, and you can make the appointment before that. In peak travel seasons there may be a waiting period for making an application.
- In person: as a rule you submit the application in person at the mission or the visa application centre at your place of residence. If your fingerprints were taken for a Schengen visa application within the last 59 months, you may not need to appear again in person for that.
- Online: Schengen visa applications cannot yet be accepted online through the Consular Services Portal, which handles long-term visas for 28 purposes. You can fill in the Schengen form online and bring the print-out to your appointment, or get a paper form free of charge from the mission.
Documents for a Schengen Visa
The Federal Foreign Office tells applicants to consult the documentation requirements well in advance of departure, and says details of the documents to present are often on the website of the competent German mission or available from the mission directly. The cards below set out what the Visas for Germany page, the Federal Foreign Office FAQ and the Visa Code say.
Fees and Processing Time
The Federal Foreign Office says the processing fee for a Schengen visa is normally EUR 90. It is EUR 45 for children from the age of six and below 12, and nothing under six.
Calendar days. The Federal Foreign Office says missions as a rule need up to 15 calendar days to reach a decision on a correct application. The Visa Code allows the period to be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny is needed.
Fees are waived for several groups, which the Federal Foreign Office lists: for example children under six, school pupils, undergraduates, postgraduates and accompanying teaching staff on study or training trips, researchers, and representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 or under at seminars, conferences, and sports, cultural or educational events. Nationals of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine who are not visa exempt pay in principle EUR 35 under visa facilitation agreements. Reduced fees are partly suspended for Belarusian nationals and fully suspended for Russian nationals. Ask the responsible mission about your own case.
At the Border: Funds and Return
The European Commission's border handbook (Annex 25, version of 1 April 2026) says Germany has not set mandatory reference amounts per day. Border officials examine each situation individually, taking account of the nature and purpose of the journey, the length of the stay, whether you are staying with relatives or friends, and subsistence costs. If you cannot produce evidence of your circumstances or make credible statements, you should have EUR 45 per day at your disposal. Your return or onward journey must also be possible, for example shown by an onward or return ticket.
Schengen Visa for Germany: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Schengen visa for Germany?
It depends on your nationality. The Federal Foreign Office says third-country nationals generally need a visa, except nationals of the countries for which EU law has abolished the visa requirement for stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period, and it publishes a table of which countries' citizens need one. To work, to study or to stay longer than 90 days you generally apply for a national visa.
How much does a Schengen visa for Germany cost?
The Federal Foreign Office says the fee is normally EUR 90, EUR 45 for children from six to under 12, and nothing under six. Further waivers and reductions are listed in the fees section of its Visas for Germany page, including EUR 35 in principle for nationals of 11 countries who are not visa exempt.
How long does a Schengen visa for Germany take?
As a rule German missions need up to 15 calendar days to decide a correct application, and the Visa Code allows up to 45 calendar days in individual cases, for example when further scrutiny is needed. In peak travel seasons there may be a waiting period just to make an application. You can apply six months before your trip at the earliest and generally no later than 15 days before it.
Which country do I apply to if I visit more than one Schengen country?
The Visa Code makes the state of your sole destination competent. With several destinations, or several separate visits within two months, it is the state of the main destination in terms of the length of stay, counted in days, or the purpose of stay, and if none can be determined it is the state whose external border you cross to enter. The Federal Foreign Office says the country of entry and departure is not the determining factor, so apply to Germany if Germany is your main destination.
Can I apply for a Schengen visa for Germany online?
Not yet. The Federal Foreign Office says Schengen visa applications cannot yet be accepted online through its Consular Services Portal, which handles long-term visas for 28 purposes. You can fill in the Schengen form online, print it and bring it to your appointment.
How long can I stay on a Schengen visa for Germany?
At most 90 days in any period of 180 days, whatever the validity of the visa, according to the Federal Foreign Office. It adds that annual or multi-annual visas are as a rule only issued to people who have already been to Germany or other Schengen states several times and whom the mission considers particularly trustworthy.
Do the Entry/Exit System and ETIAS apply to me?
The Entry/Exit System registers non-EU nationals on a short stay, including visa holders, each time they cross the external border of the 29 countries that use it. For visa holders the system stores only the facial image. ETIAS is a separate travel authorisation for visa-exempt travelers: it is currently not in operation and no applications are collected, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. If you need a Schengen visa, you apply for the visa as described here.
Next Steps
Find the checklist of the German mission that handles your application and gather every document before your appointment. TravelReady's Smart Visa Checklist gives you a starting list from your trip details. Confirm it against the official instructions before you apply.
Does your case trigger the Germany risk patterns?
Knowing the failure modes is not the same as knowing whether they apply to your documents. Officer's Read cross-references your specific employment letter, bank statement, and cover letter against current Germany embassy rules, the way an officer would, and flags what would be questioned before you submit.
What we check that this guide can't:
- →Whether your proof of funds and your invitation or pledge match the purpose and length of stay on your application
- →Whether your insurance certificate, accommodation proof and travel reservation match the dates on your application
- →Whether a recent large deposit has a documented source
Free Smart Visa Checklist. Document validation from $67. No subscription.
Sources: checked on 2026-10-09 against the Federal Foreign Office: Visas for Germany and the Visa for Germany FAQ. The Visa Code statements come from Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (consolidated version of 28 June 2024, Articles 5, 14, 15 and 23), and the daily amount from Annex 25 of the Commission's Practical Handbook for Border Guards. The Entry/Exit System and ETIAS statements come from the EU's Travel to Europe site: the EES questions and answers, ETIAS and the ETIAS questions and answers. Fees and processing times change, so check the live pages before you apply.