Germany Tourist visa
For Indians Germany is among the most desirable countries to visit within the Schengen area. To experience everything the nation and the EU have to offer you must obtain a tourist visa. While obtaining a German tourist visa from India may appear difficult, it is actually a simple procedure that involves preparing standard documents in a manner that is simple to understand.
There are various types of visa like work visa, study visa, short stay visa. But since you are about to travel and see as much of Germany, a German tourist visa is the best option.
Types of visas in Germany
Depending on the purpose and length of stay visa can be changed
- Schengen visa
- Travellers with this visa can spend up to 90 days on short term visits to any of the Schengen nations. If you would like to stay longer than this you can apply for a national visa.
2. Business visa
- Indians who wish to travel Germany on business are eligible for this visa. The length of stay varies from 3 months to 90 days. There are provisions for a working visa and a job seeker visa for those who are seeking a job in Germany and abroad.
3. Student visa
- This visa is for Indian students who wish to study and relocate to Germany. The cost is EUR 75 for students.
Eligibility for tourist visa in Germany
- Proof of indian citizenship or proof of long stay in India
- Valid passport with minimum six months of validity.
- Proof of funds which includes travel cost, living expenses. You must show funding for at least EUR 45 per day of the trip.
- A detailed itinerary with hotel reservations.
- Travel insurance details cover up to EUR 30,000
- A detailed statement indicating no purpose of seeking jobs or unauthorised activities.
Documents required for the tourist visa
- Filled Visa application form
- The declaration of the accuracy of the information you have given in the process.
- Two passport sized photos with the Schengen visa requirements
- Valid recent passport
- Proof of bank statements from the last three months
- Proof of insurance of at least EUR 30,000
- Proof of accommodation
- Proof of flight reservations proof funds
- Letter of leave form the workplace
- If you are currently a student no objection from your place of education
- Proof of funds
- A cover letter explain the purpose of visa
- Letter of invitation if any sponsoring parties in Germany
- Civil status proof such as marriage, birth or spouse death certificate
- Proof of residence such as drivers licence or any utility bill where your name mentioned
- If you are minor, consent letter from parents or guardians
- Formal invitation letter from family/friends if you are staying or visiting with them.
Tourist visa application process in Germany
- Accurate form submission: For the smooth visa processing fill out the form correctly.
- Appointment scheduling – with the closest VFS Global centre book an appointment
- Document preparation – as per the checklist, prepare all the document and order it in the correct way.
- Application submission: submit the application with the necessary payment
- Visa fees: visa fees varies with the type of visa
– – Short term – Schengen visa: Adult EUR 80
– – Children above 12 years: EUR 80
– – Children (6-12 years): EUR 40
– -No visa fee for children below 6 years of age
- Visa interview 4 : attend the interview at the specified date and time
- Biometrics submission – provide the required biometrics during the application process
- Visa status awaitance – wait for the visa confirmation
- Passport retrieval – wait for the passport for the result with the approval or rejection letter for the German tourist visa.
German visa processing time for tourist visa
Normally for Indians the visa processing time is fast. To make sure the your visa arrives at the right time follow the below steps:
- Advance application: apply at least 6 months in advance for the proper processing and arrival of the visa
- Post use processing – it takes 2 – 4 weeks for the visa to be processed after use, so allow extra time when making travel plans
- Variable processing time: processing time may varies depending on the factors such as peak seasons, vacation time
- Inquiries and clarifications – any additional inquiries or request for clarification might cause delays and it can take 30 -60 days
- Thorough preparation – in order to speed up the visa process make sure all necessary paperwork and requirements are accurate.
- Applications methods: to apply go to the German embassy that is closest to you or by scheduling an appointment online for convenience
Rejections reasons of your german tourist visa
- Insufficient documentation – if necessary documents such as proof of funds, travel itinerary, accommodation documents failed to provide.
- Financial insufficiency – unable to provide the proof of funds that covers the trip accommodation, travel and living expenses
- Incomplete application – any mistakes in the application or failed to provide necessary documents
- Unclear travel plans – if the travel purpose unclear, inconsistent or suspicious to the visa officer
- Lack of travel insurance – failed to provide proof of travel insurance, which is mandatory for the visa process
- Previous visa violation – if applicants have a record of violating laws, abusing authorization, or overstaying in the country.
- Criminal record – if the applicant has a criminal record particularly for offences involving moral turpitude.
- Unstable political situations – if the applicants is from a country with political unrest or hold to be a security reason
- Ties to home country – if the applicant failed to provide strong connections to the home country such as job, family, property ownership which can be an indication for overstay.
- Incorrect visa category – if the applicant applied for the wrong visa category or failed to represent the purpose of the visit.
- Invalid travel documents – expired passport or travel documents
- Inconsistent information – difference or contradictions between the data submitted during the interview and in the application
- Poor Schengen visa history – applicant has a history of visa rejection in the past can also be a negative impression
What to do in the case of rejection?
Visa rejection can depend on various reasons, but a common cause of it is the lack of clarity regarding the applicant’s evidence to the return to the home country after the visa expires.
You can apply again if you think the rejection is valid and hope for the best. However, you can file an appeal to the visa denial if the mistake is from the German embassy.
You have 15 days from the date you received the notice of the visa refusal to file for an appeal which should be sent to the consulate where they made the decision. The appeal must be an original document sent by mail or presented in person and it must bear the appellant’s genuine signature. Make sure the appeal includes the name of the applicant and explains why the decision to refuse is believed to be illegal. After receiving the appeal from the consulate, the Czech ministry foreign affairs will evaluate it in 35 days. The same consulate will notify the applicant of the decision after the review.
Key takeaways
- Germany offers different types of visa to the Indians depending on the purpose and duration of the travel visas including Schengen, tourist, student visa.
- Indian citizenship, valid passport with at least 6 months validity, proof of funds(EUR 45 per day), detailed travel plans, travel insurance(EUR 30,000 coverage) and declaration of non-employment intent are requirements for getting a tourist visa for Indians
- Important documents for filing an application are filled application form, passport photos, valid passport, bank statements, proof of insurance, accommodation, flight tickets, proof of funds, employment leave letter, educational no objection certificate, cover letter, invitation letter, civil status proof, proof of residence, consent letter of minor.
- Part of the application process for German tourist visas from India are accurate submission, appointment scheduling at the VFS Global centre, document preparation, submission with the applicable fees, attending a visa interview,submitting biometrics, waiting for visa status, passport retrieval.
