The German Tourist Visa for your Holiday or Visiting a Family
Applying for a German Tourist visa is necessary when visiting on vacation trip or to meet a family living in Germany.
Usually, a visitor should be able to apply for the required German tourist visa online/ at the nearest German embassy in the country where you live, for a stay in Germany of up to three months.
General Visa Requirements and Validity Period of German Tourist Visa
Before applying for a tourist visa for Germany, it is recommended you check whether you can apply for the German tourist visa.
A brief summary of the most important requirements and conditions when obtaining the tourist visa for Germany:
- You do not expect to undertake volunteer work that can otherwise be carried out by a paid employee in Germany.
- You do not mean to participate in a work relationship in Germany.
- You do not plan to give services to German organisations (this is allowed with a German work visa or business visa).
- You do not mean to give or offer services or products to consumers in Germany.
- You and your relative are not in debt to the Germany Government.
- You do not pose a threat to the health or safety of residents of Germany.
- You have the ability to show that you have adequate funds to finance your trip and return from Germany.
Do you require a German tourist visa?
It depends on your nationality as well as the kind of travel document you are using to take a trip to Germany.Please go here to check if you need a German visa.
Exactly who can make an application for a German tourist visa?
Anybody hoping to go on vacation to Germany can make an application for a German tourist visa.
There are several kinds of visa for Germany which you can use as a traveller to Germany. If you are not sure which kind of German tourist visa you need to apply, please speak to the nearby German visa office to obtain further information as aim of this web page is to offer you basic guide when applying for German tourist visa.
What type of German visa do I require?
This depends upon three aspects:
- The citizenship according to your passport – If the nationality according to the passport is from a country that is on visa free travel to Germany or eligible to obtain a visa on arrival in Germany, then you may not require to obtain a German tourist visa prior to leaving from your home country. Please go here to find out if you need a German visa.
- The duration of your stay in Germany – If you wish to remain in Germany for a much shorter duration less than ninety days, then you can obtain the German tourist visa. If you want to remain longer, then call the nearest German visa office to obtain the appropriate visa for your travel.
- The activities you wish to execute in Germany – If your sole purpose of travelling is for holiday, then you can make an application for all kinds of German tourist visas discussed on this web page.
General Visa Application Requirements to Obtain German Tourist Visa
- Holiday visa Form for Germany – Completed German visa application form.
- Original and signed passport – The passport must be valid for at least 6 months before entering Germany and 3 months after departing Germany. It should have a minimum of two spare visa pages and can not be older than ten years.
- Passport type photo – Photo must be no older than six months and need to be 35 x 40mm in width.
- Previous passport – Provide a previous passport if you had any.
- Previous visas – Copies of previous German visas information if you had any.
- Flight tickets to Germany – Reservation of return or round trip flight tickets. In some instances the German visa office may ask for pre-paid air travel tickets to Germany.
- Travel insurance policy – Evidence of travel insurance coverage with a minimum cover set by the German embassy provided with the Certification of Insurance and the table of benefits. The travel insurance coverage must cover the expense of repatriation for medical reasons and the Certificate of Currency have to be issued by an insurance provider. If you are considering utilizing your credit card travel insurance for your travel to Germany, please get in touch with German consular office for more details and travel insurance policy requirements for the German visa.
- Original financial institution declarations – Original bank statements for the last 3 months revealing sufficient funds to cover your trip in Germany. If statements are printed online after that it needs to be Validated (stamped) by the bank representatives.
- Hotel Reservations in Germany – Copy of confirmed hotel reservations including name of the applicant, name and address of the hotel, length of stay. In a lot of circumstances, only bookings which are partially or completely pre-paid can be accepted.
- Work letter – This letter needs to be: original and signed letter from employer written on company letter head paper, verifying your ongoing employment, the status of employment, regular monthly income and yearly leave. Additionally, please give your three newest pay slips. If you are self-employed: give certified copies of business registration, income tax return.
- For students. Please give the following:
- Proof of present student status: Certificate of Enrollment.
- Original and signed letter from university written on university letter head paper, affirming on-going enrolment, confirming the payment of tuition fees or any type of scholarships, and confirming semester break.
- Insurance coverage from Organisation/University – Offer a letter from the University specifying the purpose, duration of travel and confirmation that you are going to be covered by the insurance for the entire trip in addition to the Certificate of Currency and summary of benefits.
As a whole, visa applications for German visa should be submitted for a maximum of 6 months, and no later than 15 days, prior to the trip.