How to Get Germany Visa (Schengen Visa) without getting frustrated?

In order to travel to Germany, as part of the Schengen zone there are certain criteria some of us have to fulfill prior. When travelling to Germany you have to consider the countries entry requirements that mostly depend upon your nationality/country of origin and the purpose of your travel.

• Will you be required a visa to enter the country?
• What is the purpose of your stay in Germany as well as the duration?
• Do you have the sufficient funds (If you are required a visa) to fund your stay in Germany?

So, before planning to go to Germany you will have to make sure that you’ve got all the right documentation in order to enter and reside in the country for as long as you will need/want to. If you are required a visa, you will have to check what type of a visa is most appropriate for your trip, what kind of documents you will need in order to apply for one and what are the additional formalities one has to go through to start their journey in Germany.

As Germany is part of the Schengen Agreement which allows the citizens of the Schengen area to travel within this whole region with one unified document “Schengen VISA”, you will be applying (if requested) for a Schengen Visa to enter Germany. Usually, Schengen visa, once issued, allows you to reside within the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days, yet this mustn’t always be the case; it varies according to different parameters.

Germany VISA will allow you to reside in Germany for a certain period of time, but it won’t allow you to work any paid job in Germany unless you apply for a work permit.

In case you are planning to reside in Germany for more than 90 days you will have to give a valid reason additional to a bunch of documents that prove your purpose is legit, and only then you will be granted with a long-stay visa; you will then apply for the residency permit and work permit and become a temporary German resident.

VISA Requirements for Germany and other Schengen Countries

Depending on the purpose of your travel, the type of the visa acquired changes thus the documents needed in order to apply are slightly different.

If you are travelling for fun, to visit a friend or just visit the country you will be needing the following documents:

• fully completed application form and required declaration in duplicate,
• two passport photographs,
• valid national passport ( valid at least three months. It should also contain at least two empty pages where the visa can be inserted ) and one copy,
• your current bank statement and one copy,
• health insurance policy covering the days of your stay in Germany,
• reference letter from your employer/student ID,
• proof of group travel/hotel reservation/airline reservation and one copy,
• visa fees taken care of.

If you are travelling in order to start working in Germany you have to be aware of the following required documentation:

• fully completed application form and required declaration in duplicate,
• two passport photographs,
• valid national passport ( valid at least three months. It should also contain at least two empty pages where the visa can be inserted ) and one copy,
• additional for non-US citizens: original of valid US alien registration card or valid US resident visa (type A, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, O, R) and two copies thereof
• employment contract or letter of intent from your future employer in Germany and two copies thereof
• your driver’s license and/or utility bill in your name as proof of residence in the consular district where you plan to apply
• visa fees taken care of.

If you are moving to Germany to continue your studies you you will be needing the following documents:

• two fully completed application forms and required declaration in duplicate,
• two passport photographs
• valid national passport ( valid at least three months. It should also contain at least two empty pages where the visa can be inserted ) and one copy,
• letter of acceptance of a German university/language school/college and two copies thereof
• evidence that you have sufficient funds to support yourself while living in Germany and two copies thereof
• your driver’s license and/or utility bill in your name as proof of residence in the consular district where you plan to apply
• visa fees taken care of.

Applying for Germany Visa

The process is no rocket science really, you just have to follow the following steps and make sure you spend everything at the right time.

• Make an appointment at the German Embassy in your home country
• Gather all the previously stated documentation
• Fill in (meticulously) the application form and had it in along with all the other required documents
• Be there in time for your appointment at the Embassy (preferably 10 minutes early)
• Wait for the Embassy to reply via phone or mail. (Depending on the type of visa you are applying for, the visa process can take several days up to several months).

After you have been issued the visa, you can enjoy your trip to Germany and forget all about the days when you anxiously stared at your phone waiting for an answer. Enjoy.