The first set of changes to the German Immigration Act to facilitate migration of skilled workers has come into effect on 18 November 2023. Please find more details about the changes of the Skilled Immigration Act here.

Please refer to the checklists here and here for information on what that means for your visa application and the necessary documents.

Please click here for exceptions.

Further information on family reunion visa is available here.

Only the visa fee is due for the procedure. Applications and information sheets are issued free of charge. The help of an agent is not necessary! Please be aware that you will be held responsible for all actions taken by the agent in your name.

Fill out application form and prepare documents

For a successful application, you must submit a complete application at the appointment. So please bring the application form with passport photos, your passport, the documents intended for the purpose of stay and the visa fee.

• Please fill the Videx National Visa form online by clicking here for swift processing of the visa application.
• Furthermore, it is necessary to print, fill and sign the following declarations:
  • Declaration on true and complete information
  • Additional contact and legal representation information

In case of Employment Visas, please fill out the Annexure for Employment Visas.

In case of Family Reunion for a Child joining one or both Parents in Germany, please fill out the Declaration of Consent.

In case of Family Reunion for spouse, please fill out the additional questionnaire.

The required documents are listed according to the purpose of stay in the fact sheets in the section 'Checklists'. Documents are accepted in A4 format only. Your application documents should be in German or English. In case the document is in any other language, kindly provide a translation as well.

The documents submitted and all information given in your application form must be genuine and accurate. Falsified or untrue documents will result in the rejection of the visa application. Deception about the purpose of stay will also lead to the rejection of the visa application.

The submission of the documents does not establish a right to the issuance of a visa. In individual cases, the submission of further documents may be required.

Please do not send any documents to the visa office without being requested to do so - especially not before submitting your application. These documents cannot be kept and/or assigned here. Please bring all required documents to the visa interview. In case of subsequent submissions of requested documents, please indicate the transaction number (will be assigned at the time of application), surname, first name and passport number of the applicant.

Health insurance

The German Missions accept Indian travel medical insurances only from Indian travel insurance companies listed here (in alphabetical order).

Biometric photo

Kindly submit photos which meet the biometric photo requirements.

Appointments are booked at the foreign mission responsible for your place of residence or habitual abode. The German missions abroad in India are geographically divided into official districts. Responsibility is based exclusively on the applicant's current main place of residence. Place of birth or nationality are not relevant.
You can get an overview of the official districts and the responsible consulate in the consulate finder.

To find out where to submit your application (at VFS or at the German Mission), please refer to the specific information provided by the Mission of your jurisdiction:

German Embassy New Delhi

German Consulate General Bengaluru

German Consulate General Chennai

German Consulate General Kalkutta

German Consulate General Mumbai

Please make sure you arrive on time for your appointment and have your documents prepared and in order as per the checklist (step 3).

NOTE: Appointments can ONLY be booked via VFS or at the Embassy/Consulate, depending on the visa category; please beware of fraudulent offers of third parties!

Visa Fees

Please pay the required amount - always in rupees - upon submission of your visa application.

*Might change without prior notice. Therefore, check the current visa fees the day before your appointment. The visa section might not be able to accept your application with a wrong demand draft!

- The visa fee is to be paid at the end of the visa appointment.
- The visa fee is not refundable, even if the visa is rejected.
- In some cases, the visa fee might be waived.

You can find the acceptable modes of payment of visa fee here.

Admission to the Visa Sections

Visitors to the Visa Section are not allowed to carry the following devices:

•any form of electronic device (e.g. notebook, mobile phone, camera)

•dangerous objects (in particular knives and weapons)

•bags and luggage, umbrellas

•any other dangerous items

All visitors are allowed to carry only the documents that have been asked for and required by the German Embassy.

Please note that the German Embassy is not in a position to keep in deposit the above-mentioned objects that are not allowed inside the Embassy premises.

Safeguarding personal belongings outside the Embassy premises is the sole responsibility of each applicant!

The German Mission will examine and decide on your application. The legal requirements are always checked on a case-by-case basis using the available application documents. Depending on the purpose of stay, this review can take from a few working days to several months.

Please keep in mind that this period starts once the application reaches the mission, not VFS. If you were asked for a pending document, the processing time does not start until your application is complete.

Kindly understand that, in the interest of all applicants, we cannot give individual status updates within the below mentioned time. As soon as a decision on the application has been made, you will be contacted by the German Mission.

Standard processing times

- Family reunion (including dependents and intended marriage): 12 weeks
- Students (including preparatory (language) courses : 12 weeks
- Employment with pre-approval of the Federal Employment Agency, Employment with Hosting Agreement according to Section 18d German Residence Act and Blue Card: 4 weeks
- Employment as chef/speciality cook (even with pre-approval): 12 weeks
- Employment with pre-approval according to §81a AufenthG: 2 weeks
- Recognition of foreign professional qualification/approbation: 12 weeks
- Self-Employment (incl. freelancers): 12 weeks
- Schengen (short term stays under 90 days): 15 working days

The following applies to queries: For data protection reasons, detailed information can only be provided to the applicant, his/her legal representative or authorized representative in writing. Other inquiries from third parties can unfortunately not be answered.

Verification of Documents

In certain cases, the visa section might initiate a verification of your documents. This concerns all public documents issued by the Indian authorities and work proof documents.

The Attestation or Apostille of Indian documents is not recognized by German authorities and is therefore not required for visa purposes.

The visa section will inform you about the verification either during the procedure via e-mail OR the necessity of verification will be mentioned on the checklist.

For the amount applicable and more information about verification of Indian documents, please click here.

Please check your visa as soon as you receive your passport, and report any errors to us immediately via e-mail. Always mention your passport number, full name and reason for correction!!

Your visa will show your full name, passport number and photo. You can see the approved period of validity of the visa, i.e. the period of time during which you are allowed to enter Germany and may have to apply for a domestic residence permit at the Immigration Office (See 'have a nice trip' section below).

Please be aware that the visa section cannot issue the visa earlier than the starting date of your travel health insurance.

Student visa

Language course