To ease the tense appointment situation for business and trade fair travelers, we have come up with two new appointment booking categories! Read more in our FAQs and on the VFS website!

Due to a sharp increase in demand for Schengen visas, longer waiting times for appointments and longer visa processing times apply. If you are planning to travel to Germany in the near future, please make an appointment with our external service provider VFS in time. You can check the next available appointment here.

The processing time for Schengen visa starts only once the application reaches the Consulate. This might take up to SIX working days depending on the delivery conditions and public holidays. Therefore, please account for delays in the visa processing time.

Due to the peak season, it currently takes an average time of 15 days to process your Schengen visa application after it has reached the Consulate. Please take this into account before filing your application. If your travel date is imminent or lies within two weeks of application date, please check if you can postpone your trip.

In general, neither the German Mission nor the Service Provider can expedite the process. Requests for preferential treatment cannot be honoured.

As a result of centralization of Schengen visa (short term visa) processing in German Visa Centre Mumbai, we are pleased to inform about the following relaxation regarding appointment bookings:

Appointments can be booked and Schengen visa applications can be submitted in all Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global all over India, regardless of your place of residence. If the Application Centre closest to your home town is already fully booked, please feel free to check for available appointment slots in one of the other major Indian cities.

This relaxation does not apply to applications for national visas (D-visa category) such as student, employment or family reunion visas.

Common information sheet for Schengen Visa applicants in India