Online applications through the Consular Portal (CSP)

The national visa is the entry visa for a long-term stay (more than 90 days) for a specific purpose of stay provided by German law. The visa is usually issued with visa validities ranging from 90 days up to a year. Depending on your purpose and duration of stay, after your arrival in Germany you need to apply for a residence permit at the German Foreigners Authority of your place of residence in Germany.

The majority of national visa can be applied for online through the Consular Service Portal.

This is the sequence of steps you go through with an application in the Consular Service Portal

The Consular Service Portal will guide you through your application and the uploading of necessary documents.

In order to prepare for your application, please refer to the information below under the heading Checklist.

Details for applications through the CSP with Checklists

Visa types

On the landing page for visa applications, the Consular Service Portal will show you all available visa types in the order visa for employment - visa for study, training or further education - visa for family reunion. Blue Card (EU) has sub-types, for other types you will be asked to complete a questionnaire and according to the answers you will be moved to the correct sub-type automatically. The types with a questionnaire are marked with * below.

Available for application through the CSP are:

• Opportunity card *
• Blue Card (EU), sub categories:
  • Blue Card (EU) with a university degree
  • Blue Card (EU) with a tertiary education qualification
  • Blue Card (EU) for IT specialist
• Taking up employment as an academic
• Taking up employment as a skilled worker with professional training
• Taking up employment with work experience
• Conducting a qualification analysis
• Taking up employment as part of a placement agreement
• Visa for basic or advanced vocational training and to seek a vocational training place *
• Study purposes and seeking a university place *
• Family reunion - joining a spouse *
• Family reunion - children joining parents *
• Family reunion - parents joining children *

More visa types will be added in the future.

Pick your correct German mission

After you have picked your visa type, you have to chose your country of residence - not the country of your citizenship. So you will either type “India” or chose it from the drop-down menu.

The CSP will then show you all of Germany's mission in India. Each one has information on the state or district for that they are responsible. You have to chose the one responsible for the state or district in India you reside in. If you chose a German mission that is not responsible for the place where you reside, your application will not be processed and you will be asked to delete your application in the CSP.

Necessary forms and documents

For applications through the Consular Service Portal, it is no longer necessary to visit a separate website to complete an online application form; that has all been integrated into the online process.

In the rare cases additional declarations are necessary, such as the “Employment Declaration” (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis) of a future employer for employment visa applications or the declaration of consent in connection with family reunion visa for children, additional information and links are provided in the CSP.

In order to prepare for necessary documents to be uploaded, please refer to these checklists:

Visa types not listed in the CSP

If a visa application is possible online through the Consular Service Portal (CSP), it is obligatory to do it through the CSP. Only then will you receive a link to book an on-site-appointment at the end of the process. If you book an appointment for a CSP-application but have not actually uploaded your application there and completed the pre-check process, your application will not be accepted at the on-site-appointment.

Currently not all types of visa are available through the CSP.

Non-CSP type visa with checklists

For the following intended purposes you have to make an “old-school” paper application

• Researcher / Guest Scientist (although generally an application for Blue Card EU or as a person with an academic degree is also possible)
• Employment - Seconded Staff (ICT Card, “Personalaustausch”)
• Employment - Recognition of Professional Qualification
• Self-Employment and freelancer
• Specialty Cook Visa
• Sea Farer
• Au Pair
• Voluntary Service
• Intensive Language Course (not in connection with future studies or training)

The four steps for non-CSP applications are

Step 1 - Prepare your application according to the information above for every type

Step 2 - Schedule an appointment through the website of our service provider VFS at the location responsible for your place of residence

Step 3 - Processing of the application by the German mission

Step 4 - Return of your passport with the decision

Have a nice trip!

Please do not forget to register with the residents' registration office immediately after entering Germany and to make an appointment with the foreigners' registration office in order to apply for a residence permit! Your visa will have been issued for a limited time and might not cover the entire duration of your intended stay; in those cases you need a residence permit instead of your visa.

Find the competent authority and interesting offers after arriving in Germany here.

With your national visa, you can travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 within a period of 180 days.

Has your visa application been rejected?

In India the remonstration process has been abolished since 1st January 2024. Read more here.

Starting from 1st January 2024 until 30th June 2025, the German visa sections in India have abolished the legal remedy of 'Remonstration'. Therefore, starting from this date, our rejection letters only state the possibility of filing a lawsuit / an appeal at the administrative court in Berlin as legal remedy against the rejection. Please check your rejection letter for further information.

Additonal information can be found here.

Legal bases

German Residence Act (AufenthG)

​​​​​​​Ordinance Governing Residence (AufenthV)

You can find detailed information on how to work in Germany here.

Read more about the recognition of your foreign degree in Germany here.

Questions?

Detailed information on the application process can be found in the overview of the FAQs, which will guide you through the application process. Therefore, always read our FAQs before submitting an application.