Germany Visa Guide & Required Documents
If you are part of the more than 60 countries eligible to apply for ETIAS travel authorization, the entry procedure to Germany will be effortless to manage.
You will get a response to know whether or not you are eligible after filling out the online form to process ETIAS, a mandatory requirement to travel to any country in Europe from 2021.
If you do not belong to the ETIAS countries or the reason for your trip is different, you should consult the requirements of the additional visas to travel to Germany depending on your country of origin.
How long can I stay in Germany with ETIAS
Starting in 2021, the ETIAS visa for Germany will be a reality. Citizens of the more than 60 eligible countries will need to apply for this travel authorization to move freely through German territory.
Once the traveller has applied for his ETIAS travel authorization and has been granted, he will have permission to travel through Germany for a maximum of 90 days and a period of 3 consecutive years. At this time, the visa bearer for Germany may carry out only activities related to tourism or business, but not others such as working or residing in the country permanently. If you wish to extend your stay of 90 days in Germany, please refer to the ETIAS authorization renewal conditions.
Documentation and passport requirements for Germany
The documentation and passport requirements for travel to Germany depend exclusively on the type of travel permit requested.
However, as a general rule, when it comes time to process any of the authorizations (either ETIAS or the Schengen visa), a valid passport will be required.
The identification document must be valid for a minimum of three months at the time of making the application for entry to Germany. As for the documentation, it will be subject to the type of visa to be processed. Learn about the different entry permits to Germany in the next section.
Types of visas and permits to enter Germany
Find here all the options of entry to Germany, as well as the requirements of each type of visa.
Tourism Visa in Germany
There are two options to apply for Germany visa.
On the one hand, the ETIAS travel authorization, granted to citizens of countries eligible for short stays not more than 90. The requirements for applying for ETIAS from Germany are as follows:
- Valid passport with a minimum term of three months
- Email account
- Credit or debit card Transactions
The other option to enter Germany for tourism reasons, also for a maximum period of 90 days, would be the Schengen visa. Your requirements are:
- Valid passport copy with a minimum term of three months
- Two photographs (3cm x 4cm) on a white background
- Travel booking* Bank statements
- Travel insurance
- Job or study certificates
- Booking accommodation in the country
- Payment of the visa fee
Transit in Germany
To enter Germany for transit reasons, i.e. if your flight makes a stopover in the German country, the traveller will not need any permit. The restrictions are as follows:
- Travellers will not be able to leave the airport area.
- All available documentation, as well as the final destination of the journey, must be taken with you.
Germany Work Visa
The foreigner must apply for a business visa in Germany. This permit is for short trips (e.g. congresses) that are endorsed by a German company. The access will require the following documents.
- Valid passport copy with a minimum term of three months
- Two photographs (3cm x 4cm) on a white background
- Travel booking
- Bank statements
- Travel insurance
- Job or study certificates
- Booking accommodation in the country
- Company Invitation
- Payment of the visa fee
ETIAS visa, which will enter into force in 2021, will allow its carriers to enter Germany, for work reasons, for a period, not more than 90 days.
Student Visa in Germany
For foreign nationals who decide to go to Germany for study reasons, such as taking a German course, spending a school year in the country (e.g. exchange or transfer scholarship) or taking full studies in the German region, the following documentation will be required.
- Two application forms
- Valid passport copy with a minimum term of three months
- Two photographs (3cm x 4cm) on a white background
- University acceptance letter or the language course certificate
- Proof of the student’s latest grades
- Payment of the visa fee
Residential Visa For Germany
This visa must be applied for by all persons who intend to stay in Germany for more than three months. The permit also includes those seeking paid employment with a stay of more than six months.
- This permit will be processed before travel, and the applicant must meet the following requirements:
- For students, submit a registration test with a German university.
- For self-employed persons, present proof of status (economic solvency) in addition to a VAT number.
- For employees or future employees, submit a contract or letter from the company that will hire you.
In any case, the required documentation and payment of the visa fee must be presented.
Tourism in Germany
There are a lot of tourist information about Germany. If you are going to travel to Germany, this page will be beneficial to you. It contains numerous contents in which we talk about the most important tourist sites in Germany, as well as routes, lakes, tricks and useful information in general so that you can make the most of this beautiful European country.
Some famous cities are given below.
- Berlin
- Cologne
- Munich
- Frankfurt
- Hamburg
- Stuttgart