Travelling to Germany has never been more organized and stress-free no matter what the purpose of your travel is. Due to Schengen Agreement reached in 1985, the citizens of the Schengen member states can travel visa free throughout the whole territory. On the other hand, nationals of non-Schengen countries are permitted to enter the whole area with one unified document known as the Schengen Visa.
The main purpose of the Schengen is the abolishment of border control between member states, which allows free and equal access to the citizens of any of the below mentioned countries, including Germany.
When in Germany, you are allowed to visit all the other members of the Schengen Zone: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Nevertheless, there are always exceptions to the rule. Depending on your nationality you may, or may not be required to obtain a Schengen visa first in order to be permitted to enter the Schengen Zone, and Germany at the same time.
The short-stay Schengen visa allows its holders to enter and reside in Germany for a maximum period of 90 days (3 months) within a 180 days period. However, during this time you are not entitled to engage in paid activity.
Here you will understand whether you need a visa to enter Germany and if yes, how to apply and obtain one.
This is the first question that should pop up to your mind when you decide to make a trip to Germany. Currently the citizens of 62 countries can enter Germany visa free for the purpose of tourism / visiting and business doing, for periods shorter than 90 days within a 180-day period.
If you are not a national of any of these 62 countries that have established a visa-free regime with the European Union, then you will need to obtain a visa first, in order to be permitted to enter Germany. On the other hand, even if you are a passport holder of any of these countries, but your purpose is other than tourism or business, and you need to remain in Germany for more than 90 days within a 6-month period, then you will still need to obtain a visa.
Applying for the Schengen visa includes a sequence of events in-between yourself and the designated Embassy, in this case the German Embassy in your home country. Between handing the proper documentation and getting an answer, here is a step-by-step guideline of the Germany visa application process.
Germany Visa fees differ depending on the type of visa you are applying for thus the motif of your travel. The German and Europe visas, in general, are quite cheaper than visas to the US, Canada, or even India. Moreover, with a single visa, you will be able to explore most of the old continent.
In general, a Germany short-stay visa fee is EUR 80 whereas a long-stay visa is EUR 75. However, you should check it out since there are some visa fee exemptions for a few categories of applicants.
It is a general rule that the German embassies around the world, which are the only competent bodies to assess the applications, shall process a German visa application for about 10 to 15 working days.
There may be delays depending on the number of applications, or in some cases, depending on the specific situation of the applicant.
