A Germany visit visa is a Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) that lets you stay in Germany for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and the application fee is €90 per adult. The file needs a valid passport, a signed application form, health insurance of at least €30,000, proof of funds, proof of accommodation and proof that you will leave on time.
This guide covers who needs the visa, what the Germany visit visa costs, which documents the German Embassy asks for, how a family invitation works, how long processing takes and why applications get refused. Facts come from the Federal Foreign Office, the German Embassy in Pakistan and other German missions, and they were checked in October 2026. Each mission sets its own booking system and document list, so check the website of the mission that handles your application.
What Is a Germany Visit Visa?
A Germany visit visa is a Schengen Type C visa for tourism, family visits, friend visits and short business trips. It allows travel to all Schengen countries during its validity, as long as Germany is your main destination or your first point of entry when the stays are of equal length.
The visa has two limits. It covers up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and it does not allow you to work or to study for a degree. A stay longer than 90 days needs a national visa, such as the one explained in our Germany student visa guide or our Germany work visa guide.
Which Type of Visit Do You Need?
The purpose of your trip decides which extra documents you submit. The table shows the three common purposes.
| Purpose | Extra document | Main risk |
| Tourism | Hotel bookings and a travel plan | Weak proof that you will return |
| Visiting family or friends | Invitation letter or Verpflichtungserklärung from the host | Missing host documents |
| Short business trip | Invitation from the German company and an employer letter | Unclear business purpose |
All three purposes share the same base file: passport, form, photos, insurance, flight booking, funds and proof of ties to your home country.
How Much Does a Germany Visit Visa Cost?
The German Embassy charges €90 per adult for a Schengen Type C visa, and the fee is not refundable if the application is refused. Some missions add a service charge from an external visa centre, so the final amount at your location can be higher than €90.
Other costs sit outside the visa fee:
- Travel health insurance for the full stay
- Flight reservation or ticket
- Hotel booking or host accommodation proof
- Translation or notarization of documents, where required
The Visa Cost Calculator helps you add these items before you pay anything. Reduced fees apply to some children and categories, so check the fee line for your mission.
Which Documents Does the German Embassy Ask For?
The German Embassy in Pakistan lists a passport, a Videx form, photos, flight booking, employment proof, identity records, insurance, accommodation proof and financial proof. Other missions use a similar checklist, but the exact list differs by country. The full Pakistan list is on the embassy page for visiting friends and family.
For a family or friend visit, the Pakistan checklist asks for:
- Passport: The original current passport and all previous passports, valid for at least three months after the end of the intended visa, plus copies of pages 1 and 2
- Application form: Completed in the Videx online system, printed and signed
- Photos: Two biometric photos, no older than six months
- Flight: Confirmed round-trip tickets for the whole stay
- Employment proof: An original letter from your employer or university with your position, your tenure and permission for the trip (a no objection certificate)
- Identity records: Copies of your CNIC, family registration certificate and birth or marriage certificates where they apply
- Visa history: Copies of previous visas and any refusals, because failing to disclose a refusal is a ground for refusal
- Appointment email: A printout showing the email address you registered with the embassy
Copies must be A4. Missing a document can lead to immediate rejection, and the visa section can request more documents at any time.
How Does a Family Invitation Work?
A host in Germany can support your application with a formal letter of obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) or an informal invitation letter. The formal letter comes from the local foreigners office, is signed by the host and must be no older than six months. The embassy accepts the informal version if it is signed by the host and comes with copies of the host’s passport, residence permit and certificate of residence.
A Verpflichtungserklärung is the stronger option when your host pays for your stay. It shows that the host takes financial responsibility for you in Germany. If you do not stay with your host, show confirmed hotel bookings or other proof of accommodation instead.
An invitation does not guarantee approval. The embassy still checks your own ties to your home country, such as a job, family and property, and it expects the trip to end on time.
What Insurance Does the Visit Visa Need?
You need travel health insurance with at least €30,000 in coverage that is valid in all Schengen countries for the full stay. The policy must cover emergency treatment and repatriation, and the embassy asks for a signed original plus one copy. Coverage for Germany alone is not enough.
Buy the policy after you have your flight dates but before the appointment, and match the policy dates to the dates on your flight booking. The German Embassy in Pakistan links a list of approved insurers on its website, so choose from that list.
How Much Money Must You Show?
The embassy asks for bank statements for the past six months and salary slips for the last three months. Pension books, investment certificates and property documents can support the file as alternatives. Show statements that comfortably cover your flights, accommodation and daily costs, and make sure the income source is clear.
Large deposits just before the application raise questions, because the embassy cannot see where the money came from. Keep a normal balance history, and add a short letter that explains any one-time deposit. If a host in Germany pays for your stay, the formal Verpflichtungserklärung covers the cost and your own statements show that you can still support yourself.
How Do You Apply for a Germany Visit Visa Step by Step?
Seven steps cover the process from planning to collection.
- Confirm that you need a visa for your passport.
- Choose the purpose and collect the extra documents for it.
- Buy insurance that meets the €30,000 rule.
- Fill in the Videx form online, then print and sign it.
- Book the appointment with the mission or its visa centre.
- Attend the appointment, give biometrics and pay the €90 fee.
- Wait for the decision and collect your passport.
You can apply up to six months before your trip, and a plan of three to six months before travel is safe for most applicants. Biometrics collected by any Schengen mission in the past 59 months may be reused, in which case some missions skip the in-person visit.
How Long Does a Germany Visit Visa Take?
Processing normally takes up to 15 calendar days after submission, and busy periods can stretch it to 30 days or more. The clock stops when the embassy requests extra documents. Your passport stays with the mission during processing, so do not plan other travel in that time.
Apply early for summer and December travel, because appointment slots tend to be tighter in those months. A traveler who books a July trip in March leaves enough time for a delay or a request for more documents.
Why Are Germany Visit Visas Refused?
Insufficient funds, non-compliant insurance, an unclear purpose, weak accommodation proof and doubts about your return are the main reasons. Incomplete or inconsistent documents cause refusals too. Each reason has a simple fix:
- Funds: Add six months of statements and a clear income source.
- Insurance: Use a policy with €30,000 coverage for all Schengen countries and the full stay.
- Purpose: Add an itinerary or a formal invitation that matches the dates.
- Accommodation: Show confirmed bookings or a host letter.
- Return: Add the employer letter, family records and property proof.
A refused applicant can reapply with a corrected file, and every refusal must be disclosed on later applications. Hiding one is itself a ground for refusal.
Do Pakistani and Indian Citizens Need a Visa for Germany?
Yes, holders of Pakistani and Indian passports need a Schengen visa before they travel to Germany, even for a short visit. There is no visa on arrival for these passports. The application goes to the German mission that covers your place of residence, and the mission’s website lists the booking method and the document checklist.
Applicants who already hold a residence permit for another country apply at the German mission there, and they add proof of legal residence. Students planning a longer stay should not use this route, because a visit visa usually cannot be converted into a study permit inside Germany. Our guides to studying in Germany from Pakistan and the main guide to Study in Germany explain the right visa for that goal.
What Happens at the Appointment?
The appointment takes minutes, and the officer checks your documents, takes your fingerprints and may ask short questions. Bring every original, because the officer compares each copy with its source. Questions usually cover the purpose of the trip, the length of stay, who you will meet, who pays and what you do for a living.
Answer in the same way your documents do. If the form says you visit a cousin in Munich for three weeks, say the same thing, with the same dates and the same address. Differences between the interview and the file raise doubts faster than any missing page.
Which Mistakes Should You Avoid?
Booking non-refundable flights before the visa decision is the most expensive mistake. Use a flight reservation or a refundable ticket until the decision arrives. Four other mistakes come up often:
- Submitting dates on the form that differ from the insurance or flight dates
- Using an invitation letter without the host’s residence documents
- Leaving out a previous refusal
- Staying beyond the 90-day limit on a later trip
Overstays are recorded in the Schengen system and count against future applications.
FAQs
How much is the Germany visit visa fee?
The fee is €90 per adult. Reduced fees apply to some children, and a visa centre may add a service charge on top.
How long can I stay in Germany on a visit visa?
Up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The limit covers all Schengen countries combined, so count days spent elsewhere in the zone.
Do I need a sponsor for a Germany visit visa?
No. You can apply on your own funds. A sponsor or host helps when someone else pays for your stay.
How much insurance coverage is required?
At least €30,000, valid in all Schengen countries for the full stay, including emergency treatment and repatriation.
How early can I apply?
Up to six months before your trip. Planning three to six months ahead leaves time for appointments and extra document requests.
Can I work in Germany on a visit visa?
No. A visit visa does not allow employment. Use a work visa or the Opportunity Card for that.
What is a Verpflichtungserklärung?
It is a formal letter of obligation from the host, issued through the local foreigners office. It shows the host takes financial responsibility for the visitor.
Can I reapply after a refusal?
Yes. Fix the reasons given in the refusal letter, submit a corrected file and declare the earlier refusal on the form.
Conclusion
Apply for a Germany visit visa with a €90 fee, €30,000 health insurance, six months of bank statements and a clear purpose for your trip. The visa allows up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and the German Embassy usually decides within 15 calendar days.
