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Tips to get Germany Visa for Indians

Are you planning to visit Germany? According to Wikipedia, Germany is the seventh most visited country in the world. Whether you are backpacking through Europe or planning a romantic getaway in the beautiful Black Forest, from the incredible natural beauty of southern Germany in Bavaria and Baden Württemberg, to the coastal towns on the North Sea and the castles throughout, Germany has many must-see sites and to visit these mesmerizing sites, all you need is a Germany visa for Indians.

With a sea of visa information available online, people often encounter difficulties obtaining the right information on how to obtain a Germany visa. It is not easy to understand the application process and know required documents that one has to submit. This guideline will explain clearly and in a simplified way all the information that one needs in order to obtain a Germany Visa for Indians.

Here are all the important tips to get Germany visa for Indians easily:

• The Germany visa is also known as Schengen visa. It is a special kind of visa that allows you to travel and stay in all the Schengen countries including Germany freely without any immigration or border restrictions.

• The 26-member states that are part of the Schengen agreement are; Austria, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

• The most common type of Germany Visas are the short stay visa and long stay visa. The short stay visa is applicable for the purpose of tourism, visit, or business travel. It is generally issued for a period of 90 days with a validity of 6 months. However, the decision lies completely at the discretion of the Embassy. You may get the Germany Visa only for the number of days that you present in your travel itinerary and your flight & hotel bookings.

• The Germany Schengen short stay visas are valid for a single or multiple entry; depending upon your travel purpose and itinerary.

• The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you intend to travel. You should apply no later than 15 working days in advance.

• Indians who wish to visit their friends or relatives in Germany or want to travel to Germany for vacations can apply for a Germany Tourist/Visit visa. Business visas are for people who need to travel to attend conference, meetings, seminars etc.

• The Germany visa is non-extendable. You cannot extent the period of your stay in Germany and Schengen countries. You must return to your home country within the permitted period of stay and apply for another Germany Visa if necessary.

Also Read: How To Apply For Germany Visa In India

• There are different types of visas that will apply to your situation i.e. tourist, business, visit, transit etc. You will have to choose your Schengen visa type, accordingly. You should apply for a Schengen visa for the embassy/consulate of the country you will be staying at for the longest period; if you plan to visit more than one country.

• The Germany visa online application process is a not as simple as it may seem. The process involves online form filling, appointment scheduling. One silly mistake in your application can get your visa rejected. Hence its highly recommended to take help of a reliable Travel agency. Akbartravels.com is one such expert with 40+ years of experience in processing visas for all countries.

• Make a checklist of documents according to your visa type. Documents required are your passport, 2 photographs, personal covering letter, bank statement and financial proof, flight tickets, employment proof, hotel reservations or Invitation letter from family/friend and Travel insurance.

• You will need to visit the Visa application center (VAC) VFS on the day of appointment. VFS Global Services is the preferred authorized outsource partner to the Embassy in India; to collect and process all Germany Visa applications. The VAC acts as an intermediary and has no influence over the visa decision.

• As part of your visa application process; you need to submit your Bio-metrics (fingerprinting, photograph and retina pattern) and visa documents. Every member of the family needs an individual appointment to do so.

• This bio-metric data will remain valid for 5 years. Applicants such as children under the age of 12 do not need to have their fingerprints taken. The earliest you can schedule the appointment is three months prior to your trip.

• The processing time of a Germany Visa for Indians depends upon several factors and can change without notice at the consulate’s discretion. Generally, a Germany Visa takes anywhere between 5-15 days to process in the Consulate.

• Once the application has been successfully submitted, you will be issued a receipt with your application reference number. Make sure you make a note of the reference number. You can even track the progress or status of your visa application on the Germany VFS website using the VFS reference number and your name.

So, now that you have the necessary visa information, applying for a Germany visa will be a hassle free experience.

Have you applied for a Germany visa recently? Share your experience with us in the comment section.

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