Visa Information

Application process

Visa applicants are kindly advised to report to one of the German Visa Application Centres managed by VFS. VFS will check your application documents to ensure that your application is complete and can be processed without any delay. After the document check, VFS schedules an appointment for your visa interview. The visa interview will be held at the German Consulate General in Chennai. Please bring along the checked application documents. Upon completion of the visa process the German Consulate General will return your passport to VFS. You may collect your passport from VFS or request their courier services.

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Photo requirements

Please be informed that you are required to submit photos as by our biometric specifications. Listed out are some of the photo studios that will be able to provide this service:

DINA COLOURLAB: Tel. 0120-2499 7239
VFS: Tel. 0120-664 1070

• Samples of correct photos according to biometric specifications can be found here. [pdf, 834,3k]

Please be informed that the Consulate General does not accept faxed,mailed or e-mailed invitations from individuals and /or companies inviting Indian nationals to visit Germany and /or Schengen Area. They should be sent directly to the visa applicants and not to the Consulate General.

Transit and short stay (Schengen) visas

Here you can find information on how to apply for a short-term visa which is valid up to 90 days in any six-months period.

German national visa

If you would like to move to Germany, you may apply for a German national visa.

Please note that the visa process might take 8 to 12 weeks. Any enquiries in writing or by telephone for the status of an application within a period of 12 weeks from date of application cannot be answered.

All approval letters will be sent by email only. Therefore, please make sure to give a clear, legible and valid e-mail address in your visa application.

Important

Please be informed that due to security reasons visa applicants can only be permitted to enter the premises of the Consulate General a maximum of  20 minutes prior to the scheduled time of appointment.

Information on Visa Fees

Visa fees have to be paid at the time of submission of the visa application.

The current fees (w.e.f. 20.01.12):

Please note that the visa fee may be waived in certain cases at the time of interview at the sole discretion of the officer

Application Forms

For short-term (Schengen) visa, please fill out the online application form and print it. For national visa please print the form and fill it out by hand. Please don't forget to mention your mailing address and your e-mail address.

• application for short-term (Schengen) visa
• Application form for German national visa [pdf, 322,15k]
• Declaration on True and Complete Information [pdf, 72,98k]

Additional declarations for short-term (Schengen) visas

• Schengen Declaration - Please ONLY print and sign the last two pages [pdf, 98,56k]
• Declaration on Travel Health Insurance [pdf, 78,31k]
• Questionnaire on German Business Contacts [pdf, 26,12k]
• Questionnaire for Nuclear Scientists (ATOM) [pdf, 98,74k]

Information on German knowledge requirement

Since Germany has amended its law relating to foreigners in 2007, visa applicants are required to present evidence of basic knowledge of the German language in the event of family reunion of spouses.

• Information Sheet on German knowledge requirement [pdf, 139,36k]