Many Russians go to Germany: some have relatives living there, others just want to go on a tourist trip, and still others dream of staying and living there. Therefore, the relevant questions are: what is the price of a visa to Germany in 2021, what kind of paperwork do you need to collect, what are your chances of getting approval.
The registration rules have not changed for several years - for travel, as before, they require a German visa to be issued in advance. The easiest way to do this is through German visa centers in the Russian Federation; they are located in several cities. You should know that Germany is Schengen, so you will need a Schengen visa . Germans also have a separate national visa. You can open a national visa to Germany at the State Embassy in the Russian Federation in Moscow or its Consulates General. For those who decide to apply for a visa without refusals, quickly and inexpensively, we recommend the Online Visa Center.
The issuance of Schengen to Germany is the famous German order in everything.
Do I need a visa
The first question is whether you need a visa to Germany if you are going to this state, and how is it applied for? There is only one answer - it is necessary for all categories of guests, it is strictly necessary to register it and must be received in advance before the trip.
Not only a large number of our tourists go to Germany on various tours, but also to visit on private invitations and business, on business/work trips, to study, to get a job in German companies or to buy real estate. Naturally, in all such cases it is necessary to obtain a visa to Germany of the appropriate type. You can arrange it in advance in Moscow, St. Petersburg, or another city before the start of your trip.
Entry with a visa from another country
There is a case when a separate visa to Germany is not needed: when the traveler’s passport already has a Schengen stamp from another state. In this case, there is no additional need for Schengen Germany, because the rules allow unhindered movement throughout the Schengen area with a visa stamp from any state in this area.
There are certain issues associated with entering another state through Schengen. Many travelers ask whether it is possible to apply for Schengen in Germany and then use it to travel to another place? The answer is negative. First, be sure to visit the country that issued the entry document, and then you can go to Germany. You should know that on a German visa you need to spend more days in Germany.
Types of visas
People have different purposes for travel other than tourism. A larger number of Russian citizens go there as tourists, the rest - at the invitation of their friends or relatives, and some even want to get a job in Germany, since the country has a fairly high standard of living and pays well there. For all these tasks, it is now possible to obtain a visa to Germany on your own, without the help of intermediaries; this can be done not only through Moscow. In addition to the possibility of obtaining a visa to Germany in Moscow, this is also done in other cities of the Russian Federation.
All German entry documents are divided into only two types. The first is the Schengen German visa category C, which is used for short-term travel lasting three months . The second type is the national visa D, which gives its holder the opportunity to work, study, and live in the country for a very long period of time. A similar visa to Germany can be obtained independently through the relevant diplomatic missions of the state in Russia.
German visa photo
Schengen visa C
Schengen visa C is the most commonly issued visa. It gives its holder the right to stay in Germany for a period of three months or less. Most questions on the topic of how to obtain a visa to Germany are independently related to the preparation of this document. It is suitable not only for tourism purposes, but also for a visit to the country with an invitation from a private individual/company/official organization, for treatment, to visit the graves of relatives, for a short study or to participate in any events. Documents for obtaining a visa to Germany type C are regulated by EU directives and agreements.
Tourist
Often Russians want to get a tourist visa to Germany - many want to go there on a tour; there are plenty of attractions in this country. The preparation of the document involves many questions: how to open a visa to Germany, what actions need to be taken to obtain/open a tourist visa. There is good news for tourists - there are no special nuances or rules. A tourist visa to Germany is the same Schengen category C. It must be issued according to the same algorithm as for other non-tourist purposes, and the price of a tourist visa to Germany coincides with the cost of entry documents that are issued for other purposes.
Opening an entry visa for traveling on tours is a long-established process that visa centers were able to organize well. It should be noted that the opening procedure is quite clear and understandable, so there is no need to overpay third-party companies for intermediation. For group tours in which travelers are traveling, entry permission is also issued through the visa center.
Transit
Another very important question is how to get a visa to Germany if you only plan to transit through it. Not a single Russian will be able to travel through the state without an entry permit at all.
If there is only a transit stop at a German airport, you must present a current and valid visa to the final destination country at the border. If the transfer is to a visa-free country for Russians, you still need a transit visa, since you will need to change airport terminals, which means leaving the international zone.
National visa D
There is a special category of long-term entry document - national visa D. This type of visa to Germany is independently obtained through the Embassy or Consulate General. It gives its owner quite a wide range of capabilities.
With a national visa D, you can get a job, go on long-term studies, reunite with your family, get married, and so on.
The list of documents for obtaining a national visa to Germany type D is more extensive than for C and it takes a longer period of time.
Photo of the German national visa
Who else can get to Germany?
Basically, European tourists can now cross the border without problems. They have been vaccinated with approved vaccines, and a number of countries are already beginning to introduce electronic “vaccination passports.” In addition to them, get:
- holders of residence permits, permanent residence permits in Germany, their official spouses and children;
- holders of a long-term or national visa of the European Union and Switzerland;
- unregistered partners, i.e. boys, girls, common-law spouses (with papers that can confirm the relationship), relatives of the first and second categories;
- students;
- patients who need medical care;
- transit travelers, if they do not leave the transit area at the airport. If the crossing was by land, then you can stay on the territory for no more than a day. Only in this case there will be no need to comply with quarantine measures. It is important to have the results of the PCR test with you.
Fully vaccinated Ukrainians will also be able to enter Germany from June 25 (AstraZeneca is used in Nezalezhnaya). But there is still a caveat: 2 weeks must pass from the date of receiving the second dose to the trip. The same rule applies to single-component vaccines. There is a visa-free regime for Ukrainians, within which you can stay in Germany for 90 days in six months.
Belarus has been considered a “simple” risk zone since June 15. Theoretically, citizens of this state can also travel to Germany on the same basis as Russians (PCR test or certificate of recovery/vaccination, quarantine for 10 days). But, most likely, Belarusians will have to fly in transit through the Russian Federation. There are also options via Turkey with overnight transfers in Antalya or Istanbul. Because of this, the travel time will take more than a day.
Ukrainians can go to Germany for the purpose of tourism, Russians and Belarusians only for particularly important matters. Photo: unsplash.com
Unregistered partners (boyfriends/girlfriends, common-law spouses) have the right to cross the state border, subject to the provision of identification documents confirming the relationship. This could be photos, receipts from stores, personal information, correspondence on social networks. It is also necessary to have at the border:
- an invitation from a person living in Germany;
- declaration of both partners with contact details.
You cannot send documents to checkpoints in advance.
Required documents
Russian citizens are concerned about the question of what documents are needed for a visa to Germany. Their list will depend only on the purpose of the trip. The corresponding lists of required documents for a Schengen visa to Germany are divided into main and additional. Below is a master list that is required to be provided by all applicants. Afterwards, the mandatory required documents for obtaining a visa to Germany are listed, which are collected and submitted according to the individual purpose.
- The completed visa application form can be filled out online on the visa center website, checked, and then printed. The signature must be placed in three places;
- An original valid passport issued in the name of the applicant. The expiration date is at least 90 days after leaving the Schengen area. This passport is required to have at least two blank pages;
- Two photographs of the required size, 3.5x4.5 cm;
- A photocopy of the main page of the passport, which contains the photograph and personal data of the applicant;
- A copy of all non-blank pages of a valid internal passport of the Russian Federation issued in the name of the applicant;
- Air tickets indicating the date of return, you can provide tickets for other transport. Booking airline tickets or booking tickets for other transport is also suitable;
- Booking from a hotel, inn, private residence, apartment with dates. This hotel/inn booking must cover travel dates and contain the applicants' first and last names;
- Medical insurance/policy. Minimum requirements for a health insurance policy: coverage amount – from 30,000 €, insurance coverage area – the entire Schengen territory;
- A receipt indicating full payment of the consular fee;
- Financial guarantees, that is, confirmation of the availability of money to be able to pay for the trip: a work certificate from a company with a stamp indicating the amount of salary, an extract/certificate from a bank account with a sufficient amount of funds on it, an extract from a bank credit card - the card account must be also have enough funds, a certificate of ownership of property in Russia, a sponsorship letter from a sponsor willing to pay for the trip;
The sponsorship letter must be accompanied by evidence of the sponsor’s financial capacity: a certificate of a bank account, from work, etc., a “Verpflichtungserklärung” commitment.
If the applicant is not engaged in work activities, then a certificate of employment is not needed. Accordingly, if there is no work activity, then having accounts and the required amount of money for them or having property in Russia is sufficient.
These necessary documents for a Schengen visa to Germany must be provided to all persons who want to obtain a Type C entry permit, including tourists.
Entry by guest invitation
Many people are interested in the question of how a visitor visa to Germany is issued by invitation, because many Russian citizens have close relatives and friends there, and there is often a need to travel to visit. Many people work for German-Russian companies and go on business trips; they also need entry permits.
First of all, invited citizens collect the basic list of required papers given above. Next, depending on who is inviting you, an additional list of documents for a visa to Germany is collected. As always, its composition in each case will depend on the goals and the inviting party.
Additional documents for a visa to Germany by invitation from a private person:
- Proof of place of residence - the original guest invitation, which contains information about accommodation with a notarized signature/copy of the inviting party’s passport. An official statement declaring the acceptance of the obligations of the inviting party (called Verpflichtungserklärung) will also be required if it is taking on the costs of the trip;
- A photocopy of a document confirming exclusively legal residence in the German state of the inviting party: copies of permission, residence permit, identity card.
Sample of a guest invitation for a visa to Germany
An additional list of required documents for a visa to Germany for a work invitation (if the inviting party is a legal entity) will include the original/copy of the invitation from the host German organization. The invitation must be signed by a responsible authorized person in the position of a manager, stamped and indicating the dates and purposes of the trip. The invitation must indicate who will bear the costs for the invited party.
A visa to Germany by invitation for business owners is issued after providing evidence of economic activity. Evidence may include 2NDFL/3NDFL certificates, a certificate of registration of a company/individual entrepreneur, a bank account statement, and so on. When opening a visa for such citizens, a German partner/organization can become the host party.
The issuance of a German visa by invitation for different categories of specialists is based on the provision of all the necessary documents that confirm the activities of both the specialist and the company where he works. The current and complete list can be found on the visa center website.
For a visitor visa, copies of invitations sent by fax/e-mail are considered, but Consulate employees may ask to see the original instead of a copy sent by fax.
Documents for a national visa
In some cases, it is necessary to obtain a national entry permit D in order to be able to live in Germany for a long time. The corresponding list of documents for a national visa to Germany will directly depend on the purpose of its application. According to the national document, you can legally work, study, and live with your spouse. It should be said that even for a short study, a national document is required , with the exception of programs agreed with the ZAV organization, for which you can obtain a guest visa to Germany upon invitation from an educational institution.
If a Russian citizen is going to study in Germany, work there, marry a German citizen, or join his family, then he will have to collect a very impressive package of papers to obtain a national visa. Firstly, you will have to fill out a form using a special form, and secondly, you will need to understand what documents you need to submit for a visa to Germany in 2021. This information can be seen on the official website of foreign German representative offices in the Russian Federation. The site is in Russian, all the information is written in a very accessible way.
Filling out the application form
When submitting documents for a visa to Germany, close attention should be paid to filling out the application form. The Schengen application form is filled out online and consists of several parts. All points of the questionnaire are in Russian, so there will be no difficulties when filling it out.
If necessary, you can look at the instructions that are given on the visa center website in the adjacent link under the application form or check the sample.
Sample of filling out an application form for a visa to Germany
When filling out, you need to follow fairly simple requirements:
- Provide truthful information;
- Remember that discrepancies with the information provided in the package of papers are not allowed;
- You need to sign the printed form in three places.
How much money should be in the account
Below is a table indicating the required amount that a foreigner must have per day of residence. Accordingly, this indicator is multiplied by the number of days during which the tourist plans to stay abroad.
You can calculate the total amount of money required for travel per foreigner using the following formula:
Σ min = Σ min daily × d
Σ min is the total amount for the entire duration of the trip. Σ min daily – the minimum amount of funds for 1 night of stay, d – the number of days.
| A country | Minimum threshold per day per 1 foreigner | Peculiarities |
| Austria | 60 € | |
| Belgium | 50 € | |
| Hungary | – | A certificate from the employer not older than one month is required. A certificate of cash flow for the last quarter is also required. |
| Germany | – | Certificate of confirmation of salary for the last quarter. It is advisable to have enough money in your account at the rate of €100 per day. |
| Greece | – | There are no official requirements regarding minimum wealth. But you should expect an amount of 50 euros for one day. You can present a certificate with a salary of at least 25 thousand rubles per month. |
| Denmark | 50 € | |
| Iceland | 50 € | |
| Spain | 90 € | |
| Italy | 45 € | €280 per applicant for a five-day trip. |
| Latvia | 14€ | |
| Lithuania | 40€ | |
| Liechtenstein | – | You will need statements from the bank and work for the last quarter. |
| Luxembourg | 50€ | |
| Malta | 60€ | |
| Netherlands | 34€ | |
| Norway | 50€ | |
| Poland | 22.76 € (100 zlotys), for children under 16 years old – 11.38 € (50 zlotys) | |
| Portugal | 75 € – first day, next days – 40 € | |
| Slovakia | 56 € | |
| Slovenia | 65 € | |
| Finland | – | Any official documents confirming financial security for the last quarter. |
| France | – | The consulate does not comment on this requirement, so they are guided by an average amount of 60 € per day per person. If the hotel has not yet been paid for, then 120 €. |
| Czech | 45 € for a trip up to 1 month, 1400 € for the entire trip up to 60 days. | For children under 18 years of age, the minimum amount requirement is half as much. |
| Switzerland | 85 € | |
| Sweden | 53 € | |
| Estonia | 58 € |
Thus, if you calculate the total minimum amount, for example, for a trip to Belgium, you need to multiply the daily amount of funds by the number of days spent on the trip. If the applicant plans to stay in Belgium for 10 days, then he needs to have at least 500 € in reserve.
Find out from the video: where is it easier to apply for a long-term Schengen visa in 2021.
Germany visa photo: 2021 requirements
The photograph that is pasted into the application form must necessarily satisfy certain parameters for photographs, called ICAO:
- Photo size – 3.5×4.5 cm;
- The background of the photo is white or light, close to white;
- The photograph shows only the face and neck with the upper part of the shoulders;
- The photo does not contain elements framing the image in the form of slices, corners or ovals;
- According to the current requirements for a photo for a visa to Germany, the photo must be taken without any elements that cover/obstruct the face;
- The emotional color of the photo should be neutral.
Visa to Germany for a child
Many citizens of the Russian Federation are also interested in such an important question - how to obtain a visa to Germany independently for a child. A minor is required to provide:
- A copy of the birth certificate, the original birth certificate is not needed;
- Consent (power of attorney) for a child to travel from both parents or guardians at once, if a minor is traveling without parents/guardians, it must be certified by a notary. If the child is accompanied by at least one parent/guardian, then this notarized consent (power of attorney) is not required from the second;
- If an entry permit is issued for a child at a different time from the parents, you need a copy of the parents’ Schengen documents and proof that they are traveling together: ticket or hotel reservations, where the child’s last and first names are entered, and so on.
Visa for a tourist trip to Germany
To travel to Germany, you can apply for either a Schengen visa (stay less than 90 days) or a national visa (stay over 90 days). Find out how to get a visa to Germany yourself.
Required documents to obtain a visa to Germany:
- a completed and signed application form (you can download the application form and read about the requirements for photographs on the VFS.GLOBAL website);
- a foreign passport valid for at least 3 months after the date of departure from the Schengen zone and not older than 10 years. The passport must have 2 blank pages;
- a copy of the first page of the international passport;
- copy of internal passport;
- two photographs meeting ICAO requirements;
- visa fee (consular fee - 35 euros, service fee - 18.85 euros);
- health insurance valid in Schengen countries;
- hotel reservation;
- copies of air or train tickets - proof of the travel program;
- proof of employment or financial solvency.
You can also find detailed information about visas for tourist and other trips to Germany on the website of German representative offices in Russia.
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Self-registration
Applying for a visa to Germany on your own is now not at all difficult, since there are special legal intermediaries - visa centers: they handle the processing. Through them, obtaining a visa to Germany on your own occurs quite quickly, since a system of interaction with German representative offices in the Russian Federation has long been established. By the way, travel agencies also go there.
According to the latest new rules, starting from September 2015, obtaining a German visa on your own is possible only after mandatory completion of the new procedure. These rules state that each applicant must come to the visa center office or German mission to submit his fingerprints and have his photograph taken with a special camera. After submitting the biometrics, the registration procedure begins. This will need to be done only once in five years; after submitting the data, you will be able to apply for a visa to Germany on your own without personal presence. Children under 12 years of age should not submit data.
Application through the visa center
The most common and suitable option is to obtain a visa to Germany through a visa center. To submit documents, you must follow the following sequence:
- Determine the type of visa you need;
- Go to the visa center website, read all the necessary rules and instructions;
- Collect documents according to the appropriate list;
- Make an appointment by selecting a suitable time in the electronic queue;
- Take documents;
- Arrive on time as scheduled and join the electronic queue;
- Go through biometrics;
- Pay the consular fee in a special window and attach a receipt to the package of papers;
- And the last thing is to hand over the package of documents and take a coupon. This coupon will need to be presented at the issuing window when receiving your passport with a visa stamp.
It is clear from the algorithm that obtaining a visa to Germany through a visa center is not difficult, and its processing will not take much time. The most important thing is to collect documents; you can sign up for submission through the visa center website. To obtain a passport, you do not need to create another appointment, you just need to come to the visa center office during business hours .
VFS Global, which operates German visa centers, has done a lot to make obtaining a visa to Germany through a visa center as easy as possible. You can submit documents not only through Moscow and St. Petersburg, there are also departments in Samara, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar, Perm, Novosibirsk, Kaliningrad and a number of other cities in the Russian Federation.
Checking the readiness of a visa to Germany when applying through a visa center
When applying for a visa to Germany through the visa center, a very convenient option is available to track your passport. On a special page you need to enter your application number, which is already recorded in the system, and see at what stage the review is currently at. Once information about readiness appears, you can go pick up a passport with an already issued permit.
Through diplomatic missions
You can obtain a visa to Germany, if category D is required, at one of the German Consulates General. They are in several cities of Russia: Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg. Under certain circumstances, it is possible to apply for Schengen through these representative offices. For example, if a refusal was received through a visa center, you can try to get a visa to Germany through the Consulate.
You must register at the Consulate through the visa center. Citizens who sign up to apply also choose a time from the available time; they must arrive strictly at the appointed time.
Registration cost
The cost of a Schengen visa to Germany in 2021 is formed from the cost of visa center services plus the consular fee charged by the Embassy. According to current EU legislation, uniform tariffs apply to all Schengen areas.
The correct answer to the question of how much a visa to Germany costs will of course depend on what kind of document is needed. For Schengen visas, for example, all EU countries have one tariff, but prices for a national document are different and depend on the specific country. How much a Schengen visa to Germany costs in 2021 can be found in the table.
| Document type | How much does a visa cost (consular fee) |
| Schengen type C | 35 euros (2480 rubles) |
| Schengen type C, express (urgent consideration) | 70 euros (4960 rubles) |
| Schengen type C for children under 6 years old | For free |
| National type D | 60 euros (4250 rubles) |
| National type D for minors | 30 euros (2130 rubles) |
The visa center also charges a certain cost for issuing a Schengen visa to Germany. The service fee is 20.35 € (1450 rubles) for those applicants who undergo biometrics, and 18.85 € (1335 rubles) for those who are exempt from it.
It should be noted that the price of a tourist visa to Germany is identical to other Schengen type C. According to the table, it is equal to 35 euros or 2480 rubles. If there is a need to make a document urgently, then you need to pay 70 euros. The same applies to the cost of a visa to Germany by invitation.
How much does it cost to get a visa to Germany?
The cost of the visa includes visa and service fees. For both Russians and Ukrainians, the visa fee is 35 euros. In case of accelerated receipt, i.e. Express visa applications, this fee is doubled.
Payment is made in rubles and fees paid are non-refundable even in the event of refusal to issue a permit to enter the country.
It should be borne in mind that a number of applicants are exempt from paying the visa fee.
It can be:
- children under 6 years old;
- relatives of German citizens;
- disabled people and persons accompanying them;
- members of delegations;
- schoolchildren and students, if they go to study or internship;
- some other categories of persons.
The service fee may not be paid by children under 6 years of age and people with disabilities.
Validity periods
The official standard validity periods for both types of entry visas are regulated. They are the same for all member states of the Schengen area. For a type C visa it is six months, for a type D visa it is one year. The number of days of permitted stay is 90 days for C, for D the period of stay is 180 days or less.
It must be remembered that there is no connection between how much a Schengen visa to Germany costs and the validity period. A document that was given only for the dates of the trip and a six-month multiple visa will cost the same. The traveler will have to pay the same price for a Germany visa in this situation.
In addition to standard deadlines, there are also individual situations. For active travelers, Germans can open a multiple Schengen visa for several years - a year, two or more.
How to get a Schengen visa to Germany for a long period of time?
According to reviews, the greatest chance of opening it is for travelers who have old German visa stamps in their passports, and also have many entry and exit stamps from the airport, which should indicate frequent visits to Germany. Regardless of the validity period, you can still stay in the country on such a visa for no more than 90 days in six months.
Documents for a tourist visa to Germany
From the above it is clear that the greatest difficulty for tourists is preparing documentation for the Visa Center and filling out the application form. Errors in collection or completion may result in refusal.
If you urgently need a tourist visa to Germany and do not want delays, collect your documents in advance. The package includes:
- Application form. All fields must be completed.
- International passport (original and copy).
- Internal ID card (original and copy).
- Health insurance policy (coverage from 30,000 €).
- Photo - 3.5x4.5, color, on a light background.
- Consent to the processing of personal data.
- Plane tickets or other transport.
- Travel route (when moving to Germany by car).
- Confirmation of place of residence or travel agency program.
- Cash guarantees. A certificate from a financial institution must be presented. Must confirm the presence of a minimum of 720 € in the account.
- Certificate from the employer (document from the university, pension).
- Confirmation of intention to return to the Russian Federation - marriage certificate, housing documents, etc.
- Receipts for payment of fees.
When traveling with minors, additional papers will be required to obtain a Schengen visa to Germany - a certificate for the children (birth certificate), a document from an educational institution (for a student, student) and a letter from the sponsor. If the mother/father or mother and father remain in the Russian Federation, it is impossible to do without their approval (written) for the child to cross the border. The application form for a traveler under 18 years of age is signed by both parents.
If you have real estate in the country, you need an extract from the German register or documents confirming the ownership of the property (for example, a purchase and sale agreement).
In case of travel by invitation, you will need the original of this document with the passport information of the inviting entity and the seal of the notary authority. A copy of the document indicating the legality of residence in the country is also attached here.
Registration deadlines
Another pressing question is how long does it take to obtain a visa to Germany, what are the registration deadlines and how long you will have to wait. Officially, this is a period of ten days. In practice, in the capital, the review usually takes no more than a week, and most often the process is completed within a few days. For regional departments of visa centers, the situation is slightly different; processing may take longer, and you have to wait longer.
How long it takes to obtain a German visa will greatly depend on the distance of the applicant’s place of residence from the German Consulate General, where the documents are sent for consideration. Sometimes they take a long time to get there and don’t arrive right away.
As a result, you can get a visa to Germany in Moscow much faster than in other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, since no time is wasted on sending documents, they immediately come directly to the Moscow consulate.
Reasons for refusal to receive
It should be said that the Germans are pedantic and strict in all matters. And they apply the same to the issuance of entry permits, according to the reviews and experiences of travelers. The chances of a positive decision are high if the package of documents for obtaining a visa to Germany is collected exactly according to the rules , all the papers are in order - then there will be no problems, the Germans love order. Therefore, before you start obtaining a visa to Germany on your own, you must carefully read all the rules and do everything exactly according to them.
In addition to problems with documents, negative decisions are possible due to reasons of the applicant’s unreliability, due to facts of violations of immigration laws during previous trips, or due to unsatisfactory confirmation of financial support for the trip. Germany belongs to Schengen, so to visit it you need to have enough money and be able to show this in financial guarantees.
In very rare cases, they may decide to schedule an interview at the Consulate with an authorized officer. During this meeting, you should try to confirm your non-immigration intentions and bring additional documents that may be asked for. Before going there, you need to think through all your answers, read about the experiences of other people and draw the right conclusions about the behavior that is allowed during the interview. Naturally, you need to get there on time.
General results
Russian citizens who plan to travel to Germany should consider the following general points when planning their trip and preparing to obtain an entry permit:
- You must obtain a Schengen visa to Germany through a visa center; if you contact the Embassy (Consulate), this may not be very easy and will take more time;
- Visa centers are located not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg; before submitting documents, you need to start by checking on the website for the presence of a visa center in your home city;
- The necessary documents for a visa to Germany are collected according to your purpose of travel;
- The issued German Schengen is valid throughout Europe;
- The cost of a visa to Germany by invitation is equal to a tourist visa; for Schengen type C there is a single tariff;
- If you decide to schedule an interview, then most likely there are doubts about the purpose of the trip; you will need to try to convince the employee of your honest intentions.
What and where to see
Sightseeings of Germany
Unlike package tours, where excursion routes pass through the busiest tourist places and you cannot deviate from them, on an independent trip a person chooses where to go and what sights to see.
The most recognizable places in Germany:
- Berlin – Berlin TV Tower, Reichstag;
- Munich – Nymphenburg Palace, BMW Museum and the world famous Hofbräuhaus beer restaurant (best to come here for Oktoberfest);
- Dresden – gallery of old masters, Zwinger architectural complex;
- Schwangau - Neuschwanstein Castle;
- Frankfurt - Goethe House Museum.
What is the cheapest way to get to Germany?
The most economical transport is air
How many days in advance should you plan an independent trip to Germany?
The sooner you start looking for a ticket and accommodation, the more you will be able to save and choose the best options.
Where should I apply for a visa to Germany?
A Schengen visa can be obtained within 2 weeks at the visa center.
Every major German city has a cathedral, which is an architectural monument. In any case, you need to get a guidebook, and at the stage of planning a trip to Germany.
