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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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FAQ
The visa section remains closed until further notice. It is not foreseeable at the moment if and when it will be re-opened.
On the Federal Foreign Office Website you can find out whether you need a visa for visits to Germany and the Schengen states of up to 90 days. Afghan citizens and most non-EU-foreigners wanting to work or study in Germany or to stay longer than 90 days in Germany for other purposes, usually need a visa.
Exceptions are indicated in the list of countries:
Visas have to be applied for prior to entry at the German mission abroad covering the place of residence of the applicant.
The visa section of the German Embassy in Kabul remains closed until further notice. As a result it is not possible to submit a visa application in Kabul. Afghan citizens have the following possiblities: applications for national visa (long stay) can be submitted in Islamabad or Teheran. Applications for Schengen Visa (short stay) can be submitted at the German Embassies in Islamabad, Dubai and Istanbul. You can find more information here:
Please note: The decision on granting a Schengen visa lies with the competent German mission abroad. The mission also decides on granting visa for longer stays and/or to take up work or studies. These, however, can in most cases only be issued with the approval of the aliens authority concerned.
Afghan citizens who want to apply for a National Visa (family reunion, studying or working in Germany etc.) can only register on the waiting list via the website of the German Embassy Kabul: Waiting List
Please note that if you book an appointment directly via the websites of the German Embassies in Islamabad or Teheran, your registration will either be deleted or you will be rejected at the entrance.
To apply for a Schengen visa, please follow the instructions on our website here: Schengen Visa
Information on the current waiting times can be found on our Website here: National Visa
Please note that the waiting times indicated on our website are estimates only as it is very hard to estimate the exact waiting times in advance.
Incomplete visa applications cannot be processed and will lead to delays and even rejection. Experience has shown that only 5% of all applications are submitted complete thus causing more delays for all applicants. Therefore please carefully read the information on our website and prepare your documents carefully to help us reduce the waiting time for all applicants.
Appointments to apply for a Schengen visa can be booked indivually. Please check the information provided on our website: Schengen Visa
If you and/or your spouse live in a Schengen country, the situation is as follows:
As holder of a residence permit issued by a Schengen country, you don't need a visa for short-term stays in other Schengen countries - so you don't need a visa for Germany either. In any 180 days period you may stay for up to 90 days maximum in another Schengen country. Please check with the relevant authorities in your country of residence whether your spouse's residence permit entitles him or her to visa-free travel within the Schengen area.
If you or your spouse live in an country where the Schengen Agreement does not apply or does not apply in full, the situation is as follows:
If the authorities of your country of residence have issued your spouse with a “residence card of a family member of a Union citizen” pursuant to Art. 10(1) of Directive 2004/38/EC, he or she does not need a visa for travel within the EU.
If you and your spouse live outside the EU, your spouse will need an entry visa if he or she is from a country subject to a visa regime. In this case, however, a facilitated visa procedure applies.
For British nationals: In case the UK leaves the EU without an agreement (“no-deal exit”), changes to visa conditions may apply. Please check the information on the website of the German Embassy London
First of all find out from the competent registry office in Germany what documents you and your German spouse have to present in order to marry in Germany. As soon as the registry office confirms your documents are complete, you can apply for a visa to marry in Germany.
Once you are married, the final residence and work permit will be issued by the foreigners authority in Germany. Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are available on our website here:
As of 1 August 2018, close family members (spouses, unmarried minor children and parents of minor children) of a person eligible for subsidiary protection in Germany will be able to apply for a visa for the purpose of family reunion. Please find further information here:
Applicants are responsible themselves for obtaining the necessary A1 language skills. You don’t have to visit a language course at Goethe Institute. You can also learn German at another language school, through a private teacher, internet course or with your spouse in Germany.
Only the proof of language skills has to be provided by a certified institute. In Afghanistan this certified proof was only available at the Goethe Institute in Kabul. Of course it is known that the Goethe Institute in Kabul is closed and this will be considered when deciding about the application. You still have to learn German and there will also be an interview in German language at the Embassy where you apply for your visa. Furthermore there is the possibility to participate in the language tests provided by other Goethe Institutes in the region (e.g. New Delhi, Islamabad etc.).
Yes, this rule applies equally to all visa applicants without exception.
If you plan to study in Germany, you have to submit an application for a student visa to the respective German mission abroad before travelling. Citizens of the EU are exempted from this duty, as well as foreigners who already hold a temporary residence permit as a student issued by another EU-country, due to the EU-mobility program.
Documents have to be presented proving inter alia that the applicant has been accepted for studies by the university. The German mission abroad will then forward the visa application for an opinion to the foreigners authority in the city where your university is. The German mission abroad can only issue the visa for entry once the foreigners authority has given its approval.
Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are available on our website:
The consular section of the German Embassy Kabul remains closed until further notice. For notarizations and certifications, please refer to other German Embassies and Consulates General in the region.
If you are planning to apply for a student visa, you can usually get your documents notarized/certified in one appointment. Please get in contact with the desired German Mission in advance.
The Federal Foreign Office itself does not offer any scholarships or travel grants directly, rather has passed this task to independent intermediary organizations which it provides with funding from the federal budget to implement various programmes.
You should contact the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The DAAD offers scholarship programmes and can give advice on study opportunities in Germany:
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
You can find further information about organizations that offer scholarships on the website of the Federal Foreign Office:
Student visa FAQ of the Federal Foreign Office
You can find all information regarding the Skilled Immigration Act here: Skilled Immigration Act
Germany depends on being open and connected to the wider world. On 1 August 2012, the law implementing the ’s Blue Card Directive entered into force.
You can find more information on the website of the Federal Foreign Office: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Federal Foreign Office (auswaertiges-amt.de)
