August 2024

Schengen visa
General Information
▪ The visa application can be submitted at the earliest six months prior to the planned trip.
▪ Documents that are not issued in German or English must be submitted together with a
translation.
▪ Each visa application is reviewed individually. The German missions reserve the right to request
further documentation.
▪ Submission of an incomplete application may lead to a refusal of your visa application.
▪ Additional information for minor applicants on last page.

Visa application checklist

Please use the following checklist to make sure that your documents are complete.
Please submit the documents listed below in according order.
Documents required for all travel purposes:
Original Copy
  Fully completed, signed application (print of all pages of the application form
including appendix with barcodes) and signed declaration
  One (1) recent biometric passport photo (35 x 45 mm; see specimen photos)
  Signed passport meeting the following requirements:
a. Its validity must exceed the duration of the intended stay in the Schengen area by
at least 3 months
b. It must contain at least 2 blank pages
c. It must have been issued (not extended!) within the past 10 years
  US alien registration card or valid US resident visa
(type A, E, F plus endorsed I-20, G, H, I, J plus J1 document, L, O, R)
  Proof of address in respective German Mission’s jurisdiction
e. g. valid driver’s license/State ID, utility bill, lease agreement
  Confirmed flight (roundtrip)/travel reservations with the name of passenger
  Proof of travel health insurance stating:
a. Name of the applicant
b. Coverage of at least 30,000 EUR for any expenses in connection with repatriation
for medical reasons, urgent medical attention, emergency hospital treatment or
death
c. Validity for the entire Schengen area
d. Validity for the entire duration of stay/transit in the Schengen area

Please check your name and date of birth on the insurance policy.
Employment letter and insurance cards are not accepted as proof of coverage.
  Proof of Family/Social Ties, if applicable
a. Marriage certificate
b. Children’s birth certificates
c. Proof of relation to other dependents
d. State ID/US residence permit of a.-c.

→ more supporting documents on following page(s)

 Business visa
on behalf of your employer, e. g. consulting, training, meeting, audit
additional required documents:
Original Copy
  Recent and signed letter with letter head from your U.S. employer stating:
a. Duration of recruitment
b. Salary (monthly/annually)
c. Kind of business relations with the company in Germany
d. Travel purpose
e. Duration of business trip(s)
f. Guarantee to cover all travel expenses
+ three months bank statements (checking account) of the applicant
If you are self-employed:
a. Business license (with owner’s name)
b. Last year tax return (with company’s name)
  Recent and signed formal invitation with letter head from your business partner in
Germany stating:
a. Kind of business relations with the company in the US
b. Travel purpose
c. Duration of business trip(s)
d. If applicable, guarantee to cover travel expenses and costs of stay
+ three months bank statements (checking account) of the applicant

In case you should be invited for several trips over a longer period of time, the
invitation letter has to explicitly state this. Should you go on a business trip within
the same company, we still request a separate letter from each office, USA and
Germany.
  Confirmed hotel reservations stating hotel’s name, address and telephone number,
booking confirmation number and name of the guest

Tourist visa
Please note that the application has to be submitted to the Embassy/Consulate of the Schengen
country that is your main destination as per the number of days you are spending there.
Only if you are spending an absolute equal amount of time in each country can the application be
submitted to the Consulate of the country that will be your first entry point to the Schengen area.
additional required documents:
Original Copy
  Recent and signed letter from your U.S. employer stating:
a. Duration of recruitment
b. Salary (monthly/annually)
b. Confirmation of intended leave
c. Travel purpose
If you are self-employed:
a. Business license (with owner’s name)
b. Last year tax return (with company’s name)

→ more supporting documents on following page(s)

2
Original Copy
  Detailed travel itinerary including:
a. Confirmed hotel reservations stating hotel’s name, address and telephone
number, booking confirmation number and name of the guest
b. Confirmed flight (roundtrip)/travel reservations with the name of passenger
  Proof of adequate financial means
a. Your American Checking account statements of the last three months stating your
name and address (personal account only, not business account)
b. If you are financially supported by your spouse/other family member:
- Signed sponsor letter
- Employment letter from sponsor
- Bank statements of the last three months
- Proof of relationship
- Passport copy
Foreign bank statements, fixed term deposit accounts or depots, bank statements
for Travel Money Cards, credit card limits or cash cannot be accepted as proof of
sufficient funds.

Visitor visa
in order to visit relatives or friends living in Germany
additional required documents:
Original Copy
  Recent and signed letter from your U.S. employer stating:
a. Duration of recruitment
b. Salary (monthly/annually)
c. Confirmation of intended leave
d. Travel purpose
If you are self-employed:
a. Business license
b. Last tax return
  Invitation letter
a. Letter must include personal data, relationship between host and applicant,
address and phone number, duration of stay
b. Host’s German ID card/ (front and back) or Foreign Passport with German
residence permit (front and back)
c. Proof of relationship (e. g. Birth certificate, marriage certificate), if applicable
  Proof of adequate financial means
a. Your American Checking account statements of the last three months stating your
name and address (personal account only, not business account)
b. Formal obligation letter (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) of the person inviting you
issued by the competent German authority
c. If you are financially supported by your spouse/other family member:
- Signed sponsor letter
- Employment letter from sponsor
- Bank statements of the last three months
- Proof of relationship
- Passport copy
Foreign bank statements, fixed term deposit accounts or depots, bank statements
for Travel Money Cards, credit card limits or cash cannot be accepted as proof of
sufficient funds.

3
 Minors
under 18 years of age
additional required documents:
Original Copy

  Fully completed and signed application including and signed declaration

Both parents must sign application unless one parent has the sole custody or a
residence order for the minor.
  Proof of sole custody (if one parent has sole custody)
(e. g. birth certificate of child, adoption papers, court decision on custody)
  Passports from both parents (or the one that has sole custody)
  Birth certificate of the minor applicant
If one parent is unable to appear at the interview, the minor child has to provide a
notarized letter of travel consent issued by the parents with notarized signatures
and passport copies

Visa application fees

Processing fee:
Payable in USD only.
Conversion into USD is made based on the exchange rate at the time of the application.

Completeness of application
The application is complete:
☐ Yes ☐ No, the documents/information indicated above are lacking.
Declaration when application is not complete:
I have been informed that my application is not complete. I am aware that submitting an incomplete
application can lead to the application being rejected.
I would like to submit my application nevertheless.

_____________________________
place, date, signature
This information sheet has been prepared with utmost care. It is intended to provide a point of reference to our clients but
may not be fully applicable to every individual case. If you have further, more specific questions which are not answered
by the information contained here nor on our website www.germany.info/visa, please contact the German
Embassy/Consulate General serving your U.S. home state.