February 2023

Checklist for a Schengen visa for

Exhibitors and visitors of German exhibitions / trade fairs

A Personal details of the applicant

Name: __________________________________
Surname: __________________________________
Date of birth: __________________________________
Passport number: __________________________________
B Required documents
(if not otherwise noted, submittal of copies of the original document are sufficient. Please note that the Visa
Section does not return original documents if you do not provide a copy)
Please mark on the right column if you submitted the document / form or not!
YES NO
1 Completely filled out and signed Schengen visa application form. Please use the
VIDEX website to fill out the application online. Please ensure to print and submit
all pages of the application form including the barcodes.
2 Signed declaration of True and Complete Information
3 Signed declaration of travel with valid medical insurance
Valid passport (issued within the last 10 years and with at least 3 months' validity
after the scheduled return); passports with observations regarding the front data
page will not be accepted; passport must have at least two empty pages to affix visa
4 Copy of the biometric & address page of the passport
Min. 1 biometric passport picture (35x45mm white background, 70%-80% face
coverage), not older than six months
5 Personal covering letter/ Proof of intended means of transport and itinerary
6 In all cases: Original signed covering letter from the company in India on company
letterhead
including details of:
- name of traveler and
- passport number of traveler and
- purpose of trip and duration of stay and
- itinerary of the visit in brief
7 In all cases in addition to the covering letter of the company in India:
Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and
GST Registration and
Proof of Company Registration
8 Supporting documents for participating in the Trade Fair/Exhibition:
Exhibitors / Visitors Pass
Or
(for exhibitors only, please see the remarks concerning obligation of payment of the
visa fees below):
Stand Confirmation and
Payment confirmation for stand allocation

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YES NO

9 If you have further appointments in the Schengen area: Signed invitation letter from
the Schengen business partner on the company letterhead, mentioning purpose of
travel and itinerary and personal data of the applicant
10 Detailed schedule of your business meetings (ONLY for stays over 30 days)
11 Proof of accommodation:
Hotel reservations, rental of holiday home or campus residence reservation or
If the applicant intends to stay with a family member or a friend: proof of
sponsorship and/or private accommodation from the host, confirmation of the third
person with signature, proof of address and copy of passport or German ID card
If the applicant is travelling to several Member States, proof of accommodation in
each of the Member States.
12 Sponsor documentation - proof of financial means if trip is sponsored by a third
party
a) if you are sponsored by an Indian resident
Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and
Sponsor’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the
pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not
accepted.) and
If sponsor is your spouse - marriage certificate or
If sponsor is your parent - birth certificate

b) if you are sponsored by a German/EU resident

Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and copy of the German
residence permit (if sponsor is residing in Germany and not a German Citizen) and
If provided: Verpflichtungserklärung (formal obligation letter) of your sponsor and
If sponsor is your spouse - marriage certificate or
If sponsor is your parent - birth certificate

c) if you are sponsored by a company in India

in addition to point 7 & 8:
Acknowledgement of the company's ITR Returns for the last three years (latest
first, for example, 2022-2020)

d) if you are sponsored by a company in Germany

Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and copy of the German
residence permit (if sponsor is residing in Germany and not a German Citizen)
13 Traveler documentation - proof of economic status of the applicant (also
necessary if the trip is sponsored)
a) If you are employed:
Pay slips for the last three months and
employment contract and
employers’ statement on approval for holidays (Leave Sanction letter from
applicant’s company) and

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Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the YES NO
pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not
accepted.) and
Indian income tax return (ITR) acknowledgment for the last two assessment years
OR Form 16 (Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary)

b) If you are a company owner or self-employed:

certificate of registration of the company, including its goods and services tax
(GST) registration number for companies based in India and
Indian income tax return (ITR) acknowledgment for the last two assessment years
OR Form 16 (Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary) and
Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the
pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not
accepted.)

c) If you are retired:

pension statements for the last three months and/or
proof of regular income generated by ownership of property or busines and
Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the
pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not
accepted.)

d) if you are a student:

certificates of the establishment at which you are enrolled and
no objection certificate from School / University and
for university students: Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped
by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook
copies are not accepted.)

e) if you are unemployed

Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the
pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not
accepted.)
14 Proof of civil status:
- if single: nothing else required
- if applicable Marriage certificate or
- if applicable Divorce decree/ custody decree or
- if applicable Birth certificate of children or
- if applicable Death certificate of spouse
15 Flight reservation
16 Overseas travel medical insurance that is valid for all Schengen countries and
covers the entire duration of the Schengen trip as per your application, minimum
coverage for medical expenses: EUR 30,000
Please note: German Missions accept Indian Travel Medical Insurances only from
approved Indian Travel Insurance companies, you can find more information here:
https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/-/1984578

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C Additional documents for applications of minor applicants YES NO

Application form and both declarations under 1)-3) have to be signed by both
parents
Birth Certificate
Passport copy (biometric and address page) of the applicants mother
Passport copy (biometric and address page) of the applicants father
If one or both parents are not submitting the visa application with the child: copy of
the visa of that parent
If only one parent submits the application:
 Proof of single custody of that parent either by submittal of the court ruling
or submittal of the death certificate of the deceased parent
 Or (if both parents have shared custody) submittal of written and signed
authorization letter of the parent non-present with passport copy (biometric
and address page)

D Additional documents the applicant wants to submit (please note that VFS is not
authorized to refuse acceptance of documents the applicant wants to submit but
are not mentioned on the checklist)

E Information about biometric data

Were the fingerprints of the applicant collected in the last 59 months for applying
for a Schengen visa in India? If yes, please mention month and year of collection:
Please note that fingerprints should be taken if the applicant submits his application
in person even if the last submittal was within the last 59 months!

Was the applicant excused from giving fingerprints for biometrics? If so, please
specify why!

F Additional document if application is not submitted by the applicant directly

Signed authorization letter for the travel agent or the representative
Copy of passport of the person submitting the application

G General remarks of the German mission for submittal of a Schengen visa

application
 The German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents.
 Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a
visa is granted.
 Submission of incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of an
application. The visa section is not obliged to ask for submittal of documents
already mentioned on this list before denying an application.
 Applications have to be submitted not earlier than six months before and not
later than 15 working days before the intended date of travel.
 Applications are processed within 15 working days from the day of arrival at
the visa section. When submitting your application via VFS application center,

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please keep in mind that the visa application will need up to two working days
to reach the visa section. Public holidays of the German missions as
announced on our website will not count as working days.
 Please note that individual status inquiries cannot be answered within the
standard processing time of 15 working days.
 A booked flight ticket does not result in a preferred processing of the
application.
 All documents, forms and declarations have to be submitted either in German
or English. All documents, forms and declarations not in German or English
have to be submitted with proper German or English translation. Failing to
provide proper translation will result in the document, form or declaration
considered “missing”
H Special remarks of the German mission for submittal of a Schengen visa
application in the respective category
 The start date of an exhibition / trade fair does not result in a preferred
processing of the application.
 The regular Schengen visa fees apply. Exhibitors may be exempted from the
visa fee only if the individual exhibitor pass is provided together with the
application. Later submittal of the exhibitor pass will not result in a
reimbursement of the visa fee.
Holders of visitor passes are not exempted from the visa fees!
I Declaration of the visa applicant (to be signed by the parent(s) submitting the
application if applicant is a minor or by the representative at the VFS VAC on the
day of submittal)
I have taken note of the general and special remarks as mentioned under G and H on
this checklist.
I have been informed that VFS Global does not have any influence on the decision about
a visa application
I confirm that the VFS officer has noted all documents submitted by me and that I want
the application in its present form to be forwarded to the German mission. I am aware
that original documents not submitted with a copy will be kept by the visa section.
Date:
Name, Surname of the applicant or representative:
Signature of the applicant or representative:

J Confirmation of VFS on the day of submittal

Date of submittal: __________________________
VFS VAC in _____________________
Application submitted: by the applicant / the parents as holders of the custody of
minor applications / a representative with proper authorization (please cross what is not
applicable)

I confirm that above this checklist has been filled out together with and signed in front
of me by the applicant or his / her duly authorized representative at today’s
appointment at the above VAC.
VFS Officer: ………………………………… Signature: ……………………….….