Non-Immigrant-visa: personal visits

Citizen of countries for which there are general visa requirements in order to visit Germany need a visa for all entries, even for short term stays. There might be exceptions for holders of diplomatic or service passports. To check, whether you belong to such a country, consult the List of countries with general visa requirements.

To apply for a visa at the German Embassy in Prague, you must be a resident in the Czech Republic. Non-residents have to apply for a visa at the German Mission in their home country, even if returning to the home country involves a loss of time and money. You are considered a permanent resident, if you hold a residence permit for the Czech Republic for at least six months.

The visa application has to be presented to the Embassy of the country of main destination (determined by the purpose of the journey and the length of the stay). If your main destination cannot be ascertained, the Schengen state through which you first enter the territory of these countries is responsible for granting the visa.

Applications can only be filed in personally. Applications of children under the age of sixteen can only be submitted by their legal guardian - in general both parents. If only one parent is present, a written, notarised note of permission of the other parent or the written permission and a copy of his/her passport is required. If only one parent has custody of the child, proof can be furnished by a copy of the court order or – in case of a child of a single parent – with the birth certificate (not listing a father). Has one parent passed away, then his/her death certificate has to be submitted.

Each applicant including children, who do not have their own passport, but have their names entered in one of their parents’ passport, has to file a separate application (in duplicate).

In general a visa can be approved if travel purpose, sufficient financial funds and the will to return to the country of residence is made plausible by the aqpplicant. Besides German authorities as well as authorities of our Schengen partners are consulted. As a rule a visa can only be issued if neither the German authorities nor those of our Schengen partners raise an objection. There is no legal right to a visa. Every application is considered at the embassy's discretion and that of other German authorities (i.e. Aliens Registration Office).

If completed applications are filed Mondays to Thursdays between 9 and 11 a.m. passports and visas or – when a visa is refused – passports are normally handed over over the same day in the afternoon between 2 and 3:30 p.m. If Aapplications are filed handed in on Fridays or Mondays to Thursdays between 11 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. or between 2 and 3 p.m. passports and visas or – when a visa is refused – passports are normally handed outover the next working day between 2 and 3:30 p.m. No passports and visas are handed over on Fridays.

In general the following documents have to be submitted:

• two completed application forms, which have to signed by the applicant.
• one signed declaration according to §55 of the Foreigners’ Act
• a passport valid at least for another three months after your return to the Czech Republic. Furthermore the passport has to have at least one blank page.
• one copy of your passport
• two current and identical passport photos
• the residence permit for the Czech Republic (within the passport) valid for at least six months and still valid vor 14 days at least after the return date to the Czech Republic.
• průkaz o povolení k pobytu cizince, if available
• an invitation letter of the host, whom the applicant wants to visit in Germany. Generally a formal obligation
  issued by the Alien Registration Office of the administrative district, in which the host is living, which implies the pledge of the host to cover all costs that could arise from the applicants stay in Germany (in accordance with §§ 66-68 AufenthG) has to be submitted. This form needs a notarised signature of the host. The invitation has to state the period of time for which it is valid.
• health insurance valid for all Schengen countries and for the whole complete duration of the stay. The insurance has to have a minimum coverage of 30.000 Euro. Generally the health insurance has to be effected in the Czech Republic.
• proof of a regular income in the Czech Republic: employment contract and salary slips or for private entrepreneurs the business license or business register statement
• bank statements of the last three months of the personal and - if applicable - business account (the money transfer has to indicate that a business is actually being carried out) and of saving accounts.
• proof of business activity for business owners, i.e. last tax return, custom declarations for imported and /or exported goods, invoices of sale and purchase of merchandise, rent agreement for business premises.
• lease of the private premises, if applicable

All documents listed above, have to be submitted as originals and as copies. The originals remain with you after our evaluation.

The processing fee for a visa of 35 Euro has to be paid according to the current exchange rate in cash and in Czech Crowns. The fees for applications of minors amount to half of the fees of adults. Besides the embassy might ask for a lump-sum payment for expenses with reference to the visa application.

The embassy reserves the right, to demand additional documents and/or to examine the application further by approaching the responsible Alien Registration Office in Germany. The German border authorities are entitled to deny access to Germany to anyone, even if they have a valid visa or do not even need a visa for Germany. This applies especially to cases of visa fraught and lack of financial means to pay for the stay in Germany.