Germany visa requirements for Indian passport holders

Check your circumstances

Read these conditions alongside the entry rule. Where official guidance does not state a condition, that is not confirmation that no condition applies.

Passport type Confirmed for this scope

Germany's Federal Foreign Office lists India as visa-required. This guide covers ordinary passports; diplomatic, service and other official passports need a separate consular check.

Official sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany.

Trip purpose Confirmed for this scope

Tourism has its own document checklist. Business, trade fair, family visits and other purposes use different checklists, and stays over 90 days need a national visa.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Age Conditions to check

Children under 12 do not give fingerprints, and children under 6 are exempt from the visa fee. Each child needs their own travel documents; other fee waivers may apply.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Residence Conditions to check

Indian nationals and other nationals legally living in India can apply in India. People who do not live in India may apply there only if legally present and able to justify not applying at home.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Other visas or residence permits Conditions to check

An existing Schengen visa valid for Germany, or a valid Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa, may already cover the trip. Check its conditions. Qualifying EU-family residence cards are another exception, explained below.

Official sources: European Union, Your Europe.

Carrier and arrival route Conditions to check

The German airport-transit waiver covers qualifying connections within the international transit area to a non-Schengen destination. It does not permit entry into Germany or an onward intra-Schengen flight; check the airport and connection.

Official sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany.

Stay and visa validity Conditions to check

Ordinary short visits cannot exceed 90 days in any 180-day period across Schengen. Also obey the visa sticker's validity dates, permitted days, entries and territorial limits; an issued visa may allow less.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Where and when to apply

Apply to Germany if it is your only or main destination, measured by the length or purpose of your stay; if there is no main destination, apply to the country where you first enter the Schengen area. Book an appointment with VFS Global: Schengen applications can be submitted at any VFS centre in India, whatever your home city, and are forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for a decision.

Apply no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 calendar days before you travel; the visa section normally returns applications for trips that start within 15 days of reaching it. Processing starts only when the file reaches the consulate, which can take up to 6 working days from a VFS centre, and then takes about 15 days on average. Individual cases can take up to 45 calendar days, and the consulate may request more documents or an interview. Book early and leave room for delays.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Documents, insurance and fees

Prepare the tourism checklist, the online application form printed with its barcode and signed, the signed declarations, and biometric photos. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years, have at least two blank pages and stay valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area. Children under 12 and applicants physically unable to provide fingerprints are exempt from fingerprinting. Earlier scans may be reused, but recollection can be required; an exemption does not necessarily remove attendance. Follow the mission's separate rules on authorized submission after earlier biometrics in India.

German missions accept Indian travel medical insurance only from the approved list of insurers, with cover of at least €30,000 valid in every Schengen state for the whole stay. Check the official fee page for the current adult and child tariff and other exemptions. Children under 6 are exempt. The standard fee is collected at the appointment and is not refunded after a refusal. VFS charges a separate service fee when you book.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Existing visas and family residence cards

You do not need a second short-stay visa if an existing valid Schengen visa already covers Germany, your travel dates, entries and permitted days. A valid Schengen residence permit or long-stay visa can also permit a short visit; carry it with your passport. A visa from a country outside Schengen does not itself provide this permission.

A valid residence card issued under EU free-movement rules as the family member of an EU citizen can remove the visa requirement. An ordinary residence permit from a non-Schengen country is different. If you accompany or join an EU citizen exercising free-movement rights and still need a visa, a free accelerated procedure may apply. Joining a German citizen in Germany generally follows national rules. Check the family guidance before using the ordinary tourist application route.

Official sources: European Union, Your Europe; European Union (Your Europe); German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

Longer visas for returning travelers

Indian nationals living in India who have lawfully used 2 Schengen visas in the past 3 years can be given a visa valid for 2 years, and later up to 5 years. This is not an entitlement, and the validity also depends on how long your passport is valid.

Official sources: German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office).

At the border

A visa does not guarantee entry. Border officials can ask for proof of accommodation, a return ticket and enough money for your stay, so carry copies.

The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 for covered short visits. For short-stay visa holders, EES stores a facial image; visa fingerprints are already held in VIS and may be checked. Residence-permit and long-stay-visa holders are among those outside EES. No EES application is needed before travel. ETIAS is not yet operating and does not replace the visa needed for an ordinary Indian tourist.

Official sources: European Union, Your Europe; German Missions in India (Federal Foreign Office); European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs; European Commission.