Your passport should be valid for at least 3 month after returning from Germany.

It is only possible to extend the validity of visas in certain exceptional cases. This can only be done by the foreigners authority in Germany covering the place of residence of the visa holder. This is the only authority that can decide on an extension of a visa during a visit to Germany. Neither the Federal Foreign Office nor its missions abroad can do so.

The mission abroad decides what type of visa to issue (period of validity, number of days covered) on the basis of the documents submitted. If necessary, it may issue a visa that entitles the holder to enter the Schengen area on multiple occasions within the given period of validity. Such annual or multi-annual visas, which are valid for one or more years, are as a rule only issued to persons who have already been to Germany or other Schengen states several times in the past and whom the mission abroad considers to be particularly trustworthy (e.g. because of their position in the host country). Please note that regardless of the length of validity, visas only entitle the holder to a maximum stay of 90 days in any period of 180 days.

In the first place, an invitation proves the purpose of the intended journey. Therefore, no special formalities are required. If, however, the host intends to cover the expenses associated with the trip, a formal pledge to cover all costs (declaration of commitment) has to be presented with the visa application. In this case the host can sign the relevant form (“Verpflichtungserklaerung”) at his/her residency's local authorities (usually Ordnungsamt or Auslaenderbehoerde).

Yes. Under the amended Immigration Act which entered into force on 28 August 2007, foreign spouses have to prove they have at least a basic knowledge of German. For detailed information on this, please click on the link below to the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. You can also request further information directly from the German diplomatic missions in the respective country.

Airport transit visas are only good for short stopovers while you are waiting a few hours for your onward flight in the airport’s international transit area. However, hotel accomodation is only available outside the transit area. Please apply for a regular tourist visa if you wish to stay at the airport overnight.

If you do not have a confirmed onward flight from Germany, you must apply for a regular tourist visa.

Please apply for a regular visa to visit friends/relatives in Germany or a regular tourist visa depending on the purpose of your child’s stay.
A certificate of birth for your child is an additional requirement. The visa application must be signed and submitted by both parents and child. If only one parent has full custody of the child, the relevant court order has to be presented as well. If only one parent submits the application we request a certified declaration, signed by a lawyer, of both parents as an agreement for the travel. In additon the passport copies of the parents are required.

The notification sent to the applicant by the mission abroad states not only that the visa application has been unsuccessful, but also gives the grounds on which it was rejected and information on the applicant's right to appeal the decision.
If a visa application is rejected, the applicant has one year to appeal in writing (“remonstrate”) to the mission abroad. The mission abroad will then reconsider the application.
If the mission still concludes that the applicant does not meet the conditions for obtaining a visa, it will again set out in detail in writing the reasons why it rejected the application in a Remonstrance Notice.
The applicant may appeal this decision within one month by filing an action with the Administrative Court in Berlin.
The applicant also has the option of appealing to the Court (also within one year) against the initial decision instead of remonstrating to the mission.
For reasons of data protection, information about individual visa applications may only be provided to the applicant personally or to a person whom the applicant has authorized in writing to receive such information.

The notification sent to the applicant by the mission abroad states not only that the visa application has been unsuccessful, but also gives the grounds on which it was rejected and information on the applicant's right to appeal the decision.
If a visa application is rejected, the applicant can appeal (“remonstrate”) in writing (signature required) to the mission abroad within one month of the notification of the rejection. The mission abroad will then reconsider the application.
If the mission still concludes that the applicant does not meet the conditions for obtaining a visa, it will again set out in detail in writing the reasons why it rejected the application in a Remonstrance Notice.
The applicant may appeal this decision within one month of the notification of the decision by filing an action with the Administrative Court in Berlin.
'The applicant in addition has the option of appealing directly to the Court (also within one month of the notification of the initial decision) instead of remonstrating to the mission.
For reasons of data protection, information about individual visa applications may only be provided to the applicant personally or to a person whom the applicant has authorized in writing to receive such information.