Once my Schengen visa has been issued by the German Consulate, can I use it to make a side trip to another European country (for instance to France or Austria)?

Yes, you can. According to the Schengen agreement, Schengen business/visitor’s/tourist visas are valid for Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The text on your visa sticker should read “valid for Schengen Staates” in the language of the issuing country.

I would like to visit several Schengen countries during one trip - where should I apply for my visa?

Please submit your application to the visa section at the consulate of the country which is your primary destination.

If you do not have a primary destination among the countries listed above, please apply at the consulate of the country that is your first point of entry.

I have already traveled to Germany with a visa (“Schengener Staaten”) issued by the German Consulate. This visa is still valid and now I am planning a business trip to Italy, for example. Can I use this visa to enter Italy as well?

Yes, you can. Please carefully check your visa’s validity, its number of entries, and the maximum duration of stay (both are indicated on your visa sticker).

Your website states that I have to show my bank statement. If I don’t have a bank account, or if my balance is low and the trip will be paid for by my friends/relatives in Germany, what do I have to submit?

Please still submit your bank statements. In addition you should ask your friends/relatives to sign an official letter of sponsorship (a so-called “Verpflichtungserklärung”). Please bring the original letter of sponsorship when applying for your visa. For more information, follow the link below.

Letter of sponsorship

I have not received my Permanent Resident Card yet. How can I apply for a visa to Germany?

We can only accept applicants who hold a valid Canadian permanent resident card or a valid long-term Canadian visa (i.e. a work, study, or visitor’s visa with an ensured permit to re-enter Canada) with multiple entries. If you have not applied for your permanent resident card yet, please contact the competent Canadian authority, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

My spouse is a German national. We are both residents of Canada and are planning to spend our vacation in Germany. I am required to have a visa to enter Germany. What do I have to submit?

Just submit the requested documents for the kind of visa you want to apply for as well as an original or certified copy of your spouse’s German passport and the original or certified copy of your certificate of marriage.
Please note, however, that your visa is only valid for stays of up to 90 days. If you want to live and work in Germany, you need to apply for a residence permit.

We want our minor child to travel to Germany. How do we apply for a visa?

Please apply for a regular 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 the child. If only one parent has full custody of the child, the relevant court order has to be presented as well. In addition, the passport copies of the parents are required.

I am a short-term visitor in Canada and would like to spend two weeks in Germany after my trip to Canada. Where do I apply for a visa?

In general, only persons with permanent resident status in Canada are eligible to apply for a visa at this Consulate General. If you are only visiting Canada for a short time, you must apply for the visa at the German embassy or Consulate in your home country.

Do I have to leave my passport during the visa procedure?

In general, you have to leave your passport. If necessary (if you have an important business trip, you have to apply for another visa, etc) you can take the passport with you after you have applied for a visa and send it back to get a visa stamped in it.