Germany Visa Application Requirements for UK Residents

The following list of documents are required in order to obtain a Germany visa in the UK:

• A valid passport or travel document. Please make sure that:
  • Your passport has been issued (not extended) within the previous 10 years,
  • Your passport has 2 full blank pages, one for the visa stamp and an additional spare page,
  • Your passport will be valid for at least three (3) months after the date you exit the Schengen Area.
• A valid UK residence permit or other forms of Identity Card. The UK residency permit must be endorsed in the actual passport (or on a new biometric ID card)
• German visa application form. Filled out completely and signed by the applicant (please read the explanations carefully).
• One passport format photo that has a light background, is rightly colored and shows a full face. The photo must be less than three months old and be glued to the German Schengen visa application form. Applications with stapled photographs will be rejected.
• A cover letter that explains the purpose of the visit to Germany
• Proof of travel arrangements: Round trip flight/travel reservations from the UK to Germany and back to the UK, or other proof of intended transport and complete itinerary of your visit to Germany (if several Schengen States will be visited or if the trip covers several Schengen States and non-Schengen countries).
• Germany Travel Medical Insurance. Stating that you are covered in case of a medical emergency and repatriation not just in Germany, but in the whole Schengen zone (minimum coverage of € 30.000). The travel insurance policy can easily be purchased online from Europ Assistance or AXA Schengen. Both companies are accepted by German Embassies and Consulates in the UK.
• Proof of accommodation in Germany:
  • Evidence of a hotel booking in Germany or rental agreement, or
  • Invitation from your German host (family member, friend)along with a copy of their passport or ID (Proof of sponsorship if dependant)
• Proof of financial subsistence:
  • A recent statement of UK bank account for the last three months that shows funds of at least 50 £ per person per day spent in German, or
  • Traveller’s cheques
• Important note: Starting from November 20, 2015 persons applying for a German short-term visa are required to provide fingerprints (biometric data) as an additional document.
  • Children younger than 12 years of age and applicants who are not physically capable of providing fingerprints are exempted from this procedure.

Note: Photocopies of the original documents should also be submitted and documents should not be more than one month old.
The documents listed above are documents required in all cases, regardless of the purpose of your visit in Germany. Depending on your employment status, here is a list of additional documents that are required for your Germany visa application in the UK:

For UK employees:

• Employment contract
• Current bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Leave permission from the employer
• Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary

For the self-employed:

• A copy of your business license
• Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

For foreign students in the UK:

• Proof of enrolment
• No-objection certificate from school or university in the UK

For retirees:

• Pension statement of the latest 6 months

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

• A recent (less than 3 months old) Confirmation of Employment letter from their spouse’s employer stating the position held within the company as well as the starting date,
• Spouse’s valid passport
• An officially translated marriage certificate. The translation must be in English or German and must be certified as a true copy by the Embassy of the country where the marriage took place or by the Legalization Bureau of the Foreign Office in UK

Requirements for children under the age of 18

Underage children must be accompanied by parents or an adult guardian at the application centre at the German Embassy or Consulate General. Also, minors who are granted a German visa are not allowed to travel to Germany by themselves. They should be accompanied by an adult during their stay in Germany.

Required documents for Germany visa application for underage children

• Original birth certificate among others.
• Signed travel consent from both parents
  • If one parent is not located in the UK they should submit their signed consent to the German Embassy/Consulate of their residing country

Note: All documents must be either in German or English or officially translated by a certified translator.