General Information

What is an invitation letter?

An invitation letter is issued in favor of a third-country citizen to guarantee for his/her living expenses, and serves as proof in administrative proceedings that the economic conditions required for obtaining a residence permit are fulfilled, as stated in § 5 paragraph 1 of the Residence Act.
By writing an invitation letter, the inviter accept his/her duty to bear all the costs related to the applicant's living and travelling expenses. This role can be performed by an individual or a legal entity.

Can I apply for a visa with a long validity (many years) with an invitation letter?

Yes. Your host should report the intended duration of your stay (from one to four years) to the Authority for Foreigners and include a specific remark about this in the invitation letter.
By doing so, the financial guarantee will cover the entire period of your stay in Germany.
If the Authority for Foreigners accepts the invitation letter only for a short period of time, then you (the applicant) should provide additional proof of solvency, such as bank account statements of the last three to six months, which can show your monthly income source as well as your financial capacity to support yourself while abroad.

What is a proof of family relation?

The Embassy checks each statement before issuing a visa and is able to verify, when necessary, the relation between the inviter and the applicant(s).
Birth and/or marriage certificates can be provided as proof of kinship, for example a relationship between two siblings can be proved by providing birth certificates of both of them, as this would show that these two people have at least one common parent.

What is an informal invitation letter and what does it look like?

When submitting an application for a visa to visit your family or friends, you should provide an informal invitation letter written by the person who is inviting you.
An informal invitation letter has to be written in German and must include information about the purpose and duration of your trip. It can be written by hand or using a computer and must be signed by the inviter (a family member or a friend). It is not required to get the signature authenticated.

How long does it take to process an application?

For Schengen visas: Average 10 days

How much is a visa?

A Schengen visa costs EUR 35. The visa fee is free for children under 6 years of age and costs EUR 35 for applicants aged 6 to 12.

What does the embassy check before issuing a Schengen visa?

The Embassy is required to check:
the purpose of the trip (for example, business or visiting)
the willingness to return
how the trip will be paid for (by the inviter or by the applicant)
the health insurance
other information (such as records in AZR, SIS, criminal activities or other/minor offenses)

What is a one-year or multiple-year visa?

It is a Schengen visa which has a validity of one or more years (maximum five), and allows to stay for up to three months within a six-month period, with the possibility of entering the country multipletimes. It is based on the Regulation (EG) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and Council of Europe d/d July 13, 2009, which established a Community Code on Visas. (abbreviated: “The Visa Code”)
In the article 24, paragraph 2 of the Visa Code, is is stated that the multi-entry visas are issued for a longer period of validity, if the applicant proves or demonstrates his/her need to travel to the Schengen area often, for example for personal or business reasons.
As a rule, a one-year or multiple-year visa can only be issued if the applicant is able to demonstrated his integrity and reliability, especially regarding previous visas (Article 24, paragraph 2 of the Visa Code).
In any case, the visa sticker will show that the "Duration of stay" cannot exceed "90" days. This is not the entire validity, but the number of days a person can remain in the Schengen area within six months.

I was wrongly informed by somebody at the VisaMetric application center, or I let a third person, who promised me I could obtain a visa, fill my application form. My application was refused, what should I do now?

You are personally responsible for the information provided in your application form. If you were persuaded by a persons who does not work at VisaMetric to use their services, you should settle the matter directly with this person.
Please provide only information which and to the best of your knowledge. Do not let anyone persuade you that a 'professionally-filled' application can  guarantee you a visa - nobody can promise you that your visa will be approved! Anybody can answer the questions in the application form autonomously. If you have problems filling in the application form, you are welcome to ask the Embassy employees to help you.

Other documents  
I/my guest was required to submit documents that are not included to the list, why?

The Embassy always makes decisions according to each specific situation. The cheklist of documents can only include general information covering most, but not all, the possible cases. Consequently, a document not included in the list might be required. This doesn't mean that a visa cannot be issued.

Visa-free entry for diplomatic passport holders ?

Since September 1, 2014, diplomatic passport holders do not need a visas for short-term trips to Schengen countries.

In which cases can I submit a visa application at a VisaMetric branch in Azerbaijan?

You can submit an application at the VisaMetric branch in Azerbaijan if you are staying in Azerbaijan legally and as a regular resident, and if Germany is the main destination of your journey.

I would like to visit different Schengen countries during my trip. Can I submit the application to the German Embassy?

You can submit the application to the German Embassy if you are planning to spend more time in Germany than in the other Schengen countries. If you plan to spend the same amount of time in two different Schengen countries, then you should apply for the visa at the Embassy of the country that you will visit first.

When can I submit my application?

The submission of the application is only possible at the time and date you reserved. The appointment can be booked online through our online appointment system. On the day of your appointment, please arrive on time, otherwise your appointment will be cancelled and you will not be allowed into the visa office.

Additional documents for minor applicants ?

Minor applicants are required to submit all the documents listed in the checklist. In addition to these, a copy of the child's birth certificate must be provided, together with a notarized permission to expatriate and travel to countries in the Schengen area, signed by the parents. Please provide the original and a copy of the permission to expatriate, written in Azerbaijan and with an attached notarized translation into German. If the country of first entry into Schengen is not Germnay, it is recommended to also translate it into the official language of the country of first entry into Schengen, or when this is not possible, in English.

Is it possible to pay a higher fee so that my application can be processed faster?

No, it is not possible. VisaMetric cannot accept payments higher than those established by the regulations.
Additional payments can occur only in case of certain expense (for example, phone calls or fax to Germany).

I have a valid Schengen visa, but no pages left in my passport and I need to apply for a new one. What will happen to my visa?

The visa in your old passport is still valid even if the passport has already expired. You can travel with both passports without problems. Otherwise, you can come to the visa office during consultation hours and bring both passports, and we will transfer the visa to your new passport for free.

Validity of foreign passports:

Only undamaged valid passports which have been signed by hand (for applicants over 18 years of age) can be submitted.
In addition to this, according to the Visa Code, Schengen visas can be issued only to applicants whose passport
- is valid for at least 3 months after the end of the trip,
- were issued within the last 10 years,
- have at least two blank and unmarked pages (for the visa sticker) * * If a visa is issued for a minor children registered in the parent’s passport, then the parent's passport must have one extra blank and unmarked page (for the visa sticker) for each child.

What language should I use to fill in the form?

The form can be filled in German or in English.

Can I fill in the application form by hand as well?

If you can not fill in the online form because of technical problems, you can fill in the application form by hand. Please note that this wil result in a longer waiting period for submitting your application.