General Information

1. What are the requirements for the validity period of a foreign passport for applying for a visa?

From the 01.01.2026 on, Russian citizens will on principle require a biometric Russian external passport to enter Germany. Non-biometric external passport cannot be used anymore unless they contain a German visa which remains valid.

To apply for a Schengen visa, your passport must have been obtained within the last 10 years and is valid for at least 3 months from the end date of the intended trip.

To apply for a national visa (Type D) for the purpose of study, employment, passport must be obtained within the last 10 years and valid for at least 9 months from the date of intended entry into Germany.

To apply for a national visa (Type D) for the purpose of an internship, passport must be obtained within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the end of the planned stay in Germany.

To apply for a national visa (Type D) for family reunification, the passport must have been obtained within the last 10 years and valid for at least 12 months from the date of intended entry into Germany.

Additional requirements for a foreign passport when applying for a national visa can be found on our website in the Required documents section in accordance with the purpose of the planned stay.

2. What is a Schengen visa?

A Schengen visa (Type C) is a permit to stay in the territory of the member countries of the Schengen Agreement, which should be requested if you need to travel to one of these countries for up to 90 days during one half–year (180 days period). A Type C visa does not grant the right to stay. Please use the Calculator to calculate the allowable length of stay for a short-term Schengen visa.

3. What is a national visa?

A national visa (Type D) is a permit for a one-time stay of more than 90 days on the territory of Germany within the framework of a certain purpose of stay provided for by law.

4. Which countries are part of the Schengen area?

The Schengen visa is valid for the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

5. How long before the trip can I apply for a Schengen visa?

You can apply for a Schengen visa no more than 6 months before the start of your trip. If there are more than 6 months left before the start of the trip, it is impossible to apply for a visa. We recommend that you follow our announcements and holidays on our website to choose the most convenient day for you to apply for a visa.

6. How long before the trip can I apply for a national visa?

You can apply for a national visa no more than 3 months before the start of your trip.

7. During my trip I would like to visit different countries of the Schengen area. Can I apply to the German Embassy?

Please note that persons who want to visit several countries of the Schengen Agreement must apply for a visa at the representative office of the country that is the main point of their trip.

The main destination is either the country in which the applicant stays longer, or the country in which his main reason for the trip is located. If one country cannot be singled out among the countries of the intended stay, which is the main destination, it is necessary to apply for a visa at the representative office of the country that is the country of first entry into the Schengen area.

8. How do I contact the Visa Department of the German Embassy in Moscow?

Contact details of the Visa Department of the German Embassy in Moscow:

95 "A" Leninsky Prospekt, Moscow, 119313 . tel. +7 495 933-43-11

Your request can also be sent electronically. To do this, follow the link.