Germany visaSchengen C visaGermany Schengen visitor visa for Indian passport holders
The Schengen C visa issued by Germany covers tourism, visiting family and friends, business and conferences for up to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. The fee is €90, applications go through VFS Global in India, and the standard decision time is 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 in peak months.
6 min read Verified 29 October 2026 against auswaertiges-amt.de · How we verify
Germany schengen visitor visa: quick answers
- Who needs a Germany Schengen visa?
- Every Indian passport holder visiting Germany or entering the Schengen area through Germany for up to 90 days. Apply at the German mission if Germany is your main destination by nights or purpose, or the first entry point when stays are equal. Airport transit at Frankfurt or Munich without leaving the transit zone does not need a visa for Indian citizens holding a valid US, Canadian, UK, Japanese or Schengen visa; otherwise an airport transit visa applies.
- What does it cost?
- €90 for adults and children aged 12 and over, €45 for children aged 6 to 11 and free under 6, paid in rupees at the VFS centre and not refunded on refusal. VFS Global charges its own service fee, and travel insurance with €30,000 medical cover is mandatory. Germany does not charge extra for a multiple-entry visa.
- How long does it take from India?
- The Schengen Visa Code sets 15 calendar days from the appointment, extendable to 45 where more scrutiny is needed; German missions in India stay close to the standard outside the April to July peak. Appointment slots at VFS fill four to eight weeks ahead in summer. You can apply up to six months before travel and must lodge at least 15 days before.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Schengen uniform visa (type C), single or multiple entry |
| Government fee | €90 adult; €45 children 6 to 11; free under 6 |
| Stay | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across Schengen |
| Processing | 15 calendar days standard; up to 45 in complex cases |
| Where to apply | VFS Global centres in India for the German mission covering your state |
| Insurance | €30,000 medical cover valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay |
| Funds | Germany's reference is about €45 per day plus accommodation and travel |
| Border checks | Biometric registration in the EU Entry/Exit System at first entry |
Who qualifies for a Schengen visa from Germany
The Visa Code asks the mission to check the purpose and conditions of the stay, that you have the means for the trip and the return, that you are not an alert in the Schengen Information System, and that you intend to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires. Germany decides on the file; interviews are rare. The purpose must be documented: hotel bookings and an itinerary for tourism, a formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) or invitation with the host's residence proof for family visits, and an invitation from the German company for business.
Funds are judged against the trip: Germany publishes a reference of about €45 per day, and six months of statements with regular income are expected. Ties to India matter as much as money: an employer's leave letter, a business, property and family who stay behind. A refusal from any Schengen state or other country must be declared; the Visa Information System shows previous applications across Schengen.
Frequent travellers benefit from the visa cascade: after two visas used lawfully in the previous three years you are eligible for a one-year multiple-entry visa, then two years, then five. Since 2024 India benefits from an adapted cascade that allows a two-year multiple-entry visa after two visas in three years and a five-year visa thereafter, subject to passport validity.
Fees and what they cover
| Item | EUR | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen visa, adult (12 and over) | 90 | Per person; not refunded on refusal |
| Schengen visa, child 6 to 11 | 45 | Children under 6 free |
| Airport transit visa (type A) | 90 | Only where no exempting visa is held |
| VFS Global service fee | Set by VFS | Charged per application in rupees; optional premium lounge, courier and SMS extra |
| Travel medical insurance | Market rate | Minimum €30,000 cover across Schengen; buy after the appointment date is fixed |
The fee is the same for single and multiple entry. Family members of EU citizens exercising free-movement rights are exempt from the fee. Vistolane charges the government fee at the official rupee rate and shows it separately on the price card.
How the application runs, step by step
- 1
Complete the VIDEX form
Germany's online Schengen form; print and sign it. Choose the German mission responsible for your state of residence.
- 2
Book the VFS appointment
Slots are released on a rolling basis; summer slots fill four to eight weeks out. Each traveller needs an appointment, including children.
- 3
Lodge the file and give biometrics
Passport, photo, form, insurance, bookings, funds and ties; fingerprints are taken unless captured for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months. Pay the fee and the service charge in rupees.
- 4
Decision
The mission decides within 15 days in normal cases; you can track the passport on the VFS site. Refusals come with a standard form listing the grounds.
- 5
Travel
Enter through any Schengen state; Germany should be the main destination. Register fingerprints and face in the Entry/Exit System at the first border crossing.
Timeline for an Indian applicant
| Stage | Typical time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Documents gathered | 1 to 2 weeks | Bookings, insurance, six months of statements, leave letter |
| VFS appointment | 1 to 8 weeks | Longest from April to July; check all centres in your jurisdiction |
| Decision | 15 calendar days; up to 45 | Peak-season files and first-time travellers take longer |
| Passport return | 2 to 5 days | Courier or collection |
Apply six to ten weeks before a summer trip and four to six weeks at other times; the earliest filing date is six months before travel.
At the border and during the stay
The 90-in-180 rule counts every day in any Schengen state; use the European Commission's calculator before planning back-to-back trips. Border officers can ask for the return ticket, insurance and funds. Visa holders cannot work, but may attend meetings, trade fairs and short training that is not employment.
A Schengen visa cannot be converted into a residence permit inside Germany except in narrow cases; long stays for work, study or family need a national D visa applied for from India. Compliant use of short-stay visas is what qualifies you for the longer multi-entry visas under the cascade.
Document checklist: forms and identity
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Passport valid 3 months beyond departure, issued within 10 years, two blank pages | Previous passports with Schengen, UK, US visas |
| Signed VIDEX form and VFS appointment letter | One biometric photo, 35x45 mm, white background |
Purpose and stay
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Flight reservation and hotel bookings or host documents | Formal obligation letter from the host, or invitation with ID and residence proof and a cover letter |
| Business invitation | From the German company naming dates, purpose and who pays |
| Travel medical insurance | €30,000 minimum, all Schengen states, whole stay |
Funds and ties
| Document | Standard the officer applies |
|---|---|
| Bank statements for six months and ITRs for two years | Salary credits visible; the trip budget should fit the balance |
| Employer leave letter or business registration | Designation, salary, dates of approved leave; GST or incorporation papers for the self-employed |
| Family and property evidence | Marriage and birth certificates, property documents |
Why applications on this route get refused, and the fix
Purpose or conditions of stay not justified
Bookings that did not match the itinerary, an unconvincing invitation, or gaps in the plan.
The fix. Submit a day-by-day itinerary that matches confirmed bookings and a cover letter; hosts should use the formal obligation letter from their local foreigners' office.
Insufficient means of subsistence
Low or irregular balances, recent lump sums, or a sponsor without documents.
The fix. Show six months of statements with regular income, explain large credits, and add the sponsor's statements and obligation letter.
Intention to leave not established
Weak ties to India: unemployment, no family or property, long gaps in the record.
The fix. Provide an employer letter with approved leave, business evidence, property and family documents; keep the trip short and specific.
False or unreliable documents
An unverifiable hotel booking, employer letter or bank statement; a Schengen alert may follow.
The fix. Use only verifiable bookings and documents; declare every previous refusal recorded in the Visa Information System.
Insurance or passport validity
Insurance below €30,000 or not covering the dates; passport validity under three months after departure.
The fix. Buy compliant insurance for the exact dates and renew the passport before applying.
