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Business trip to Germany
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Do you plan to go to Germany on business or to attend a conference?
Visa Needed?
Entry clearance requirements depend on the citizenship of the applicant. Citizens of many countries do not need a visa to visit Germany for stays of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. Please check our country list if you are unsure whether you need a visa.
Table of countries whose citizens require or do not require a visa to enter Germany
If you need a visa, please note that a valid Japanese Residence Card which lasts for at least three months after the intended date of departure from Germany (or any other member countries of the Schengen area) is mandatory.
Where and how to apply?
The visa must be applied for in the country where you reside legally. You need to have a legal residence in Japan. We do not accept applications if you are only in Japan for a short term.
If you plan to visit only one of the Schengen countries, you must apply at the Embassy/Consulate of the country that you intend on visiting.
If you plan to visit more than one of the Schengen countries, you must apply at the Embassy/Consulate of the country that is your main destination (based on the number of days of your stay).
If you do not have a main destination, you must apply at the Embassy/Consulate of the country you will travel to/enter first.
Depending on your residence in Japan, you have to apply at either the Embassy or the Consulate General.
Application by appointment only (no walk-in, no submitting by post)
To apply for the visa, you are required to appear in person at the Embassy/Consulate General on the day of the booked appointment. Please note that each applicant/each member of a family must book an appointment via our appointment system. Please book an appointment well in advance.
You can apply for the Schengen visa up to six months prior to your scheduled departure.
What documents do I need to fill out and submit?
Please note that we do not advise on or pre-evaluate documents - the evaluation of the application starts on the day of the booked appointment.
Please prepare all documents and copies where applicable in the following order:
| Required Documents Please note that you must apply in person. | |
| 1 | One (1) completely filled out and signed Schengen visa application form. Please use the VIDEX website to fill out the application online. Please ensure to print and submit all pages of the application form, including the barcodes. |
| 2 | One (1) signed declaration of accuracy of information and consent for returning passport by mail |
| 3 | one (1) original passport picture 35 x 45 mm biometric standard: portrait style, mouth closed, looking directly at the camera, Resolution 600 dpi/sharp and clear photo (strict requirements, see details) |
| 4 | valid passport (original) and one copy of the identity page and, Passport must - be valid for at least three months longer than the scheduled return - have at least two empty pages - have been issued within the last 10 years We will keep the passport during the evaluation of your visa application. If you require the passport after application and during the processing procedure, please submit an informal written justification (English/German) at the time of the application and your passport will be returned to you. However, your passport must be sent in upon our request. |
| 5 | If applicable: copies of previous Schengen visa and entry/exit stamps |
| 6 | Japanese residence card (original and one copy of both sides) The validity of the residence card must be at least three months longer than the scheduled return date. Exceptions cannot be made. |
| 7 | Proof of address in Japan (original of recent civil register) - no translation needed |
| 8 | your current bank statements from the previous six months or a statement of - your employer guaranteeing your travel expenses and one copy |
| 9 | Travel Health Insurance Policy valid for all Schengen countries (one original/one copy) Proof of travel health insurance for the entire stay in Germany/Schengen area and for the requested length of stay. The minimum coverage insured for medical expenses, hospital treatment and costs for repatriation in the event of illness or death must be at least 30,000 EURO. The insurance polity must clearly state the requirements and validity for all Schengen countries (not only overseas). For details see (for details see here) PDF / 200 KB |
Return-envelope with your address For applicants at the Germany Embassy in Tokyo: Only the return of the passport by post is possible. For applicants at the German Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe: | |
| 10 | Visa fee - 80,00 EUR payable in Japanese yen in cash (exchange rate according to the official rate of the Embassy/Consulate General) or by Credit Card (VISA/Mastercard only) in EUR (additional fees of your bank may apply) Cash only at the Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe Payment directly at the counter when applying for the visa |
| 11 | Business trip confirmation by the company in Japan In all cases: Original signed/sealed cover letter from the company in Japan on company letterhead in German or English language including details of:
|
| 12 | Business partner in Germany: A signed invitation letter (copy is sufficient) from the business partner in Germany in German or English language including details of:
Attending fair exhibition in Germany In case you attend a fair in Germany, you need to provide the fair ticket (copy accepted), issued in your name. Attending conference/seminar in Germany Personal invitation letter and if applicable payment of participation fee For international staff exchange or contracts for work and services: If you are planning on working in Germany on your Schengen Visa, kindly check with the inviting company whether you need a (pre-)approval of the Federal Employment Agency (Einvernehmen und / oder Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit!) The (pre-)approval of the Federal Employment Agency (Einvernehmen und / oder Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit) has to be obtained by the hosting company / institution directly at the Federal Employment Agency and has to be presented when submitting the visa application. The visa section cannot apply for these documents. Be aware that if your visa category requires a (pre-) approval of the Federal Employment Agency (Einvernehmen und / oder Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit) and you cannot provide us with the same in your application, this justifies grounds for rejection! Please see information here. Should you go on a business trip within the same company, we still request a separate letter from each office (Japan and Germany). The invitation has to be signed /sealed by a responsible person. If you have further appointments in the Schengen area: Signed invitation letter from the Schengen business partner on the company letterhead, mentioning purpose of travel and itinerary and personal data of the applicant If you have a different purpose for your business trip to Germany you may provide documents and explanation in English accordingly. |
| 13 | Evidence of hotel booking /confirmed hotel reservation including name, address and telephone number of the hotel, confirmation number of the reservation, as well the name of the guest. If you intend to travel to several Member States, proof of accommodation in each of the Member States is required, along with a travel itinerary. |
| 14 | Flight reservation: We do not recommend to book any flights until you have received your passport in return – only a flight reservation is necessary. Please note that a booked flight ticket does not result in a preferred processing of the application |
| 15 | Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the intended journey:
We recommend providing a bank statement that includes your monthly salary payments. If you are the owner of a company, additionally provide the original of the commercial registration and your last income tax payment receipt (with translation in English) |
Please note that we reserve the right to request additional documents. The submission of documents does not guarantee the issuance of a visa.
How long does it take for the application to be processed?
The process may take up to 15 days, sometimes even longer – depending on the accuracy and the completeness of the submitted documents. We do not offer express or fast line processing.
It takes about TWO to THREE WEEKS to process visa applications of citizens of the following countries:
Afghanistan*, Bahrain*, Bangladesh*, Belarus, Colombia*, Egypt*, Indonesia*, Iran*, Iraq*, Jordan*, Kazakhstan*, Kuwait*, Lebanon*, Libya*, Morocco, Nigeria*, North Korea*, Oman*, Pakistan*, Qatar*, the Philippines*, Saudi-Arabia*, Somalia*, Sudan*, Surinam*, Syria*, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates*, Uzbekistan*, Vietnam*, Yemen*, as well as Palestinians*, stateless persons* and refugees holding travel documents issued by one of the listed countries with *.
After the decision you will receive your passport back immediately.
Although we will provide you with a file number, please understand that we cannot respond to questions regarding the status of your visa application. If we have any questions or require additonal documentation to process your application, we will contact you by e-mail.
Complaints about the Schengen visa application process
Schengen visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the consulate staff, or the visa application process via the contact form. In the contact form, please select the option „Beschwerde zum Schengen-Visum-Verfahren“. Please note that complaints may only be submitted in German or English. We are unable to follow up on complaints in languages other than German or English. Please enter one of the following two options in the „Subject“ field of the contact form:
- Complaint about the conduct of consulate staff
- Complaint about the visa application process
We will follow up on your complaint once it has been received.
Important information: No legal remedies against decisions to refuse, annul or revoke a visa – in particular no remonstrations – may be submitted via the complaints contact form.
Please Note: Although the information on this website has been prepared with utmost care, we cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein.
