Germany Tourist Visa Appointment from India: Booking Guide

The booking itself takes minutes. The planning around it, choosing the centre, timing the slot and arriving with the right papers, decides whether your visa comes back before your flight. This guide follows the German Missions and VFS rules as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For documents and fees in more depth, see our Germany visa guide for Indians.

Where can you book a Germany tourist visa appointment?

For Schengen visas, you are not tied to your home state. German Missions in India say applications can be submitted at any VFS centre across India regardless of residence, and every file is forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for a decision.

VFS Germany centres are listed in:

• New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Goa
• Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai and Hyderabad
• Kolkata
• Thimphu (Bhutan)

This freedom applies only to short-stay Schengen visas. National (D) visas for study or work are booked with the mission responsible for your place of residence, through a different process.

If slots in your city are full, check another centre. Bear in mind that files lodged at VFS Mumbai reach the Consulate the next day, while files from other centres need about 2 to 3 extra days in transit.

How do you book the appointment, step by step?

1. Fix your dates. You may apply no earlier than six months and no later than 15 working days before travel.
2. Complete the VIDEX form online. Print and bring all pages, including the barcodes.
3. Book on the VFS Global Germany India website. Choose your centre and the Tourism category for a holiday trip.
4. Pre-pay the VFS service fee of INR 1933 at the time of booking.
5. Prepare your file using the Schengen tourism checklist.
6. Attend in person to give fingerprints and a photo, and pay the visa fee at the centre.

Book under your own details. German Missions say an agent is not necessary, all forms and information are free, and any misconduct by an agent who books for you is your responsibility. It can invalidate the booking or lead to refusal.

What do you pay when booking and at the centre?

The VFS one-pager still shows the older adult fee of INR 9100. The Embassy page is newer, and the INR amount is set at the Consulate General Mumbai exchange rate and can change without notice. The visa fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.

How far ahead should you book so the visa arrives in time?

German Missions recommend applying at least three weeks before travel. Here is how the time adds up:

If your travel date is within 15 calendar days of your file reaching the visa section, the passport may be returned unprocessed and the fee refunded. Booking a slot too close to your trip is therefore a real risk, not just a nuisance. For summer travel, book as soon as the six-month window opens.

What happens at the VFS centre on appointment day?

• Biometrics: all applicants appear in person for fingerprints and a photo. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.
• Returning travellers: if your fingerprints were collected within the previous 59 months, they can be copied, and a representative with an authorisation letter may submit for you.
• Documents: the signed VIDEX form, the signed declarations, your passport (issued within the last 10 years, valid 3 months after return, two empty pages), at least one 35x45 mm biometric photo on a white background, a cover letter and itinerary, flight reservation, hotel bookings, travel insurance of at least EUR 30,000, and proof of economic status such as three months' pay slips, a leave sanction letter, bank statements stamped by the bank, and ITR acknowledgments for two assessment years or Form 16.
• Bank statements must show your name and address; passbook copies are not accepted.

The visa section may request more documents or call you for an interview in individual cases.

What if no slot is available before your trip?

German Missions offer 'Urgent business' and 'Urgent trade fair' appointment categories for journeys starting within four weeks of the appointment, at no extra charge. These are not for tourists. A spouse travelling for tourism on the same dates can be booked along with a business traveller, but other purposes booked in these categories are rejected by VFS.

Outside those categories, special appointments are given only for compelling, unplanned medical or humanitarian reasons, through the contact form. An urgent category gives you an appointment, not faster processing.

For a holiday, the practical answers are to check every VFS centre, keep checking for new slots, and move your travel dates if needed.

How do you track the application and get your passport back?

Track your Schengen application on the VFS website. Written inquiries are answered only after the regular 15-day processing period, and passports are returned only through VFS, by collection or the optional courier.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares the flight reservation, hotel bookings, day-wise itinerary and cover letter that your VFS file needs. Packages start at INR 1,000 for a flight reservation and go up to INR 3,000 for all four. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or send us a message.

Frequently asked questions

Can I book a Germany visa appointment in Mumbai if I live in Delhi?

Yes, for a Schengen tourist visa. German Missions in India say Schengen applications can be submitted at any VFS centre in India regardless of residence. National (D) visas are different and must be lodged with the mission for your place of residence.

Is the VFS fee refunded if I cancel my Germany appointment?

German Missions and VFS state that the INR 1933 service fee is pre-paid when booking, but the pages we checked do not set out a cancellation refund rule. Check the VFS booking terms before you pay.

Can a travel agent submit my Germany visa application?

Only if your fingerprints were collected in the last 59 months, in which case a representative with a signed authorisation letter and a copy of their passport may submit. German Missions warn that agent misconduct is the applicant's responsibility.

Do I need a transit visa to change planes in Germany?

No. Since 3 June 2026, Indian nationals no longer need an airport transit visa for a layover at a German airport when travelling on to another country.