Germany Tourist Visa Insurance Requirements for Indians

These rules are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026: German Missions in India (the Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulates General) and the VFS Global centres that accept German Schengen applications. Insurance is one of the few documents where a small mismatch, such as a policy that ends a day before your return flight, can weaken an otherwise strong file. For fees, centres and the full checklist, see our Germany visa guide for Indians.

What must a Germany tourist visa insurance policy cover?

The tourist checklist and the German Missions' insurance notice set five conditions. Your policy has to meet all of them.

The checklist calls the document overseas travel medical insurance. A domestic health policy, or a policy that covers only Germany, does not match that wording. If your itinerary also includes France, Italy or another Schengen state, the same policy must cover those days.

Which Indian insurance companies do German Missions accept?

German Missions accept Indian travel medical insurance only from their approved list of Indian travel insurance companies. Names on the list include Acko, Bajaj Allianz, HDFC ERGO, ICICI Lombard, New India Assurance and Tata-AIG, among others. The list carries age limits, so an older traveller should confirm that the chosen insurer covers their age band for a Schengen policy before paying.

Check the current list on the German Missions' information page on travel medical insurance rather than relying on a sales call. Buy the policy for the exact dates on your flight reservation and itinerary, and print it for the file.

How do you show insurance for a multiple-entry Schengen visa?

Under the EU visa cascade for Indian nationals living in India, a two-year multiple-entry visa (C2) is issued if you have lawfully used 2 Schengen visas within the past 3 years, and after that you can qualify for a five-year visa (C5). For these longer visas, German Missions ask for travel medical insurance only for the first trip, together with a signed declaration on health insurance.

That does not end the obligation. Cover is still required for every later trip and may be checked at the border, so buy a fresh policy before each journey on the same visa and carry proof with you. Holders may stay a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, and the policy for each trip should match that trip's dates.

Where does insurance fit in the rest of your tourist visa file?

Insurance sits alongside the other tourist documents German Missions list:

• the VIDEX application form, printed and signed, with all pages and barcodes;
• the signed declaration of true and complete information and the signed insurance declaration;
• a passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after your return, with at least two empty pages;
• one biometric photo, 35x45 mm, white background, not older than six months;
• a covering letter, detailed itinerary, flight reservation and hotel reservations;
• pay slips for the last three months, a leave sanction letter, bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank, and ITR acknowledgments for the last two assessment years or Form 16.

The visa fee is 90 EUR / 9,900 INR for adults (Embassy page dated 1 October 2026), 45 EUR / 5,000 INR for children aged 6 to 12, and nothing for children under 6. The VFS service fee of INR 1933 is pre-paid when you book the appointment. The visa fee is not refunded if the visa is rejected, so an insurance error is an expensive one.

Is the insurance rule different for a long-stay German visa?

Yes. The EUR 30,000 Schengen travel policy belongs to short stays of up to 90 days. National (D) visas for study, work or job search ask for German health insurance instead:

• Students: a certificate of German health insurance from the intended date of arrival.
• EU Blue Card holders: a certificate of compulsory German health insurance from the start of employment.
• Skilled workers: the same certificate from the start of employment, plus travel health insurance until then if needed.
• Opportunity Card: German health insurance valid from the date of entry.

Do not take a tourist travel policy to a national visa appointment. The national checklists ask for a different kind of cover.

Which insurance mistakes lead to delays or refusal?

• Policy dates that start after your arrival or end before your departure.
• Cover valid for Germany only when the itinerary includes other Schengen states.
• An insurer that is not on the approved Indian list, or an age band the insurer excludes.
• Forgetting the signed declaration of travel with valid medical insurance.
• Changing travel dates after buying the policy without updating it.

German Missions say most rejections result from incomplete or unverifiable documentation. European Commission statistics put the Schengen refusal rate for applications lodged at German consulates in India at 10.5% in 2025 (16,126 visas not issued; 153,179 applications lodged). That figure covers all short-stay refusals, not insurance problems alone. After a refusal you can reapply at any time, or file a lawsuit at the Administrative Court in Berlin within one month of receiving the refusal.

Processing takes 15 working days from the day the file reaches the visa section, and you should apply no later than 15 working days before travel. Buy the policy once your dates are fixed, then book the appointment.

Insurance is bought directly from an approved insurer. For the documents that sit next to it, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares verifiable flight reservations, hotel bookings, day-by-day itineraries and cover letters. Packages range from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indians need travel insurance for a layover at a German airport?

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, so there is no visa file to attach a policy to. When a transit visa was needed, VFS listed insurance as required even in transit cases.

How much is the Germany tourist visa fee for Indians?

German Missions in India list 90 EUR / 9,900 INR for adults, 45 EUR / 5,000 INR for children aged 6 to 12 and no fee for children under 6. The VFS service fee of INR 1933 is pre-paid at booking, and the visa fee is not refunded if the visa is rejected.

Does buying insurance improve my chances of approval?

No single document guarantees approval. A policy meeting the EUR 30,000 rule is a mandatory part of the file, and German Missions say most rejections come from incomplete or unverifiable documentation, so the whole file needs to be consistent.

When should my Schengen insurance start and end?

German Missions require cover for the entire stay in the Schengen area. Match the policy dates to the arrival and departure dates on your flight reservation and itinerary, and update it if your dates change.