Germany Visit Visa for Indians Visiting Family or Friends

This post follows the German Missions' checklist for family and friend visits, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For business, study and work routes, start with our Germany visa page for Indian citizens.

Which German visa do you need to visit relatives or friends?

A visit of up to 90 days is a Schengen (C) visa. German Missions list 'Visit Family & Friends' as a separate Schengen category alongside Tourism and Business. There is no visa on arrival and no eVisa for Indian passport holders: you fill in the VIDEX form online, then lodge it at a VFS Global centre and give biometrics in person.

Two situations need a different route:

• Moving to Germany to live with family. Joining a spouse, children joining parents and parents joining children are national (D) family reunion visas, applied for through the Consular Services Portal.
• Already living in another Schengen country. Indians holding a long-stay visa or residence permit from another Schengen state need no separate visa for short stays in Germany of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

What must your host's invitation letter contain?

The invitation is the document that separates this category from a tourist visa. The checklist asks for an original signed letter from the family member or friend in Germany. Check it against this list before it is couriered to you:

Two extra items apply in specific cases. If you are visiting your child, add evidence of the child's legal residence in Germany. If you are visiting a pregnant person, add the Mutterpass. Applicants with an Indian passport also submit a copy of the biometric and address page and the last page.

Who pays for the trip, and how do you prove it?

German Missions accept either your own funds or a sponsor, but the evidence differs.

If you pay yourself, show your economic status: employed applicants give pay slips for the last three months, the employment contract, 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. Self-employed applicants add company registration including the GST number. Retired applicants give pension statements, and students an enrolment certificate and NOC.

If your relative sponsors you, add a sponsor letter, a copy of the sponsor's passport and the sponsor's bank statements for the last 3 months, stamped by the bank.

For accommodation, you do not need a hotel if you stay with the host: a sponsorship or private accommodation proof with the host's address and a passport or ID copy is accepted. Your name and address must appear on your bank statements; passbook copies are not accepted.

Where do you apply, and what does it cost?

You can submit at any VFS centre in India regardless of where you live. Every Schengen file is forwarded to the German Consulate General in Mumbai for a decision. VFS centres are listed in New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Goa, Bengaluru, Kochi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Thimphu (Bhutan).

The visa fee is paid at the appointment and is not refunded if the visa is rejected. German Missions mark the rupee amount as subject to change without notice.

How early should you apply?

Processing takes 15 working days from the day the file arrives at the visa section, not counting the day you submit at VFS. Transfer from VFS to the Consulate can take up to six working days: files lodged in Mumbai arrive the next day, while other centres add two or three days. Apply no earlier than six months and no later than 15 working days before travel; German Missions recommend at least three weeks.

If your travel date falls within 15 calendar days of the file reaching the visa section, the passport may be returned unprocessed with the fee refunded. Before a family wedding or a birth, book your slot well ahead of that cut-off.

What do the refusal figures show?

European Commission statistics give a refusal rate of 10.5% for Schengen applications lodged at German consulates in India in 2025 (16,126 visas not issued; 153,179 applications lodged), and 11.1% in 2024. The figure covers all short-stay purposes. German Missions say most rejections result from incomplete or unverifiable documentation.

After a refusal you can reapply at any time, with no waiting period, or file a lawsuit at the Administrative Court in Berlin within one month (court fee currently EUR 483, paid regardless of outcome). The free remonstration procedure was abolished in India from 1 January 2024. Details are on the German Missions page on what to do after a rejection.

Checks before your VFS appointment

• The invitation is the signed original, and its dates match your flight reservation.
• The host's residence permit copy is valid for your travel dates.
• Bank statements show your name and address and carry the bank's stamp.
• Travel medical insurance covers all Schengen countries for the whole trip with at least EUR 30,000, from an approved Indian insurer.
• Photos are 35x45 mm on a white background, no older than six months.

German Missions note that you do not need an agent to apply. If you want help with the paperwork around the invitation, Yatra For Fun's Gurugram office prepares flight reservations, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation up to INR 3,000 for a reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter. Reach us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or via our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can my relative in Germany email a scanned invitation letter?

The Visit Family & Friends checklist asks for the original signed invitation letter. Plan for your host to courier the signed original to you in India before your VFS appointment.

Do I need a hotel booking if I stay with family in Germany?

No hotel is needed if you stay with your host. German Missions accept the host's sponsorship or private accommodation proof showing their address, along with a copy of their passport or ID.

Can I ask for a multiple-entry visa for repeated family visits?

Yes, you can request it on the form. For private visits, German Missions ask for a note on the need for repeated trips in the invitation letter, plus proof of previous travels. Indians who lawfully used 2 Schengen visas in the past 3 years can receive a two-year multiple-entry visa, but there is no entitlement.

Can an Indian living abroad apply in India to visit family in Germany?

Only in limited cases. People not residing in India may apply in India only if they are lawfully present and can justify not applying in their country of residence; the consulate decides at its discretion.