Skip to main content
PrepareMyVisa

A private preparation service. Not an embassy, consulate or visa centre.

Menu

How do you apply for a visa for Germany if you live in India?

You apply through VFS Global in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Panaji, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Puducherry and Kolkata. The government fee is EUR 90, about INR 9,900 at the rate on 1 October 2026. Official processing time: Decided within 15 calendar days from when the application reaches the visa section, not from submission at VFS. It may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases.

Key facts

FactWhat it is
Government feeEUR 90 (INR 9,900, converted 1 October 2026)Checked 14 November 2026 against German Missions in India
Where you applyVFS Global: New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Panaji, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Puducherry, KolkataChecked 14 November 2026 against German Missions in India
Official processing timeDecided within 15 calendar days from when the application reaches the visa section, not from submission at VFS. It may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases.Checked 14 November 2026 against German Missions in India
Refusal rate10.5% (2025)Checked 14 November 2026 against European Commission, DG Migration and Home Affairs
Recent rule changeIndian nationals no longer need an airport transit visa for a layover at a German airport on the way to another country. (from 3 June 2026)Checked 14 November 2026 against German Missions in India
How to book an appointmentBook an appointment with VFS Global and submit the application at a Visa Application Centre; the VFS service charge is paid when booking. Schengen applications can be submitted at any VFS centre in India, regardless of place of residence, and are forwarded to the Consulate General Mumbai for a decision.Checked 14 November 2026 against German Missions in India

Documents for this route

The official checklist, in the order the source gives it.

  1. Completed and signed Schengen visa application form from VIDEX, all pages printed with the barcodes
  2. Signed declaration of true and complete information
  3. Signed declaration of travel with valid medical insurance
  4. Valid passport issued within the last 10 years, with at least 3 months' validity after the scheduled return and at least two empty pages
  5. Copy of the biometric and address page of the passport
  6. At least one biometric passport photo (35x45mm, white background), not older than six months
  7. Personal covering letter or proof of intended means of transport and itinerary
  8. Travel agency confirmation of an organised trip, or another document showing the travel plans
  9. Proof of accommodation (hotel, holiday home or campus residence reservation, or the host's confirmation with proof of address and a passport or German ID card copy)
  10. Sponsor documents if a third party pays for the trip, by type of sponsor
  11. Proof of the applicant's economic status by situation (employed, self-employed, retired, student or unemployed), including bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank
  12. Proof of civil status where applicable (marriage certificate, divorce or custody decree, children's birth certificates, spouse's death certificate)
  13. Flight reservation
  14. Overseas travel medical insurance valid for all Schengen countries for the whole trip, minimum EUR 30,000, from an Indian insurer on the consular posts' list
  15. For minors: forms signed by both parents, birth certificate, parents' passport copies, and custody proof or notarised consent as applicable

Related pages

Sources

Changes to this page

No changes since this page was published on 14 November 2026.

Who checked this page

Facts checked by Imran AK. Reviewed by Manu KP. Last reviewed 14 November 2026.

Every fact comes from an official page and is checked by two people.