Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Consular Services Portal allows you to apply online for services provided by the German missions abroad. New online applications and functions are gradually being added. At present, the focus is on national visas for Germany needed for stays of more than ninety days.

The Consular Services Portal makes the application process easier for you: you can apply simply and securely wherever you are, including on mobile devices. Staff of the German missions can check the uploaded documents and ask for corrections, if necessary. You only need to visit the mission in person to provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), to present original documents (if required), and to pay the fee. So the appointment at the mission goes quickly and smoothly.

The Consular Services Portal is currently being expanded. New online applications and functions are being added step by step. Please bear with us: in future it will be possible to apply online for all services.

You can see in the Consular Services Portal whether it is currently possible to submit an online application to the mission in your country. Click on the visa you want to apply for. Then see whether your country of residence and mission can be selected.
If it is greyed out, that means it is not currently possible to submit online applications there.

The Consular Services Portal is being expanded. Online passport applications are gradually being rolled out worldwide.
You can see in the Consular Services Portal whether it is already possible to submit an online passport application to your mission: click on the passport you require, then see whether your country of residence and mission can be selected.

The Consular Services Portal is being expanded. At present, it is only possible to apply online for a passport from the missions in London, Bishkek and Oslo, if you live in these missions´ consular district. Please note the information about the consular district of the German Embassy in London on its website.

If you cannot select your mission in the Consular Services Portal, that means it is not currently possible to submit online applications to that. Please check any notifications in the Consular Services Portal or on the website of your mission.
Click on 'Receive notification' to be alerted when it is again possible to submit the relevant application online.

If your mission doesn’t yet offer online applications, we ask that you be patient and wait until you can select your mission in the Consular Services Portal. Alternatively, you can submit your application in paper form.

The Consular Services Portal is currently available in German and English. You can switch the language on the website by clicking on the symbol ('Deutsch'/'English') at the top centre of the screen.

You can access the Consular Services Portal on any computer, tablet or smartphone. To start an application, please first register in the Portal and sign in.

In order to submit an application online, users need a user account that protects the data. In addition, sign-in uses two-factor authentication. In other words, users can only sign in if they authenticate themselves with their sign-in data and also a second stored email address.
Your personal data and its processing in the Consular Services Portal are subject to the most stringent security requirements. Data is processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Federal Data Protection Act and, where appropriate, special legal regulations.
Click here to access the Data Privacy Statement.

Currently only one online application can be made per account. In future it will be possible to submit several applications from one account, for example for members of a family. This function is currently being developed.

Yes, someone else can submit an online application on your behalf if they can present proof of power of representation. Please note, however, that it is currently only possible to submit one application per account.
You will still have to appear in person at the mission to provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo).

Please check if your e-mail storage is full or if the e-mail is in the spam folder. Make sure that all updates have been installed on your device. Re-start the device and check the internet connection.
Whenever possible, use the Chrome or Firefox browsers. Delete cookies and the cache of your browser. You can also try the browser’s incognito or private mode. If this does not solve the problem and you have not been able to proceed with registration, you can re-start to register and provide a second e-mail address (different from the first one) as second factor.
If you encounter problems later during the registration process, please contact us via the contact form with the following data:
• your e-mail for login
• time and date of requesting the OTP / verification code,
• your second e-mail (for two-factor authentication),
• the German mission you apply to and
• the selected visa type.

Please first select the purpose for which you want to submit an online application. Then click on your country of residence and the relevant mission. Register and sign in. Then you can start an online application. Fill in all the required information and upload your supporting documents.
Once all the documents are uploaded and the information is filled in, you can submit the application to the mission digitally. The mission will then check that your application is complete. If any information or document is missing, the mission will notify you. If necessary, you can then amend your application directly in the Consular Services Portal. If all the required information and documents are present and correct, you will be sent a link to arrange an on-site appointment at the mission.
The preliminary review of your application means that the appointment at the mission goes quickly and efficiently: you provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the visa fee.
Your mission will then decide on your application and contact you.

The online application can be submitted from anywhere, at any time, and sent to the German mission responsible for you. The Consular Services Portal guides you through the application process step by step.
Once you have submitted your information and supporting documents, the mission reviews them and notifies you online. When you then go to the mission in person, all you have to do is submit your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the visa fee.
You can check the current status of your application online at any time in your user account in the Consular Services Portal.

You can submit the application in German or English. You can switch the language on the website by clicking on the symbol ('Deutsch'/'English') at the top centre of the screen.

Yes, if a large number of applications have been submitted to your mission and there is a waiting list for online applications, you will be notified. The notification will appear in the Consular Services Portal when you select an online application. It will also indicate the likely time you will have to wait.
You can register for the waiting list by filling in the visa application online and uploading the required supporting documents.
You will be sent a notification when it is your turn. Before submitting the application, you can again check the information and documents you have provided and make any necessary changes. Then your mission will begin to review your application.

We ask that you be patient. Your mission will inform you when it can start to process your application. And you have another chance to look through and update your information and supporting documents before actually submitting your application. Then your mission will begin to review your application.

That depends on how many applications your mission has to deal with. If you select an online application in the Consular Services Portal, you will be notified of the approximate waiting time. The waiting time is calculated automatically by the system.

You will be notified when your mission can process your online application. After that, you have 30 days in which to check and update the information you have provided and to submit your application. Then your mission will start processing it.

Yes. You will be notified when your mission can process your online application. After that, you have 30 days in which to check and update the information you have provided and to submit your application.

First of all, fill out the online visa application (VIDEX). For some types of visas, you will first have to fill out a questionnaire to establish which is the right visa for your intended stay. Then the “Your documents” section tells you exactly what supporting documents you need and have to upload.
You can save your online application at any time and you do not need to upload your supporting documents all at once. This means you can gradually prepare everything at your leisure before submitting the application.

First, fill in your details in the online application form. Then the 'Your documents' section tells you exactly what supporting documents you need and have to upload.
You can save your online application at any time and you do not need to upload your supporting documents all at once. This means you can gradually prepare everything at your leisure before submitting the application.

Please bring a biometric photo with you to the on-site appointment at the mission. Information on the requirements for biometric photos can be found in our biometric photos guide.

Please upload your supporting documents as PDF, JPG or PNG files. If you want to upload a multi-page document, use a PDF file.
In some cases existing PDF files have to be transformed into image-based documents to be compatible to upload to the Consular Services Portal. Please open the PDF file and create the PDF file again through the print-dialogue of the application – do not use 'Save as'.

Individual files may not exceed 10 MB and must contain no more than 50 pages. If you want to upload a multi-page document, please use a PDF file.

Please check your internet connection and try again.
Whenever possible, use the Chrome or Firefox browsers. Delete cookies and the cache of your browser. You can also try the browser’s incognito or private mode.
Please verify that your file does not exceed 10 MB, has a maximum of 50 pages and has only the file suffix .pdf. Avoid long file names.
Use a different tool to scan the document / to create the pdf file and try again to upload.
If the upload still fails, please send the following details via the contact form:
• When has the problem (last) occurred (date, time)?
• name of browser,
• e-mail used for registering in the Consular Services Portal,
• exact name of pdf file,
• format und size of the document(s),
• which German mission you apply to.

Yes, if you have other important documents that would back up the information provided and explain your circumstances to the mission, you can upload additional documents. You can do so at the end of the 'Your documents' section, under 'Optional documents', 'Other documents'.

Once you have submitted your online application, your mission will check whether it is correct and complete. If something is missing, you will be notified and can then add or amend documents in the Consular Services Portal.

Yes. Once you have submitted your online application, the mission will check whether it has been completed correctly and includes all the necessary documents. You will receive an online notification of whether everything is present and correct. You can then amend information and add documents.
However, the mission reserves the right to request additional documents even after your on-site-appointment until the final decision will have been made.

The Federal Agency for Foreign Affairs (BfAA) can help if you have technical issues with the Consular Services Portal. Send a message describing your problem as precisely as possible via the contact form.

As long as you have not yet submitted your application to the mission, you can change your information and documents at any time.
Once you have submitted the application, your mission will review it. You will receive a notification as to whether the information you have provided is complete. If further clarification is needed, you can change both your information and the documents uploaded.

Before starting your online application, you will be asked to select the locally competent mission abroad that will then process and decide on the application. Some missions use external service providers. Where this is the case, you will be informed when you submit the application. The external service provider reviews the information you have provided and organises your on-site appointment. However, it is the mission that decides on your application.

Before starting your online application, you will be asked to select the locally competent mission abroad that will process your application. You cannot subsequently change the mission selected.
In order to change the mission, you will need to discard the application. You can then start again by selecting the type of visa, country and mission.

Unfortunately, it is not possible at present to change the type of visa you are applying for. Please discard your application and start a new one.
The Visa Navigator can help you select the correct visa.

Yes. If you have opened your online application and are at the overview, you can click on 'Discard application' (before having submitted your application for preliminary review) or 'withdraw application' (after you have submitted the application for preliminary review) in the application status field on the left.

Your mission or the external services provider checks whether the information and documents you have provided are complete. You then receive an online notification and can change your application directly in the Consular Services Portal, if documents are missing or information is incorrect.
Once the preliminary review is complete, you receive a link to arrange your on-site appointment at the mission, where you must provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo). Then your mission decides on your application.

That depends on how many applications your mission has to deal with. You will generally hear back in about a week.

Correct and complete documents are necessary for your mission to process your application. Please take note of any deadlines set by your mission and make any necessary changes to your application as soon as possible.

Complete documents are necessary for your mission to process and decide on your application. Please take note of any deadlines set by your mission and submit the requested documents as soon as possible, or withdraw your application.

Currently you pay the visa fees when you visit the mission for your on-site appointment.
There is one exception if your mission works with an external service provider: in this case, you pay the service fee to the external service provider online before submitting the visa application; the visa fee must still be paid at the on-site appointment. Fees for passport applications can only be paid at the on-site appointment.

Yes, you can see the current status of your application in the Portal at any time. If you have signed in and opened the overview of your application, its status is shown on the left-hand side.

The preliminary review of your application means that the appointment at the mission goes quickly and efficiently: you provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the fee.

Yes, you do still need to visit the mission in person. However, the preliminary review of your application on the Consular Services Portal means that the appointment at the mission goes quickly and efficiently: all you have to do is provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the fee.

Yes, you need an appointment because you have to provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo).

At the appointment, you provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the fee. The checklist in the Consular Services Portal will tell you what original documents you need to bring to the appointment. The list appears as soon as the preliminary review has been completed. Please read the checklist carefully and bring all the necessary documents with you, so that your mission can decide on your application.

At the appointment, you may only need the originals of specific documents. The checklist in the Consular Services Portal will tell you which ones you need to bring. The list appears as soon as the preliminary review has been completed.
Please read the checklist carefully and bring all the necessary documents with you, so that your mission can decide on your application.

Yes, there are separate appointments for people who have submitted an application online. These appointments are generally shorter. As soon as the preliminary review has been completed, you will receive a link in the Consular Services Portal to arrange your on-site appointment.
Please understand that at busy periods you may have to wait for an appointment even if you have applied online.

The preliminary review of your application in the Consular Services Portal means that the appointment at the mission goes quickly and efficiently: you provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), present the originals of your supporting documents (if required), and pay the fee. So appointments are scheduled to last around 10 to 15 minutes.
In individual cases, if things are unclear or questions remain, they may take a bit longer.

The on-site appointment is necessary for your mission to further process and decide on your application.
If you cannot make the appointment, please cancel it on the mission’s appointment booking page. You can then book a new appointment.

You will be informed via the Consular Services Portal as soon as a decision has been taken.

This can vary a lot. It depends mainly on how well prepared your application reaches the mission. In complicated cases, it can also take a bit longer to reach a decision. For certain types of visas, other authorities have to be involved in the process. But your mission will try to process your application as quickly as possible.

The notification telling you that your application has been rejected will also give you information on what you can do next. Further information is available on your mission’s website.

The Consular Services Portal is being expanded. New functions are being added gradually. For example, group applications, online payment and a central appointment booking system are planned.