General Information

Applications for Schengen visa (short-term stay of a max. of 90 days) can be submitted at the earliest 6 months before and at the latest 15 calendar days before traveling.
To withdraw your application, please submit a signed withdrawal letter.

Please ensure that your application documents are complete! Incomplete applications can cause delays or may result in rejection of the visa application.

This checklist is regularly updated but makes no claim to be complete.
Further documentation can at all times be requested or provided by the applicant, in support of the application.

All kinds of student visa have to be applied for at German Visa Application Centre - VFS Global. For more information see below- “book an appointment”.

Prepare your application

Please do not staple the documents and renounce paper clips.

• 1 original duly completed and signed visa application form

The following documents need to be presented in original and 1 copy:

• passport (at least 2 free pages, not older than 10 years)
  • you may provide copies of previous Schengen visa
• for non-Singaporeans: proof of legal residence in Singapore (e.g. EP;DP; Student Pass), incl. printout of your current Singaporean residence permit validity (no QR-Code)
• 1 recent passport photograph (not older than 3 months) according to biometric specifications (see sample photos below)

• Schengen travel/medical insurance with following coverage:

  • Medical expenses and repatriation for at least EUR 30,000;
  • Valid for the entire Schengen area
  • Valid for the entire duration of stay in the Schengen area
  • Coverage for treatment of COVID-19 infections
  • The above must be mentioned on the insurance policy submitted, together with the name of the insured party. It is a requirement that claims against the insurance company are recoverable in a Member State. Kindly note that insufficient proof of valid Travel Medical Insurance can lead to repatriation from the Schengen area

• A flight reservation or printout of your flight itinerary (NO booked ticket is needed)

• Proof of the applicant's financial circumstances:

  • detailed bank statements of the last 3 months including salary and transactions with bank letterhead and name of the account holder OR

  • signed sponsor letter, passport copy and account document of the sponsor as well as proof of the relationship.OR

  • a formal letter of obligation, according to paragraph §§66,68 of the Aliens Act, from a resident of Germany and for the duration of the applicant's stay in Germany(“Verpflichtungserklärung”)

• Original letter from the applicant's employer: confirming employment, duration of recruitment, status, income and confirmed upcoming leave. If you are self-employed, provide current printout of BiZ-File issued by ACRA
• fee for the processing of the visa application is the equivalent of EURO 80.00 (for children EUR 40.00) to be paid in SGD. Additionally, VFS charges a service fee of EUR 34.13 in SGD as well.

Specific requirements

1. Visit of family/friends:

• Invitation letter of the inviting person with the following information: personal data, relationship between host and invited person, address, phone number of the host, duration of stay. If applicable confirming that the cost is cover by the host.

• copy of the host’s passport and residence permit (if the host is not a German citizen)

• travel itinerary including accomodation Reservation in the Schengen area, for the period that the applicant is not staying with the host

2. Tourism:

• travel itinerary including accomodation reservation for the entire trip in the Schengen area

3. Business/Short-term training:

• letter of invitation from the applicant's business partner in Germany stating the purpose and duration of the visit. The letter has to be signed by the person in charge; scan copy and fax are accepted. If applicable, confirmation that expenses are covered by the company in Germany. If applicant is attending a conference or fair, confirmation letter of your participation and payment receipt of registration
• original guarantee letter from the applicant’s employer, stating the details of the applicant, employment duration, designation, purpose and duration of travel. If applicable, the company should confirm taking full responsibility for all your expenses, including medical care and repatriation if necessary
• travel itinerary including accomodation reservation for the entire trip in the Schengen area
• if going fot short-term training (less than 90 days):
  • letter with information and details on the training (purpose, duration, content)
  • If applicable: confirmation of registration for an external training program (not by your/ affiliated company) and detailed training plan

4. Domestic helper:

• Signed Guarantee letter (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) from the employer undertaking all travel expenses incurred by the helper and letter from employer explaining why it is necessary for the helper to travel along.

  To sign the guarantee letter in the Embassy, your employer must provide a copy of the detailed bank statements from a German account for the last 3 months. Online transaction records without account holder’s names and not on bank letter head are not accepted

• Photocopy of the employer’s passport (including the signature page) and copy of flight ticket Reservation

• work contract

• travel itinerary including accomodation reservation for the entire trip in the Schengen area. If staying at a private address or home of employer, please provide invitation letter

5. Minors (below 18 years):

• both parents must sign on the application form. If either one or both parents not travelling, a consent letter signed by the parent(s) not travelling is required. Passport copy of both parents.
• if intending to travel without their parents/legal guardians, the application has to be submitted by parents/legal guardians who must present the minor's original birth certificate and give their written consent. If parents/legal guardians are not present in Singapore their written consent should be legalised by the relevant embassy, in the place of residence of the parents/legal Guardians.
• Students must provide proof of enrolment at a Singapore educational institution. Original letter from the school and a copy of the school pass

Information on the visa process

Please do not send unrequested documents to the Visa Department, especially not before applying for the visa, as those cannot be kept. Please submit all documents when applying in person at VFS.
Foreign documents issued in other languages than English or German have to be submitted with an official Translation.
The processing of the visa application is usually 10 days, upon submission of complete documents, sometimes longer.
You will be contacted by VFS as soon as the Embassy as decided on your applicaion. Please note that questions regarding the status of your visa application cannot be answered.
It is recommended that at no time a flight ticket should be purchased until a visa has been granted.

Book your Appointment

To submit your application, please book an appointment and appear in person at the visa application center of the Embassy - VFS:

There your complete application documents including the visa fee will be accepted and biometric data registered.

The appointment needs to be booked through the website of VFS