How to Apply for a German Language Visa
This page details how, where and when to apply for a Language Visa at a German consulate or embassy. Explore our guide below and discover exactly what you need to know for a smooth and successful visa application.
Who is this guide for?
🎓 The German Language Visa is open to citizens from all countries. The visa permits you to move to Germany and study the German language for up to 1 year.
🌎 Only citizens from certain countries are permitted to apply for the German Language Visa at an immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after their arrival in Germany. If you are from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, or the United States, you can enter Germany without a visa for 90 days. During this 90-day period, you can apply for a German Language Visa in Germany. We have explained how to do this in the following guide:
🛑 Citizens from all other countries must apply for a German Language Visa before arriving in Germany. This must be done at a German consulate or embassy outside of Germany. This guide is for you.
For an overview of how to move to Germany as a language student, see our German Language Student Checklist.
German Language Visa: Application Process
1️⃣ Book a German Language Visa appointment at your local German embassy or consulate
2️⃣ Apply for the German Language Visa at your local German embassy or consulate
We have expanded on these steps below.
1️⃣ Book a German Language Visa appointment at your local German embassy or consulate
You must apply for the German Language Visa at your local German embassy or consulate. To do this, you must first schedule a suitable visa appointment at your local embassy or consulate:
Find your local German embassy or consulate using this search tool.
Once on the relevant embassy/consulate website, you should navigate to their visa appointment booking platform. This can be hard to find.
Once on the visa appointment booking platform, simply select the visa type you would like to apply for, and a time and date that suits you.
Alternatively, here is a quick link to the appointment booking platform for a wide range of German embassies and consulates around the world. Note: not all German embassies/consulates are shown in this list.
📅 Top tip! Visa appointment slots often fill up months in advance. To avoid unexpected visa delays, we suggest starting to search for a suitable appointment 3 months before your intended move date to Germany.
Once you have secured a suitable visa appointment, you will receive an email detailing the time, date and location for your appointment. You can now start preparing the relevant paperwork for step 2; applying for your German Language Visa at your local German embassy or consulate.
2️⃣ Apply for the German Language Visa at your local German embassy or consulate
❗ Note: Each German embassy/consulate tends to have slightly different application requirements. However, the documents listed below are the standard, minimum application documents required for the German Language Visa. Prior to your appointment, we recommend that you double-check with your local embassy or consulate to see if they have any additional requirements on top of what is listed below
To apply for a German Language Visa at your local German consulate or embassy, you will be required to submit:
✅ A passport
Your passport must:
Have at least 2 free pages.
Be valid for 3 months longer than the intended visa duration.
Have been issued within the last 10 years.
You should also provide a photocopy of your passport’s data page.
✅ A passport photo
Guidelines for taking compliant biometric passport photos can be found here. Some embassies/consulates will request multiple photos so we recommend taking at least 3 identical passport photos to your appointment.
✅ Health insurance
You must have suitable health insurance cover to apply for the German Language Visa. The insurance must cover:
The entire duration of the visa.
At least €30,000 in medical expenses.
Repatriation to your home country.
Top tip! To ensure you meet the health insurance requirements for the German Language Visa, our favourite option is Feather’s expat health insurance. This policy not only meets the requirements for the visa and is approved by German embassies and consulates but is also competitively priced and can be quickly signed up for online.
For further info, see our guide to Feather Insurance.
✅ Proof of enrollment at a German language school
To apply for a German Language Visa, you must be signed up for an ‘intensive’ German language course. This must include daily classes amounting to a minimum of 18–20 hours of lessons per week. You must sign up for at least 3 months of courses. The visa will be generally issued for the duration of the language course that you are signed up for (up to 1 year).
German language schools are generally familiar with the visa process. When signing up for a course, inform the school that you require proof of enrollment in order to apply for a German Language Visa – they will then provide a suitable enrollment letter or language school contract.
For an overview of the best language schools in Germany (who can provide the necessary paperwork for the German Language Course Visa), see our German Language School Guide.
✅ Proof of a secure livelihood
You must show that you have sufficient savings to live off for the duration of the German Language Visa. For this, most German embassies and consulates accept the following:
A blocked account (escrow account). If applying for a 1-year visa, this account should have at least €11,208 deposited in it at the time of application (although the required amount can vary depending on where you are applying). For shorter visas, the total amount required can be pro-rated (e.g. for a 3-month visa, you would need €2,802 in a blocked account).
Our top suggestion for a blocked account is Fintiba, which combines a simple sign-up process with lower fees than most of its competitors.
Declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung). This is a formal commitment from a friend or relative in Germany that they will act as a financial guarantor during your time in Germany. Here is some additional info on how to obtain a declaration of commitment.
A notarised letter of support from your parents. Some German embassies/consulates will accept a notarised letter of support from your parents guaranteeing that they will provide you with financial support while living in Germany. The letter of support should be submitted alongside proof of your parents’ income over the last 6 months (e.g. bank statements or tax returns).
Prior to applying, check what documents are accepted by your local German embassy or consulate to demonstrate proof of a secure livelihood as these can vary considerably.
✅ Cover letter
Your cover letter should detail your motivations for living in Germany and studying the language.
✅ CV
You should provide a CV detailing your full professional experience and education.
✅ Proof of accommodation
Many German embassies/consulates will request to see proof of where you will be living on arrival in Germany. In general, you can show:
A rental contract
OR
A booking confirmation for a hotel or hostel
If you have arranged to stay with a friend or relative on arrival in Germany, then you can instead provide the embassy/consulate with their name and full address as well as a copy of their passport data page and Anmeldung certificate.
If you are struggling to find suitable accommodation in Germany, check out our German Apartment Hunting Guide, which is full of tips and tricks for securing both short-term and long-term accommodation in Germany.
✅ Visa application form
You must complete and submit a visa application form. The German embassy or consulate may request that you do this via an online form called VIDEX.
Alternatively, you can download a PDF copy of the visa application form here.
✅ Visa application fee
The fee for the visa varies depending on where you apply. However, in most cases, the visa fee charged by the German embassy or consulate is €75 (payable in local currency).
🎉 Congratulations! You have now completed all the steps for applying for a German Language Visa at a German embassy/consulate! Once approved, you can move to Germany and start your language-learning journey!
For an overview of how to move to Germany as a language student, see our German Language Student Checklist.