Germany Short Stay Visa – Tips for your application and interview

Here are some tips to help you during your visa application 

• Arrive early. This gives you time to cool off especially if you’ve been in long traffic
• Bring all necessary documents with you and arrange them in an orderly manner
• Be polite and confident during your interview
• Be prepared to give information about your host (if someone is inviting you). Some common questions I have heard of are:
  • Where does your host live?
  • What did your host study?
  • Where is your host working?
  • Is your host married? (if they are, know something about the family)
  • How long have you known your host?
  • When last did you see your host?
• If travelling alone (without an invitation from a resident in Germany), be prepared to show an itinerary. They need to know you have a realistic plan which fits your budget!
• Know something about Germany. For example the tourist sites you plan on visiting
• I found out that the insurance companies in Ghana do not reimburse you when your visa is refused. You can apply for your travel insurance through MAWISTA. They claim to reimburse you if your visa is refused. I have never applied for reimbursement but I have used their services for my visitors
• Don’t dump a lump sum into your bank account to show to the consular officer. They want to see activity in your bank account. For example, you balance cannot be at 500GHC for several months and in some few weeks before your interview, you have about 50,000GHC. Even if you genuinely got ‘blessed’ before the interview date, the consular officer may doubt it.
• Ask your host to provide you with a “verpflichtserklarung” even if you are covering all expenses yourself and very important, an invitation letter (you can find this information in the checklist provided by the embassy). The “verpflichtserklarung” does not guarantee a visa!
• Unlike other countries that issue visas valid for 2, 5 or 10 years, German visas issued for the exact days requested.