Current News

Commercial international flight connections to and from India remain prohibited until further notice. Entry and exit are currently not possible (according to the Federal Foreign Office, as of June 25, 2020).

The Indian Visa Application Centers are closed until further notice. The validity of visas issued before June 1st, 2020 is still suspended.

Visa issuance is currently only possible to a very limited extent with a few exceptions. Please contact our responsible branch for up-to-date information.

The previous regulations on visa-free entry have been suspended since April 13, 2020. Visas that were issued for multiple entries before this period are also no longer valid.

The consulates issue emergency visas (usually short-term visas of category C-4) for entry into South Korea, especially for urgent technical operations.

When entering the country, there is generally a 14-day quarantine- / isolation requirement. However, the inviting institution can request exemption from this obligation from the responsible authorities (MOTIE).

When submitting an application, the following additional documents must be submitted:

• Health Condition Report
• Quarantine Agreement
• Isolation Exemption Certificate

You can find them as usual in our download area.

In addition, each applicant must include a medical certificate (not older than 48 hours), which shows that the applicant is free of COVID-19 symptoms.

Please note that the processing time for an emergency visa is at least 14 days.

Due to the current development in relation to the COVID-19 virus, the visa issuance has been suspended and all visa centers in Germany are basically closed.

Gradually, individual visas are issued again. A 14-day quarantine must currently be expected when entering Russia.

The following visas are again possible in the business category (as of June 22, 2020):

Crew Visa (only with official invitation from the Ministry) for crew members of aircraft, sea and river ships.

Business visas for technical services (only with an official invitation from the Ministry) for people involved in the commissioning and maintenance of devices manufactured abroad.

Work visa for people who are highly qualified specialists in the field of culture and sports, provided that these people present valid employment documents with a sports and sports organization or the All-Russian Sports Association.

A basic entry ban for foreigners to China has been in effect since March 28, 2020. The validity of visas issued before this date is suspended until further notice.

Currently, entry to China is only possible with so-called emergency visas. An official invitation is required to obtain such a visa.

In addition, each applicant must complete a "Health Declaration Form" for the required application documents, which you can find as usual in our download area.

Please note that even with an emergency visa, entry into China is only permitted after a 14-day quarantine.

The embassy of Iran in Berlin announced that they are open again as usual and the processing of visas and legalisation of documents is back to normal.

The embassy of South Korea continues to accept visa applications personally in Berlin and can be picked up by a Business Visum.

The processing time is currently 3-4 weeks.

Due to COVID-19, medical evidence is required to confirm that there is no infection. This must not be older than 48 hours and must be added to the usual application documents. Without a medical certificate, processing in the embassy only begins when proof is available.

No legalization documents for China are currently being accepted or processed.

The spread of the disease COVID-19 has prompted Saudi Arabia to impose strict entry and exit regulations. For example, an entry ban from Germany is issued, the exit from Saudi Arabia is still possible but many direct flights from and to Germany are suspended.

The General Consulate KSA in Frankfurt and the Embassy KSA in Berlin don't issue visas and you can also not book appointments with VFS.

Due to the current development in relation to the COVID-19 virus, it can be assumed that there will be further restrictions on entry and residence in the Russian Federation.
Visas are currently being issued, but there is no same day processing anymore. The processing at the consulat will take min. 2 days longer than usual.

With a presidential proclamation, the US government has taken short-term measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus and continues to expand the entry ban.

From 13.03.2020, a general entry ban will be imposed for 30 days for people who want to enter the USA from Europe. All interview dates for visa applications have been canceled. New dates are available only from 06.05.2020.