Current News

Due to the current events and following feedback from individual customers, we would like to inform you via news:

USA ESTA: Please check in good time before departure to or via the USA whether your current USA ESTA is still valid. 
We have received information that existing ESTAs have been cancelled by the USA without giving reasons. 
In such cases, please apply to us for a new ESTA.

USA passport visa: If you apply for a passport visa for the USA and are invited to a personal interview, be prepared for more specific questions from the consulate employee so that you can answer accordingly and, if necessary, present the required additional documents.

In both cases (USA ESTA & USA passport visa), we recommend that you always carry at least the following documents with you: 

• detailed letter of assignment from the German company
• detailed letter of invitation from the USA
• curriculum vitae
• copy of purchase contract for so-called ‘after sales activities’ if a machine, system, service or similar has been sold to the USA.

For further information, please contact our branch office in Düsseldorf duesseldorf[at]business-visum.de 

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has already been introduced for certain nationalities, who were previously able to enter the United Kingdom without a visa. Now other nationalities are gradually being added, who can apply for an ETA from March 5th, 2025, for travels to the UK from April 2nd, 2025 onward.

You can find out which nationalities this affects here.

Find further information here.

The exemption from the K-ETA requirement for travelers of selected nationalities (including Germany), which was originally limited until 31.12.2024, has now been extended for another year until 31.12.2025.

The Korean authorities point out that it is still possible to apply for a K-ETA and that this will speed up the entry procedure.

Due to technical problems with the US pages for online applications (DS160) and appointment bookings, processing times are currently longer.

The Chinese Visa Application Service Centre announces:

From 30 November 2024 to 31 December 2025, German citizens with a valid ordinary passport can enter China without a visa for business and tourism travel, academic and cultural exchanges, as well as for visiting trips and transit, and stay for a maximum of 30 days.

Due to the closure of the Iranian consulates general in Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg by the German government, all matters relating to visas and legalisation are now only processed at the Iranian Embassy in Berlin.

According to a statement from the Sri Lankan authorities, online applications for ETA entry permits have been re-enabled with immediate effect.

At the Berlin Regional Court (Landgericht), the processing time for issuing apostilles and interim certifications is temporarily significantly longer, at 4 - 6 weeks.

Accelerated or preferential processing is not offered.

The consulate in Frankfurt has informed us that visa processing is currently not possible for an indefinite period of time.

The reasons for this are not known to Business Visum. Please note that the documents must therefore be submitted temporarily to the consulate of the embassy in Berlin.

There are currently massive problems with applying for e-visas for Ethiopia. New applications can be entered via the system, but in some cases the Ethiopian authorities do not process them. Support for the portal can only be reached by email, and there is usually no response to applications that are still open.

We are happy to process new applications for you, but cannot currently guarantee that a visa will be issued. Due to the problems described, we are currently unable to provide reliable information on processing times.

In the event of a delay in processing by the authorities, according to our current experience, only your business partner in Ethiopia can attain clarification from the immigration authorities.

Applying for visas through the embassy is unfortunately not an alternative.