Current News

The entry of foreign nationals who have been to China within 14 days prior to their arrival in the United States, with the exception of Hong Kong and Macau, is suspended under the President's proclamation. If you live in China, have recently traveled to China, or plan to travel to China before your planned trip to the United States, we recommend postponing the visa interview date to 14 days after your departure from China.

The following groups of people are excluded:

• Close family members of US citizens (e.g. spouse, children)
• Green Card Holders (Legal Permanent Residents)
• Airline or shipping company crew members (C / D Visa)
• Diplomats, government members or their family members (A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO visas)

The decree is initially valid for 15 days. The US authorities announced that after this period the security situation would be reviewed every two weeks and the entry ban would be lifted or extended accordingly.

Due to the current situation, we strongly recommend all travelers who have been in China in the past few weeks to check the travel plans to the USA. If the stay in China was more than 14 days before the planned entry into the USA, (foreign) people can enter, but have to prepare for more intensive surveys / reviews.

The Embassy of the Philippines in Berlin informs that no entries are currently possible, if the flight is from or via China (including Hong Kong).
Please take this into account when planning and possibly rebook.

Due to holidays or other reasons the following embassies and/or consulates will be closed in January (in case not otherwise stated this is always nationwide):

• 01.01.2020 - 08.01.2020: Russian Federation
• 06.01.2020: Japan (Munich)
• 27.01. + 28.01.2020: China (Munich)
• 27.01. - 29.01.2020: China (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg)

The Embassy of Ethiopia in Berlin informs that no embassy visas will be issued until further notice.

What options do you have as a customer?

1. Single entry
   Issuance only possible as an e-visa (no matter which category)
2. Multiple entries
   Fly to Ethiopia and apply directly there (immigration)
   

As soon as embassy visas are issued again, we receive information from the embassy and inform you promptly.

Due to holidays or other reasons the following embassies and/or consulates will be closed in December (in case not otherwise stated this is always nationwide):

• 05.12.2019 - 31.12.2019: Thailand (Munich)
• 13.12.2019 - 03.01.2020: Angola (Berlin)
• 16.12.2019 - 03.01.2020: Nigeria (Berlin)
• 23.12.2019 - 01.01.2020: Mozambique (Berlin)
• 23.12.2019 - 01.01.2020: BVA (Bonn)
• 24.12.2019 - 01.01.2020: Vietnam (Frankfurt)
• 24.12.2019 - 05.01.2020: Sierra Leone (Berlin)
• 27.12.1029: China (Munich)
• 30.12.2019 - 06.01.2020: Japan (Munich)

Dear customers,

In the following we would like to let you know how you can reach us at the upcoming - hopefully for all of us restful - holidays:

24.12.2019: All branches are open until 12.00.
25.-26.12 .2019: BUSINESS VISUM remains closed.
27.12 .2019: Normal working day; BUSINESS VISUM can be reached as usual (except Hamburg).
30.12 .2019: Normal working day; BUSINESS VISUM can be reached as usual.
31.12.2019: All branches are open until 12.00.
01.01.2020: BUSINESS VISUM remains closed.

The consulate of Russia in Frankfurt informs that from 12.12.2019 onward no sameday processing is possible. Temporarily there will only be express processing within 3 working days (only in connection with a ministerial invitation).

It is anticipated that there will be a sameday processing again from the middle of January. We will inform you as soon as new information is available.

On behalf of the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (China Provider), we received the message that, as of 16.12.2019, the applicant must appear in person in order to give his or her fingerprints.

Currently exempted from this are:

1. Persons under 14 years or over 70 years
2. Owners of diplomatic passports and persons exempted under bilateral agreements.
3. Persons who apply for a Chinese visa with the same passport and whose fingerprints have already been provided within the last 5 years (the biometric visa must be presented in the same passport upon application)
4. People who have finger limitations or who can not capture fingerprints from all 10 fingers for other reasons.

Business Visum remains in close contact with the Chinese Visa Application Service Center. Once we have news and concrete procedures, we will provide you with the information on our website.

In the coming weeks, we will keep you up to date on the changes to be expected on our website in the News section. In the beginning, we expect adjustments and temporal effects on the proceesing times.

At present the lead time for interview appointments in the consulates Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich is currently 1-2 weeks!

Due to holidays or other reasons the following embassies and/or consulates will be closed in November (in case not otherwise stated this is always nationwide):

• 01.11.2019: Myanmar (Berlin)