General information

Crewmembers who will work as technical personnel or as operating and service personnel in cross-border shipping on inland waterway passenger ships (e.g. river cruise ships) for a period of more than 90 days can apply for a national visa.

Please note employees who will work in the Schengen area for a shorter period of no more than 90 days, please apply for a Schengen visa. If you intend to stay longer than 90 days, your application must be submitted personally at the German Embassy. Once you have obtained all the necessary documents, please register for an appointment here.

​​​​​​​Please submit the following documents for your application, original with two copies of each original in paper format A4:

• Your valid passport

• One print-out of your duly filled and signed application form

• Two biometrical passport photos, one of which glued to the application form

• Visa fee 75 Euro, payable in USD

• Employment contract with the German shipping company, stating Name of the ship, Countries in which the work will take place, Ships route /Sections of the river, working hours, Off days and periods of rest, your monthly salary with a minimum (2024: 12,41 Euros per hour/ 2,151 Euros per month for a 40 working hours week) or a commitment to pay the German minimum wage, Separate confirmation by the employer for every point not mentioned in the contract

• Ships route plan (day to day schedule for the next three month OR tracking data for the last half year and confirmation of the employer that the ship will be mainly in German inland waters)

• Register of Ship

• Letter of Guarantee/Letter of Invitation naming person, rank, ship and port of boarding and hotel costs

• Overseas Employment Certificate

• Ship’s crew list of the last 6 month

• Worldwide health insurance for crew or confirmation of employer for health insurance

• When hiring out employees: Proof of permission from the Federal Employment Agency

Please note:

Incomplete applications will be decided by the Embassy based on the documents that were submitted, and may be rejected.

For cross-border employment on river cruise ships, you must lodge your application for your visa at the Consulate of the country where you will spend the longest period. If you intend to work as a member of an inland shipping crew in several Schengen States and the stays in the Schengen area will be of equal length, you must apply at the Consulate of the country where you will first board your assigned ship and start your employment.

Inland vessels operate on routes that run in German inland waters. The technical staff operates and ensures the operability of the ship.

Foreign documents which neither were issued in the Cambodia nor in Germany must be legalized or have an apostille.

Documents that are not in German or English language need to be translated by a recognized translator. For further information, please see here.

Please note, that the Embassy can request further documents.

If there is any indication that the length of stay or the designated vessel stated in the visa application are not accurate and are being used solely for the purpose of obtaining a visa with a longer validity period or to have German local jurisdiction for visa applications, the Embassy will reject such applications.