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Shortterm Visa (Schengen Visa for up to 3 months)
Short term stay (up to 90 days)
Currently Schengen Visa are valid for the following countries (unless otherwise stated in the visa):
Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
A Schengen Visa issued by an Embassy of the above-mentioned countries allows the holder to travel freely in all of these countries up to 90 days within a period of 180 days.
Please note that despite having a valid passport and visa you may be refused entry at any border in the Schengen Area if you are not in a position to provide proof of the purpose and conditions of your intended stay, financial means, health insurance or otherwise do not fulfil the entry requirements.
The German Embassy in Lusaka is responsible of visa applications from applicants who reside in Zambia or Malawi and whose main destination in the Schengen Area according to the purpose and length of the intended stay is Germany, Austria, Hungary or Slovenia. If no main destination can be determined (i.e. you intend to spend an equal amount of time in two or more Schengen Area Countries), you may also apply at the German Embassy in Lusaka if your first point of entry into the Schengen Area is in Germany, Austria, Hungary or Slovenia.
The following steps will assist you with the visa application.
1. Prepare your application form
You may fill out your application form via this link . Please note, this is not an online application. Your printed application must be submitted to the German Embassy. Please find all relevant information on using VIDEX and how to proceed with your visa application here . You may also download the application form via this pdf and present the filled out and signed form to the German Embassy . The following form must be signed personally and submitted together with the visa application form.
2. Compile the required documents
Please note that we can only accept your application if it is complete and all documents needed for the application are handed in on your appointment. If your application is not complete, we cannot accept it!
Please also note that depending on the individual case, additional documents may be requested while assessing your application.
| Completely filled-in and signed application form |
| One passport sized photo with a bright background |
| Valid and undamaged passport with at least 2 blank pages (also has to be valid for at least 3 months after the intended return date to your come country) |
| Copy of passport particulars and all stamps and visas in the passport |
| National Registration Card |
Proof of overseas travel health insurance with the following specifications: - coverage of the entire period of your stay in the Schengen area - coveage of the entire Schengen area - Minimum coverage at least 30,000 euros - coverage of the repatriation of mortal remains - if the trip involves Sport activities, the insurance has to cover injuries resulting from these activities |
Flight itinerary/ quotation Flight Reservation and complete intended itinerary indicating the intended date of entry and exit into/ from the Schengen area; if possible covering the whole intended journey through the Schengen states. In case you travel to/ through more than one country, you have to dhow flight details for the whole trip. You are NOT required to provide proof of purchase of a flight ticket before a visa is issued. We strongly advice to only purchase a ticket after a visa has been issued. |
If you are a non-Zambian national: Visa/ work permit/ residence permit in Zambia valid at least three months after your departure from the Schengen States (residence Card and stamp in passport). If you do not intend to return to Zambia, you should show proof that entry to your sountry of origin or a third country is guaranteed. |
Proof of employment If you are employed: Employment contract or recent employer's statement, including Information on monthly salary and granted leave, recent letter from emplyoer indicating your employment status within the company as well as the duration of the contract and duration of employment, payslips (signed and stamped by the company), NAPSA If you are a company owner or self-employed: Certificate of Registration of the company as well as company shareholder certificate from PACRA, tax return form (form 5 and 7). |
Proof of financial means - personal bank statements of the last three months, stamped by the bank - payslips of the last three months, stamped and signed by the employer - other documents that prove your financial means if applicable, e.g. income through property, social benefits Please note: If applicants are not able to prove that they are able to cover all arising costs in Connection with the planned travel to the Schengen area, they have to provide a formal declaration of Obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung) issued by the German Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) or the Austrian/Slovenian/ Hungerian authority. However, own bank ctatements and payslips are requested regardless in order to evaluate the ties to the home country. |
Proof of integration into the country of residence - employment: See proof of employment - proof of family ties: Marriage/ birth certificates - Others: Proof of other special circumstances e.g. nursing care of family members, etc |
Minor applicants - birth certificate including full names of both parents - certified copies of IDs/passports of both parents The visa application has to be signed by both parents mentioned in the birth certificate or the parent/ Person who has sole custody of the child in front of the visa staff at the German Embassy. If one parent has sole custody, adequate proof must be provided (e.g death certificate of other parent, divorce decree with custody Arrangement, court order of guardianship etc) If the child travels with only one parent, the other parent must produce an adequate consent (signature certified by a competent authority) |
Fee of 90 euros, payable in Zambian Kwacha, either in cash or via VISA/Mastercard credit card and subject to the Embassy's current Exchange rate. Exceptions may apply. Please note: This is a Registration fee and in case of rejection of your application, there will be no refund. |
- Invitation letter written and signed by the inviting Party, stating the purpose of the trip and the Duration of the intended stay. The signature should be certified by a competent authority in Germany
- For family visits: proof of family ties with the inviting person
- proof of accommodation for the whole duration of stay in Germany/Austria/Hungary/Slovenia
- Invitation from business partner in Germany/Austria/ Hungary/Slovenia explaining the purpose of the trip and inteded length of stay, signed and stamped by the Business Partner and other evidence of the purpose of the trip (e.g entry tickets for trade fairs, congresses etc). For German invitations, a formal Obligation declaration according to §§66-68 AufenthG (Verpflichtungserklärung) may be required
- If the cost of the trip are borne by your business partner, this must be stated in the letter of invitation
- Confirmation of your employer about your position in the company as well as the prupose and conditions of your trip, including how the costs will be met (accommodation, meals, per diem allowance, health insurance).
- If the costs are borne by your company: Signed letter to that effect, certificate of registration, company bank account statement of the past three months, stamped by the bank
- Hotel reservation or proof of other accommodation
- Proof of accommodation for the whole duration of the inteded stay throughout the Schengen states, document from the Hotel/ Establishment providing accommodation or any other appropriate document indicating the accommodation envisaged, e.g. proof of real estate property
- confirmation of the booking of an organised trip or any other appropriate document indicateng the envisaged travel plans e.g. individual booking or planned acitivities, guided tours, event tickets etc.
- A certificate from a medical institution confirming the the need of specific medical treatment to be prrovided in the destination country
- An official document of the medical Institution in Germany/ Austria/Hungary/ Slovenia confirming that that it has committed to perform the specific medical Treatment and that the patient will be accepted accordingly.
- An estimate of the anticipated length of stay of the patient in Hospital before being released to return to his home country
- proof of pre-payment of the treatment or other proof of sufficient financial means to cvoer the medical treatment and related expenses (accommodation, special needs, additional insurance cover).
Applicants should provide a letter by the Zambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming the official visit and the delegation list.
Zambian and Malawian travellers, like the vast majority of foreign travelers, benefit from the “Transit privilege”.
This means that you do not Need a Transit visa if you do not leave the international Airport area during a stopover at a German Airport and if your final Destination in not a Schengen Country.
For more Information and a list of nationalities who do NOT have the Transit privilege, please visit
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/FAQ/VisumFuerD/33-Transit.html?nn=480902
3. Make an appointment online
All applicants have to lodge their application in person. Fingerprints will be taken of all applicants in accordance with the Visa Code.
If you travel in a Group, please note that all Group members have to make an appointment for themselves.
You can book your appointment online HERE
4. Your application is processed by the Embassy
The German Mission checks your application and makes a decision. They ensure that your application meets the legal requirements. As a rule, this takes up to 15 days. Please understand that no questions about the processing status can be answered during this processing time.
Thereafter, the following applies: Only inquiries in writing from the applicant himself, his legal representative or a person authorized can be answered.
During the processing of your application your passport has to remain with the German Mission and cannot be withdrawn.
Once the German Mission has made a decision regarding your application your passport will be returned to the external service provider where you can collect it.
Should your visa have been declined, you will receive a refusal letter from the competent German Mission notifying you about the reasons for the refusal and the legal remedies. You will receive a refusal notification along with your passport. It is possible to submit a new application at any time with complete, verifiable documents.
5. Check your visa
If your visa has been issued, please check all the visa data for possible mistakes as soon as you receive your passport! Pay particular attention to
- the visa’s validity (start and end dates)
- the number of days of stay
(this is the maximum number of days you can stay in the Schengen area during the validity period) - the correct spelling of your name
- the number of entries you were granted
The external service provider and the visa section must be informed of possible mistakes immediately and cannot be held responsible for any problems that occur as a result of incorrect data or a missing signature in the travel document.
6. Have a good trip!
Once all the information on your visa is correct, nothing will stand in the way of your trip.
For annual or multi-year visas, please note that you cannot exceed the maximum stay of 90 days within 180 days.
Issuing a Schengen visa does not entitle you to entry. The final decision is made by the border police when checking entry into the Schengen area. Even though you a have your passport with a valid visa it is possible that the border police will ask you to provide further documentation , information about your financial means, the duration and purpose of your stay, as well as health insurance coverage. You should therefore take a set of your visa documents (including an invitation from Germany, hotel reservation, and travel health insurance) with you on the trip.)
Complaints
Schengen visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the consulate staff, or the visa application process via the contact form . In the contact form, please select the option “Beschwerde zum Schengen-Visum-Verfahren”. Please note that complaints may only be submitted in German or English. We are unable to follow up on complaints in languages other than German or English. Please enter one of the following two options in the “Subject” field of the contact form:
- Complaint about the conduct of consulate staff
- Complaint about the visa application process
We will follow up on your complaint once it has been received.
Important information: No legal remedies against decisions to refuse, annul or revoke a visa – in particular no remonstrations – may be submitted via the complaints contact form.