Visa Information

Members of EU countries are allowed to enter the Federal Republic of Germany without a visa. For Non-EU countries, a visa is required.

If you require a personalised letter of invitation to obtain a visa for the “Schengen area”, please provide the listed data in a timely manner to the following e-mail-address: letterofinvitationicic@bfdi.bund.de:

• full name
• complete date of birth and
• complete passport number

The legal basis for issuing a Schengen visa can be found here.

Further information is available on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. You will also find information on the respective website of the diplomatic mission of the Federal Republic of Germany in your country.

In the event that you need a visa for the Schengen area, please allow me to point out the following already at this stage:

• You can usually find out which documents are specifically required on the website of the respective diplomatic mission in the national language or at least in English. Please use the Videx form linked to the website of the diplomatic mission.
• After receipt of the personalised letter of invitation, please book the appointment immediately on the website of the diplomatic mission/external service provider of the diplomatic mission and inform yourself on the website about the documents to be submitted. For booking the appointment, it is not yet necessary that all documents required for the application are available.
• However, a visa application should only be submitted with complete documents. Incomplete applications can lead to the application being rejected.
• The competent authority is the diplomatic mission at the place of habitual residence of a person. A diplomatic mission that is not competent will reject the application (please be aware of this when you are travelling).
• The visa application must indicate the date of entry into and exit from the Schengen area (this will usually differ from the period of the event).
• Travel health insurance must be taken out and it must be valid for the entire duration of the journey.
• The BfDI cannot cover any costs.