How to Apply for Germany Visa in Ghana [Step-By-Step Guide]

If you are traveling to Germany for education, tourism, visit, business or to live and work, and you don’t have reliable information on how to get a German visa? We have put together a detailed and accurate guide to the Germany visa application in Ghana.

Before you start your Germany visa application process, you need to familiarise yourself with the necessary requirements as well as the type of visa that applies to you.

Depending on the purpose of your travel to Germany, there are different types of visas that will apply to the occasion. Whether you are planning to go on a visit, study or work and reside in Germany permanently, you will have to apply for a different German Visa, accordingly.

What is Germany Schengen Visa

The Germany Schengen visa is a formal endorsement on a passport of a foreigner by the German government that allows the passport holder to enter and leave Germany and Schengen areas freely. The visa contains some vital information about the passport holder like duration of stay, purpose of visit and other details. The Germany visa is valid for a period of time and they are of different types depending on the purpose of your visit.

Types of Germany Visa

Travelers must familiarise themselves with the different types of Germany visa. Basically, we will be looking at the short and long stay Schengen visa.

Germany Schengen Short Term Visa

A ‘Schengen short term visa’ is a visa for short stays (up to 90 days within a period of 180 days) in Germany and European countries within the Schengen area for tourism, visit or business purposes. You also have to apply for a Schengen visa in case you need to obtain an airport transit visa.

Germany Schengen Long Term Visa

A Schengen long term visa is for people who intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days. This type of visa has to be applied for if you want to join a family member living in Germany or if you are interested to study or work in Germany.

Germany Visa Requirements for Ghanaians

Every applicant is asked to provide the following mandatory documents (original plus 1 legible copy of each document, unless otherwise specified) at the appointment day, after having booked an appointment via the Embassy’s website: www.accra.diplo.de/appointment

• A completed and duly signed visa application form for Schengen visa (download the application form here).
• One recent passport picture with white background (please do not attach to form!)
• Visa fee of 60.00 Euro (only payable in Ghanaian Cedis at the exchange rate set by the German Embassy’s accountants department).
• a valid international passport and 1 copy of the passport data page with validity not exceeding the intended stay in Germany by at least 3 months. Passport must contain at least 2 blank pages and must have been issued within the past 10 years.
• Previous passports, if available
• Original birth certificate of the applicant, based on the first registration.
• For minors (below 18 years of age) who are not accompanied by both parents: parental consent of both parents and copies of their passport/photo ID. In the case of sole parental custody, adequate proof has to be provided (e.g. court order, death certificate of other parents).
• Flight reservation for round-trip (no ticket required).
• Travel health insurance, covering entire duration of stay and valid for all Schengen States (See where to get travel health insurance).
• Proof of accommodation/hotel reservation
• Proof of sufficient financial means for the intended stay. Proof of financial
  means include bank statements and payslips.
• Proof of social and economic ties to country of residence
  a) marriage certificate and birth certificates of dependent children, if applicable
  b) current personal bank statements of the last 3 months
  c) for children and students: official leave letter from school or university, including proof of paid school fees and reports
  d) if employed: letter of introduction from employer and payslips of the last 3 months
  e) if self-employed: business registration certificate & “Form A”, tax clearance certificate, proof of active business (bills of lading, import declaration forms, invoices).

For specific Germany visa requirements, CLICK HERE.

How to Apply for Germany Visa in Ghana  [Step-By-Step Guide]

• Visit the German Embassy website to download the visa application form for free.
• Complete the visa application form and sign where appropriate.
• Pay the stipulated visa processing fee for Germany visa.
• Book an appointment with the German Embassy in Accra (CLICK HERE to book an appointment).
• On the day of the appointment, go with all your supporting documents to the embassy.

Please note that incomplete applications cannot be accepted. In this case, the appointment will have to be re-scheduled.

In addition to the standard requirements, additional supporting documents may be required, depending on the specific nature of your application. The Embassy does not return forms, photos or any documents in case of refusal or if the application is withdrawn. Fraudulent documents may be sent to the relevant authorities.

If the visa is granted, it is your duty to verify whether the information printed on the visa
sticker is correct and complete and to report any errors to the Embassy immediately.

In case of visa refusal, the applicant or an authorized third party may appeal in writing
against the refusal stating the file number and mailing address (P.O. Box) of the applicant.
Further supporting documents and background information should be provided with the
appeal letter.

NOTE: Single appointments can be booked from Mondays to Thursdays. Group appointments for short term visa for a group of 5 or more can only be booked for Fridays. Groups should appoint one member to coordinate the booking of the appointments.

Please note that the information provided on this page is for Germany Schengen short-stay visa. For long-stay visa, please CLICK HERE for requirements.

Cost of Germany Schengen Visa in Ghana

The visa fee is 60.00 Euro (short-stay visa) and 75.00 Euro (long-stay visa), only payable in cash in Ghana Cedi at the current exchange rate of the Embassy. The processing fee is not refundable in case of denial of the visa

Germany Visa Processing Time in Ghana

The processing of Schengen visa applications, in general, takes 7 days. Applicants are
encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of their intended travel date to allow sufficient time for processing. Applications can be submitted up to 3 months before the intended travel date.

As at the time of this publication, information provided on this page with regards to Germany visa application process in Ghana is accurate. In case of changes at the German embassy, we’ll update the same as the case may be.