National visas are issued for long-term stays for a particular purpose. Usually issued for 90 days, such visas may be issued for up to a year in certain cases. After entering Germany, visa holders must apply for a residence permit as a general rule.

Where to apply for a national visa?

Please find here information where to apply as a resident of Senegal, Gambia or Guinea-Bissau. Citizens of Cape Verde Islands also need a visa for entry into Germany. The Embassy in Dakar is temporarily also processing visa applications by citizens of Cape Verde Islands.

Preparing your application

You should start preparing your application as soon as you have plans to stay long term in Germany. The entire visa application process can take several months.
Please prepare your application as follows:

• Fill out and print the visa application form and bring a copy of it to your appointment: Visa application
• Compile the documents you need to submit with your application. If documents or supporting documents are missing, your application may be rejected. We have prepared a checklist for each type of visa.
• -  Visa for family reunion (Long-term Visa)
• -  Visa pour Student -Employment- Training - Au-pair - Voluntary service   
  - Student visa: Limited-withdrawal: blocked bank account
• Make an appointment to submit your application: online booking here
  Early planning is recommended: waiting times of a few weeks must be expected at present.

Important information 

Please do not send the Visa Section any documents unless requested to do so, particularly not before you have applied for a visa. We are not able to store such documents and will not know to which application they belong. Please always bring the complete documentation with you to your appointment.

Submitting your application

In order to submit your application, please attend your appointment at the Embassy in Dakar in person. Please hand in your complete documentation and pay the fee. The Embassy will ask you questions about your planned trip and take your photograph and fingerprints. 

What happens during processing?

The Embassy will review your application and make a decision on whether or not to grant you a visa. To this end, it will check whether your application meets the legal requirements. Depending on the purpose of your trip, it can take up to three months or more to check your application. The Embassy will contact you as soon as it has made a decision on your application. We hope you will understand that we are not able to answer any questions on the status of your application during this processing period. After that, enquiries are only answered if they are made by the applicant, his/her legal representative or another person authorised in writing by the applicant.

Return of your passport

As soon as the Embassy has reached a decision on your application, you will get a phone call to collect your passport (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 pm). You should collect your passport in person. If you are not able to collect it yourself, you can authorise another person to do so for you. In order to do so, please hand over a power of attorney to him.
There are various reasons why your visa application may be rejected. The reasons will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected.
You are welcome to submit a new application at any time with complete, informative and verifiable documentation.

Have a good trip! Information for visa holders

If all the information on your visa label is correct, you are free to travel. Please check the information on the label as soon as your passport is returned to you. You should let us know immediately if there are any mistakes so that we can issue you a new visa.
Your visa will state your full name and passport number and include your photo. It will also state the number of days you can stay and the period of validity, that is, the time by which you must have received your residence permit for Germany.
Therefore, please do not forget to register at the residents registration office shortly after you arrive in Germany and to make an appointment with the foreigners authority. Your entry visa will allow you to travel within the Schengen area.

Register for appointment for family members of a person eligible for subsidiary protection

As of 1 August 2018, close family members (spouses,  unmarried minor children and parents of minor children) of a person eligible for subsidiary protection in Germany will be able to apply for a visa for the purpose of family reunion. Eligible family members may already use the following link to register for an appointment to submit their visa application .