The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dakar processes all applications for a national visa from nationals who require a visa and have their habitual residence in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. Proof of habitual residence is required.

The visa process

1. Apply online in the Consular Services Portal.
2. Personal Appearance: All applicants must appear in person at the embassy.
3. Processing of the application: The embassy will process your application. Information on the duration of the visa procedure can be found here.
4. Collection

Submission of documents: If you are requested to submit additional documents, always state the reference number (five-digit number) which can be found under the barcode on your fee receipt.

Required documents

All listed documents must be submitted in original as well as with a high-quality photocopy.

The Embassy reserves the right to request additional documents.

1. Application form

• A fully completed application form signed by the applicant (application forms are free of charge).

• You can complete the application form online in VIDEX and print it out, or download it, print it and complete it by hand.

2. Underage travellers:

• Applications from minors under the age of 18 must be signed by all persons with parental authority.

• Visa applications for minors can only be submitted if the minor applicant appears in person accompanied by the person(s) with custody. If one person with custody cannot be present at the application, a power of attorney or the application form with an officially certified signature of the person with custody (e.g. by a German Citizens’ Office) must be submitted.

3. Passport photo

• A current biometric passport photo with white background (do not attach to the application form).

4. Passport

• Valid passport (at least 3 months beyond the expiry date of the visa)

• A copy of the photo page and all travel stamps in the passport.

5. Supporting documents

• Birth certificate of the applicant and, if applicable, marriage certificate and birth certificates of the children. When applying for a visa for family reunification, formal proof of authenticity is mandatory.

• You need legalisation for Senegalese documents.
• For documents from the Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, the embassy will perform a document verification procedure after the visa application has been submitted.
• For documents from Cabo Verde, a Hague Apostille is required.
• For applicants from Guinea-Bissau additionally:
  • Copy of the front page of the register book
  • Copy of the register extract page

• ID card

• Only for applicants without Senegalese, Gambian, or Guinea-Bissau nationality who reside in Senegal: The Embassy accepts only the following documents as proof of habitual residence: Récépissé de dépôt or Carte d’étranger. These documents must be issued by the Senegalese authorities. The documents must be valid for at least three months after the expiry of the requested visa validity. Documents issued by other states (e.g., by a diplomatic mission of your country of origin) are not accepted.

Additional documents depending on the case:

• For foreign fiancés: copy of the residence permit
• Registration and date of marriage (“Anmeldung zur Eheschließung”) from the registry office (“Standesamt”)
• If applicable, divorce decree (in the case of German judgements with note of legal force (“Rechtskraftvermerk”))
• Language skills: A1 certificate (further information on language test providers and accepted language certificates can be found here)
• Formal declaration of commitment (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) by the spouse living in Germany
  • The formal declaration of commitment is issued by the responsible Aliens' Authority in Germany.
  • The Aliens' Authority carries out an examination of the sponsor's financial capacity when issuing the declaration of commitment. The visa application must be submitted within six months after the issueance of the formal declaration of commitment.
  • The original of the declaration of commitment must be submitted by the applicant.
  • The declaration of commitment must have been issued for the purpose of marriage.
• Health insurance for the period between entry and marriage

Duration

Senegal and Cabo Verde: Almost all applications for family reunification are forwarded to the local Aliens' Authority once all documents have been submitted. The processing time depends heavily on the capacity utilisation of the local Aliens' Authority and can often take several months.

Gambia and Guinea-Bissau: As soon as the application documents are complete, the embassy may initiate a document verification process, which typically takes 6 to 12 months. In total, the application procedure can therefore be expected to take well more than a year.

Fees

• Adults: 50,000 FCFA

• Children: 25,000 FCFA

• Spouses and children of German or EU citizens: free of charge

• Gambian document verification: 230,000 FCFA (This security deposit must be paid in cash and in FCFA (not GMD or Euro). After verification and final calculation of fees for the individual case, any overpaid fees will be refunded.)

Important note: If the visa is denied or the application is withdrawn, the application fee will not be refunded.

Further information

• Official information can only be provided by the visa section of the German Embassy Dakar. The Embassy does not work with agents, travel agencies or other third-party providers.

• Languages spoken at the counter: German, French, English and Wolof. If the applicant does not speak any of these four languages, it is advisable to bring a third person for interpretation.

• Translation of documents: Documents not in German, French or English must be submitted with an officially certified translation.

Original documents will be returned after processing. Application forms and passport photos will be retained by the embassy.

A visa appointment and complete documents do not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

Collection

You will be notified once a decision has been made.

You can then collect your passport and documents at the following times:

• Embassy Dakar: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 13:30.

• Embassy Banjul: Additional waiting time approximately two weeks

Check your visa upon collection. When collecting your passport, you should check the visa sticker for accuracy and completeness. Any errors must be reported immediately.

Entry

Please carry all original documents submitted in the visa procedure in your hand luggage when travelling. The border authorities may require you to present these documents again at immigration control. These documents must also be presented again when applying for a residence permit at the Aliens' Authority.

Border authorities may refuse entry even if a valid visa is held.

Data protection

Your personal data is processed and stored in the visa procedure. You can find information on this on our page on data protection in the visa procedure.