1. What is the Visa Handbook?

The Federal Foreign Office's visa handbook is an internal administrative regulation that provides German missions abroad - i.e. embassies and consulates - with binding guidelines for processing visa applications. The visa handbook can be downloaded online and free of charge from the Federal Foreign Office's website . It serves as a central working basis for consular staff and contains detailed instructions on the interpretation and application of legal provisions in visa procedures . In particular, it specifies the provisions of the Residence Act and the EU Visa Code Regulation with a view to practical implementation on site. As an administrative regulation, it is not a law, but rather a so-called administrative instruction.

Despite its nature as an internal document, the Visa Handbook is legally binding through the so-called self-binding nature of the administration (Article 3 of the Basic Law). This means that the administration is bound by its own guidelines unless it explicitly changes them or special circumstances justify a different approach. Thus, the handbook has not only organizational significance but also practical relevance for applicants, as it is generally intended to ensure consistent and predictable decision-making practices. Decisions that deviate from the handbook without objective reason can be challenged through administrative review.

2. Publisher Visa Handbook

The visa handbook is published directly by the Federal Foreign Office (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany) and regularly updated. Publication on the official website of the Federal Foreign Office also makes the visa handbook an important reference for lawyers, advisory centers, and applicants. It contributes significantly to the transparency of the visa process and provides information on the criteria used by German diplomatic missions worldwide.

The corresponding official imprint data of the Federal Foreign Office are:

Foreign Office

Internet editorial team

Werderscher Markt 1

10117 Berlin

Postal address: 11013 Berlin

Telephone: 030 5000-0

Citizen Service: 030 5000-2000

Fax: 030 18-17-3402

Website: www.auswaertiges-amt.de

Email: buergerservice@diplo.de

De-Mail: poststelle@auswaertiges-amt.de-mail.de

3. Contents of the visa handbook

The visa handbook covers a wide range of topics related to the German visa process and residence permit issues . Topics range from basic requirements for national visas and special residence permits for skilled workers, students, or au pairs to family reunification regulations and special features for same-sex partnerships or Jewish immigration. Labor market-specific aspects, such as the recognition of foreign professional qualifications, the accelerated skilled worker procedure, and regulations for professional drivers, artists, and researchers, are also addressed. Additionally, procedures such as the remonstration procedure, data protection, access to files, and information obligations to authorities are addressed.

Letters E - L

• Deployment of Document and Visa Advisors (DVB)

• Spouse or partner reunification

• Spouse reunification when one spouse is a minor

• Marriage with subsequent permanent residence

• Entry ban

• Decision and record keeping

• Facilitated access to the labor market for nationals of the Western Balkan states1

• Initial decision (rejection of a visa application)

• Employment (Introduction)

• Evacuation cases – visa procedures

• Skilled workers (including EU Blue Card) and other (non-skilled) employment

• Optional inquiries

• Family support

• Family reunification

• Fictitious certificate

• Researchers and scientists

• Volunteer services

• Freedom of movement – Union citizens and nationals of the EEA states, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and their family members

• Fees for processing a visa application

• Health professions

• Same-sex partnerships

• Domestic staff (also: accompanying domestic staff)

• ICT (Intra-company transfer)

• Freedom of Information Act (IFG) – Handling inquiries regarding visa applications

• journalists

• Jewish immigration

• Child reunification

• Corruption: Basic measures for prevention and behavior in suspected cases

• artist

• Livelihood for national visas

• Teachers from third countries

Letters M - Z

• Obligation to report to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) if knowledge is gained of trips abroad by persons entitled to asylum or subsidiary protection as well as recognized refugees

• Trade fair visit

• Assembly - Works contracts

• Internship

• References in the visa process

• Travel document for foreigners

• Travel document for refugees

• Travel health insurance

• Remonstration procedure

• Rescue flights / disaster relief

• Investigation of the facts/duties to cooperate

• Schengen history

• Pupils

• Self-employment

• Late repatriates

• sportsman

• language course

• Language certificates

• Statistics (visa statistics)

• scholarship holders

• Road traffic and freight transport

• Students

• Turkish nationals (provision of services)

• "Vander Elst" regulation / service provision

• Relationship between Schengen law and national law

• Declaration of commitment

• Representation of Schengen partners and other forms of cooperation among Schengen partners

• Administrative dispute proceedings

• Visa Information System (VIS)

• EU Visa Facilitation Agreement (VFA)

• Visa labels – Practical tips for filling out/applying them to your passport

• Visa requirement

• Contract workers

• Right of return for foreigners

• Working Holiday Visa

• Responsibility of German diplomatic missions abroad