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Reduce visa processing time
Information from a lawyer on processing times and how to reduce processing times when applying for a visa for Germany.
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About this Page
how long it takes to process a visa application in Germany
how to avoid long visa processing times
how you can speed up the processing of ongoing applications
what you can do in particularly urgent cases and emergencies
Table of Contents
1. How long does the visa process take?
2. Why does processing take so long?
3. Accelerating application processing through own measures
3.1 Acceleration through document compilation
3.2 Acceleration of appointment booking
4. Accelerate the process through pre-approvals
4.1 Preliminary approval of the Federal Employment Agency
4.2 Preliminary approval by the immigration authorities (Section 81a of the Residence Act)
5. Accelerate the process with the help of a lawyer
5.1 Principle of acceleration
5.2 Action for failure to act
5.3 Complaint about delay
6. Processing time in emergency cases (preliminary injunction)
7. FAQ
8. Conclusion
1. How long does the visa process in Germany take?
How long a visa application process takes in Germany depends on many factors. The country or embassy in which the visa application is processed, the type of visa being applied for, and how well the documents and information are prepared are crucial factors. The responsible embassy or immigration authority often plays a major role. While processing is generally comparatively quick in Western countries (e.g., the USA and Europe), the same procedure can take many months or even years in other countries. This is especially true for countries from which many visa applications are submitted and where the document and administrative procedures differ greatly from those in Germany (e.g., Pakistan, Iran, India, Turkey, and African countries). The legalization and translation of documents (lawyer verification) alone can take several months. In addition, the embassies in these countries are usually extremely overworked and understaffed.
The type of visa applied for is also important in determining the processing time. Generally, certain visas are processed more quickly than others due to corresponding internal guidelines. For example, D-type visas for employment (especially the EU Blue Card ) are processed comparatively quickly, while visas for family reunification do not have priority and are therefore issued only on a lower priority basis. The type of visa issued often also influences whether processing takes place at the embassy or by an external service provider (e.g., VFS Global or TLScontact).
2. Why does visa processing take so long?
There are various reasons for the long processing times for visa applications in Germany. Some of these reasons can be influenced, and some cannot.
The following reasons are usually responsible for long processing times:
Factors that cannot be influenced:
Lack of or poorly trained staff at the embassy or immigration office
High number of visa applications in the respective country
Major differences between the German and foreign administrative systems (translation and certification)
Factors that can be influenced:
Quality of the submitted documents
Correct documents submitted in the correct order
Information and details wine complete and credible
Ultimately, the processing speed also depends on the amount of pressure placed on the authorities. While authorities process applications in the order they are received, lawyers, in particular, have various options to expedite processing (e.g., filing a lawsuit or a preliminary injunction). As a result, these applications are given priority, which means that the remaining applications are processed lower.
3. Accelerating application processing through own measures
Visa processing in Germany can be accelerated through various measures. These measures must be differentiated primarily according to the current stage of the visa application.
A visa application usually proceeds as follows:
1. Collection of documents
2. Booking the appointment
3. Attendance at the embassy appointment
At all stages of the application processing, it is possible to contribute to accelerating the process through your own involvement .
3.1 Save time with well-organized documents
One of the most important time-savers is usually the careful and complete collection of the required documents. Embassies process thousands of visa applications simultaneously, and incomplete applications or information are extremely time-consuming. In such cases, the embassy or immigration office must pause processing the application, contact the applicant, and request that a document or piece of information be resubmitted. These correction loops are extremely time-consuming.
Carefully compiling the documents is generally not difficult. Every embassy and major immigration authority has a list of required documents on its website (see, for example, List of required documents for the EU Blue Card in India (Mumbai) ). The information sheets on the homepage contain all the necessary information to present the correct documents and the correct information at the embassy appointment. If you follow the embassy's instructions during the application process, the application process can be significantly accelerated. If necessary, you can seek professional assistance to clarify before submitting whether your application contains all the necessary information and whether the correct documents are submitted in the correct order.
3.2 Save time when booking appointments/no appointment available
In some countries , booking an appointment using the RK visa also takes a considerable amount of time. Applicants are normally able to book a pre-selected embassy appointment using the embassies' online appointment booking system (RK visa). Ideally, applicants can choose from several available appointments. However, some embassies no longer offer the RK visa; instead, the embassies assign appointments based on a waiting list . In these cases, booking an appointment can take several years. Waiting times of several years are not uncommon, particularly in the case of family reunification (e.g., in Pakistan, Nigeria, and Russia). Faster processing can generally only be achieved with the assistance of an immigration lawyer .
Especially in countries where appointments are not made through a registration system but only through a waiting list, waiting times for an appointment are generally very long. In these countries, the current waiting times (for family reunification visas) are approximately as follows :
Athens (Greece): 30 weeks
Beirut (Lebanon and Syria): 24 weeks to more than 1 year
Belgrade (Serbia): More than 1 year
Islamabad (Pakistan and Afghanistan): More than 1 year
Istanbul (Türkiye): up to 50 weeks
Cairo (Egypt): 15 - 35 weeks
Lagos (Nigeria): 51 weeks
Moscow (Russia): Unknown
New Delhi India): 28 - 52 weeks
Tehran (Iran): Over 1 year
The times listed are only rough guidelines. While the German government regularly publishes relevant statistics , these do not always reflect actual practice. Furthermore, the lists can change rapidly within a few days due to geopolitical events (e.g., natural disasters and wars).
Here too, however, it should be noted that embassies are only legally allowed three months to process an application ( Section 75 of the Administrative Court Code ). This means that if you submit a visa application (e.g. in writing), the embassy must decide on your application within three months. If it does not do so, you can take legal action against the authority's inaction ( a so-called action for failure to act ). However, submitting a written visa application (without an appointment) is comparatively complicated, as all documents relevant to the decision must be attached to the application in order to trigger the three-month period. If in doubt, you should therefore hire a lawyer specializing in immigration law if you cannot get an appointment at the embassy. They can speed up the process by filing an action for failure to act.
4. Accelerate the process through pre-approvals
Visa applications and residence permit applications can also be accelerated by applying for a so-called " pre-approval ." With pre-approval, approvals from other authorities are obtained before the actual visa process begins, eliminating the need for these authorities to approve the application during the visa process. This can expedite the visa process.
Pre-approvals can be applied for at the Federal Employment Agency, the Immigration Office, and the Central Offices for Skilled Immigration. Unfortunately, this rarely works in practice because the authorities are massively overburdened. As a result, applicants sometimes wait as long for pre-approval as they do for visa processing. However, the processing speed for pre-approvals has increased significantly in recent years (as of December 23, 2024).
With regard to pre-approval, it should also be noted that special appointments are usually made at embassies for pre-approval purposes. However, these appointments are rarely available. The only exception to this may be the accelerated skilled worker procedure pursuant to Section 81a of the Residence Act (AufenthG) in certain individual cases. Here, too, the practicality depends on which authority is conducting the accelerated skilled worker procedure.
5. Accelerate the process with the help of a lawyer
If the measures described above do not improve the processing speed, you can hire an immigration lawyer to enforce your rights . An immigration lawyer can utilize German administrative law to expedite application processing. In practical terms, this is done by representing you before the authorities. Often, the authorities only respond to a lawyer's request , as lawyers contact the authorities via a special communication system (see special electronic lawyer's mailbox (beA) on Wikipedia) and can use legal means.
5.1 Principle of acceleration
For example, a lawyer can enforce the administrative law enforcement agency's application of the principle of expediency. According to Section 10, Sentence 2 of the Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG) , embassies and immigration authorities must conduct the procedure "expeditiously." This means that unnecessary delays should be avoided and efforts should be made to ensure the completion of the administrative procedure. The principle of expediency under administrative law is part of German law and the rule of law, which is why embassies and immigration authorities are bound by it.
5.2 Action for failure to act
If the embassy or immigration authority cannot be persuaded to expedite the processing of the visa application, even with representation by a lawyer, the only remedy is usually the threat of an action for failure to act (Section 75 of the Administrative Court Code) . An action for failure to act is an administrative action that forces the authority to decide on the visa application.
For which applications does the action for failure to act apply?
The action for failure to act can be used whenever a residence permit is sought. However, the action for failure to act cannot be used for prior approvals (especially for state admission programs and prior approvals from the Federal Employment Agency), as these are merely internal administrative matters with no external effect. The action for failure to act also applies to naturalization applications (see the VISAGUARD Guide to Actions for Failure to Act in Naturalizations ).
How does the action for failure to act work?
Like other legal remedies under residence law, an action for failure to act is a form of action before the administrative court. If the case before the administrative court is won, the court will compel the immigration authorities or the embassy to decide on the application for a residence permit. In practice, the "Berlin Settlement" is particularly relevant in this regard. The Berlin Settlement stipulates that the embassy grants the visa and the plaintiff withdraws the action before the administrative court and bears the costs.
How much does the action for failure to act cost?
The costs of the action for failure to act are determined based on the value in dispute. The value in dispute is determined according to the German Court Costs Act (GVG). Court fees generally amount to EUR 483. If you retain a lawyer to file the action, you will also be responsible for paying their fees.
When can I file an action for failure to act?
An action for failure to act can be filed if the authority has not yet decided on your application after three months. The deadline begins to run when the authority has all the necessary documents to process the application. This is usually the case when the visa appointment has already closed. However, this is not mandatory, as visa applications can also be submitted in writing (and even electronically).
5.3 Notice of delay
If the action for failure to act is also unsuccessful, a so-called "delay complaint" can be filed with the court ( Section 198 of the German Court Constitutional Constitutional Court Act ). This delay complaint entitles the plaintiff to compensation if a disadvantage has been suffered because the court proceedings have taken too long. The compensation averages EUR 100 for each month the proceedings have been delayed. Filing a delay complaint often leads to an expedited court procedure.
6. Processing time in emergencies
The situations described earlier in this article only cover the normal case where the visa application is not based on an emergency. However, if an emergency does occur , special measures may be taken.
What is an emergency?
An emergency always exists when there is a significant risk of impairment of a legal interest . This can be the case, for example, in the following situations:
humanitarian crises (wars and natural disasters),
medical emergencies and patient transport to Germany,
Birth of a child in Germany,
Funerals in Germany.
What can I do if it is an emergency (emergency visa)?
In these cases, a special appointment can be arranged at the embassy. If the embassy does not respond, a so-called "preliminary injunction" can be filed with the Berlin Administrative Court ( Section 123 of the Administrative Court Code ). The court will then order the embassy to issue a visa within a few hours or days , if the case is truly an emergency. This procedure can be handled by any attorney admitted to practice in Germany.
7. Conclusion
The processing time for a German visa varies greatly depending on the embassy, country of origin, and visa type. Waiting times for family reunification (especially spouses ) are particularly long in African and Asian countries (especially Pakistan and Nigeria). To shorten the processing time, we recommend carefully preparing your documents, obtaining advance approval if necessary, and engaging a lawyer. If necessary, a lawyer can compel the authorities to make a decision by filing an action for failure to act (Section 75 of the Administrative Court Code) or obtaining an interim injunction (Section 123 of the Administrative Court Code).
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List of Sources (Paywall)
[1] NK-VwGO/Michael Brenner, 5th edition 2018, VwGO § 75 Rn. 1-88
[2] Schoch/Schneider/Porsch, 45th edition January 2024, VwGO § 75
[3] For the justification of naturalisation delays due to staff shortages, see, among others, VG Weimar, decision of 11 June 2024, Ref. 1 K 135/24 We
[4] Regarding the start of the three-month period under Section 75 VwGO, see VG Weimar, decision of 11 June 2024, Ref. No. 1 K 135/24 We
[5] Regarding the obligation for authorities to justify delays, see Saxon Higher Administrative Court, decision of 14 February 2023 – 3 E 2/23 –, juris para. 9 with further references
[6] Section 75 of the Administrative Court Act in the version published on 19 March 1991 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 686), last amended by Article 5 of the Act of 24 October 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 328)