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The ambassador to India warns against disreputable intermediaries and high rejection rates for student visas.


It is an unusual and alarming step for Germany's highest-ranking diplomatic representative in India, Ambassador Philipp Ackermann , to personally address the issue and issue an explicit warning to tens of thousands of young people . " Don't believe your agents too much, " is the unambiguous message from the German mission. Behind this warning lies a worrying trend: almost 25 percent – that is, one in four – of all student visa applications from India are currently being rejected. What at first glance appears to be a purely bureaucratic hurdle, on closer inspection reveals itself to be a profound problem of deception, financial exploitation, and shattered dreams. As a law firm specializing in visa law, we have been observing for months how dubious business practices are undermining trust in Germany as a place of education and the devastating legal consequences this has for those affected.


The system of agents: A trap of fees and false promises

The embassy's official warning directly targets the business model of private placement agencies, which are often touted in India as a panacea for those seeking to come to Europe. These agents rarely act altruistically . According to Ambassador Ackermann, many of them are under contract with private educational institutions, which are often not even of German origin or award degrees that are hardly recognized on the local job market. The agents collect high commissions for every student they place .


For students, this means they often pay up to €10,000 in tuition fees for private programs , while studying at excellent public universities in Germany would be virtually free . The agents deliberately conceal this fact to maximize their own profits. Even worse, to increase the chances of visa approval, applications are often "optimized" or documents manipulated. If the embassy's visa department notices this, the result is not only rejection but often a ban on entering the entire Schengen Area for several years. In our consulting practice, we repeatedly see the devastation of these lives when families have spent their entire savings on advice that was legally unsound.


The dark side of the coin: From university to exploitation

The embassy's warning gains even more weight when one considers what happens to those who manage to reach Germany despite the obstacles. The recent rbb documentary "Delivered!" paints a harrowing picture of the reality in major German cities like Berlin. Many Indian students enrolled at private universities—often in so-called hybrid or online programs—suddenly find themselves caught in a system of systematic exploitation . Since the high tuition fees and living expenses must be covered, they fall prey to subcontractors in the delivery service industry.


There, they are employed as couriers for platforms like Uber Eats or Lieferando, often circumventing the minimum wage and without any social security. The documentary shows cases where wages are paid in cash in envelopes – or withheld entirely. These young people are at the mercy of the system because their residency status is often tied to their academic success, but they have virtually no time left to study, as they have to work 60 to 70 hours a week just to survive. As lawyers, we must clearly state this: fraudulent recruitment abroad and labor exploitation at home are intertwined to form a criminal network .


Public sector responsibility and fair outlook

The ambassador's criticism is also a wake-up call for the German education system. It is unacceptable that private universities and their agents exploit the plight and hopes of young Indians while public institutions and vocational schools often stand idly by. We demand stricter oversight of private education providers and transparent information about the actual costs and requirements of studying in Germany. Especially in the context of the skilled worker shortage , it is counterproductive when highly motivated talents are criminalized or financially ruined by such practices even before they arrive.


As a law firm, we are committed to genuine and fair recruitment. Germany has a liberal migration system that offers enormous opportunities for skilled workers and graduates – provided the path to these opportunities is legal and transparent. Reputable advice begins with clearly identifying the risks and warning against unscrupulous agents, as the embassy has rightly done.


Conclusion: Protection through professional legal expertise

The official warning from the German Embassy in India marks a turning point. It makes clear that the system of private intermediaries has reached its limits and must be actively combated . For Indian students and German employers alike: Do not trust quick promises from agents without legal expertise. The only protection against rejections, exorbitant misinvestments, and subsequent exploitation is a thorough legal review and a transparent process through recognized educational institutions. We will support you in navigating this path safely, ensuring that your dream of studying in Germany doesn't turn into a nightmare.


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