Germany
The German Missions in India have announced that longer waiting times for appointments and longer visa processing times currently apply, due to increased demand.
Appointments are booked with the external service provider, VFS, and availability can be checked on their website.
Appointments can be booked and Schengen visa applications can be submitted in all Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global all over India, regardless of the applicant’s place of residence. If the Visa Application Centre closest to the applicant’s home town is already fully booked, they can check for available appointment slots in one of the other major Indian cities. This does not apply to applications for national visas (D-visa category) such as student, employment or family reunion visas.
The German authorities remind applicants that the processing time for Schengen visa applications starts only once the application reaches the consulate. This might take up to six working days, depending on the delivery conditions and public holidays.
Due to the peak season, it currently takes an average time of 15 days to process a Schengen visa application after it has reached the consulate.
