Special Requirements for a Minor's Visa
Please submit your application for a Schengen Visa to the representative of the country which - considering the main purpose of your intended stay - is your main destination. If no such main destination can be ascertained, please contact the representative of the country of your first entry into the Schengen Area.
Residents of the following provinces must submit their visa application to the German Embassy in Pretoria:
- Free State, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West
Residents of the following provinces must submit their visa application to the German Consulate General in Cape Town:
- Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape
If you are not a South African national, your residence permit for South Africa must be valid at least another four months from the date the Schengen visa expires.
The requirements listed below are in addition to those described in the various visa categories. Please refer to the applicable category for further information.
According to German legislation, a child is a minor until his/her 18th birthday. Minors must accompany their parents at the time of application. For children under the age of six, the visa fee is waived.
We advise you to apply at least three weeks prior to your intended date of departure. Normally, the visa process is finalised within three to four working days upon submission of a complete visa application. In some cases, however, we may need more time due to the necessary involvement of German and/or Schengen authorities.
Please note that only complete applications will be accepted. In order to ensure that your application is processed without delay, please submit the following documents (in original and one copy as indicated below). Unfortunately, copies cannot be provided by the German Missions.
Required Documents |
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Original document required for: |
- A duly completed Schengen Visa Application form (please ensure that both parents/the legal guardian sign/s the form; Children from the age of 16 years have to sign as well)
- A valid passport with at least two blank pages & valid for at least three months longer than intended stay (please ensure that your passport is signed)
- One recent passport photograph according to biometric specifications
check here for further details regarding biometric specifications of photos [pdf, 550,79k]
- Declaration of True and Complete Information in accordance with § 55 Residence Act, signed (by legal guardians / usually both parents) and dated (included in the latest visa application form you find on this page)
Declaration §55 [pdf, 117,52k]
Original + one copy required for: |
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- In case the legal guardians (parents) are giving their authority to a third person to apply on their behalf or if only one parent is applying for the child's visa, please ensure to provide a certified letter of consent (Commissioner of Oath) approving travel for the parent/s that is/are not present for the visa interview
- Travel Medical Insurance valid in all the Schengen States for the entire duration of the intended stay (minimum cover of €30.000)
- Childs' Unabridged Birth Certificate*
- Parents' Unabridged Marriage Certificate
- Copies of parents' passports or ID-Books
- Documentation according to the different travel purposes mentioned in our other information sheets
* If the child's 'Unabridged Birth Certificate' can not be presented you may alternatively hand in the following documents:
- The 'Abridged Birth Certificate'
- A receipt from the Department of Home Affairs stating that you have applied for an 'Unabridged Birth Certificate'
- A letter from the principal of the child's school stating that parents are known to the school and for how long (in number of years). The letter must include the id numbers of the parents.
Please note that each visa application is reviewed individually. Therefore, the requested documents might vary. The German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents. Besides, the submission of the above mentioned documents does not guarantee the issue of a visa. Applicants can at any time be asked for a personal interview. Submission of an incomplete set of documentation or refusal to attend the mandatory visa interview will lead to a refusal of your visa application. Once a visa has been issued, the purpose of the trip may not be altered.
