Transit Visa

South African nationals do NOT require a transit visa! If you are traveling to a destination outside the Schengen Area and you intend to leave the transit area of a German airport you must apply for a visitor's visa. If you travel to another country in the Schengen Area you must have a Schengen visa for that country.

More information on visitor's visas

A Transit Visa is only required for travellers of certain nationalities. Nationals of other countries who reside in South Africa are requested to contact this office in order to receive information on whether a Transit Visa is required.

Contact the visa section

Here a list of countries whose citizens require a visa to enter Germany

Residents of the following countries/provinces must submit their visa application to the indicated mission:

• GERMAN EMBASSY PRETORIA:  Free State, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Lesotho, Swaziland
  
• GERMAN CONSULATE GENERAL CAPE TOWN:  Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape
  

OPTIONAL (please check special conditions when applying through the honorary consuls and liaison officer)

• Kwazulu-Natal: Honorary Consul Durban
• Eastern Cape: Honrary Consul Port Elizabeth
• Swaziland: Liaison Office Mbabane
  

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.

Applications must be submitted in person and may not be submitted by courier, regular post, fax or e-mail. Only applicants who can prove to have travelled at least twice to the Schengen States within the past two years, may be exempt from applying in person. A third party may apply on behalf of such applicants.

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.

• A duly completed Schengen Visa Application form (please ensure that you sign the form)
  
• 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 and dated (included in the latest visa application form you find on this page) Declaration §55 [pdf, 117.52k]
  

• Proof of flight reservation – Round Trip
  
• Copy of the valid visa for the country of final destination
  

Documents validating the applicant's social and economic ties to South Africa:

• latest three month bank statements (originals, certified by your bank)
• employees/students: Letter from your employer confirming your employment relationship/work contract i.e. proof of study as well as confirmation of leave
• self-employed: official documents confirming your self-employment (e.g. Copy of the CK1 registration/VAT registration including name and proof of business activities)
  

Please note that each visa application is reviewed individually. Therefore, the requested documents may vary from one case to another. The German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents. Furthermore, the submission of the above mentioned documents does not guarantee the issuance of a visa. Submission of incomplete documentation or failure to attend the mandatory visa interview will result in a refusal of your visa application. Once a visa has been issued, the purpose of the trip may not be altered.