INTRODUCTION:

Soccer, bread and sausages, beer, cars, festivals, and carnivals are what Germany has filled everyone’s mind with. But hang on it is power-packed with many other joyous things. Landscaped between forests, rivers, Northern sea beaches, and mountain ranges Germany has everything from 2 millennial histories to today’s blissful nightlife. 

The federal republic of Germany bestows €105.3 billion directly to the German GDP via the combination of both domestic and international travel and tourism. Cathedrals, monuments, palaces, and castles including the Cologne cathedral, Brandenburg gate, the Reichstag, the Dresden Frauenkirche, the Wartburg, and Sanssouci, Heidelberg castle, and Neuschwanstein castle are the most populous tourist attractions. Because of all this Germany became the ninth most-visited country in the world in the year 2017. The Europa-Park near Freiburg is the Europe’s must hit spot in adventurous tourist trip, along with friends and family.

WHO CAN APPLY?

San Francisco Citizens:- San Francisco citizen aspirants do not need to apply for Germany Visa. They can travel to all 26 Schengen Countries with only their US passport, but this is limited to only 90 days trip. Above that, every aspirant must apply for a Visa anyhow of their visit purpose.

Non-San Francisco Citizens:- The aspirants holding legal hearthstone status i.e; Green Card in San Francisco and willing to travel to Germany, need to apply for Visa with 03 months validity after returning from the Schengen zone. And non-citizens must apply for Visa to travel to any country for any purpose.  

TYPES OF VISAS:

Germany includes all types of Visitors every year with an increasing count annually. So to satisfy these travel enthusiasts Germany made it easy to apply by categorizing it into further Visa types; 

1. Short-stay Visa: To visit Germany for tourism, sightseeing, family gatherings, training, and such short trips require short-stay Visas. This Visa is valid for up to 90 days Germany visit.
2. Long-term Visa: Visiting Germany for more than 90 days requires a Long-term Visa. These Visa purposes are scholar admission, family reunion, business contracts, and related trips.
3. Visitor Visa: Traveling to Germany to visit family members and friends need Visitor Visa.
4. Business Visa: Business Visa is for professionals traveling to Germany for business meetings, official workshops, and contract agreements.
5. Study Visa: Studying in Germany has been a dream destination for many aspirants. They can easily apply for this Study Visa.

INFORMATION ON GERMAN CONSULATES IN SAN FRANCISCO

Address: 1960 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States.

Telephone: (415) 775-1061; Fax (415) 775-0187

Email: info@san-francisco.diplo.de

TO APPLY FOR A GERMAN VISA FROM SAN FRANCISCO, THE ESSENTIAL PAPERWORK IS GIVEN BELOW

1.  Germany Visa application filled out online and signed.
2. A valid passport with 02 empty pages holding 03 months validity and not more than 10 years old.
3. 02 photos recently clicked and were neat.
4. Dummy Travel Ticket or Flight Itinerary.
5. Travel Insurance, covering 30,000 euros minimum. 
6. Hotel Booking or Accommodation proof.

ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR A GERMAN VISA is listed as follows 

• Employee: 
  1. Contract of employment.
  2. Last 03 months’ bank records.
  3. Payslips of last 03 months.
  4. (ITR) Income Tax Returns.   

• Unemployed: for dependents of spouse/family:
  1. Relationship proof.
  2. Certificate of marriage.
  3. Sponsorship letter.
  4. Spouse/family members’ bank records/passport/certificate of work.

• Self-employee:
  1. Proof of ownership.
  2. Certificate of the owner.
  3. Last 03 months’ bank records.
  4. ITR- Income Tax Returns.

• Retiree:

1. Pension statements for the last 06 months.
2. Proofs of property income.

• Students: 

1. Letter of admission.
2. NOC- No-Objection letter from school/university.

• Proofs of Financial assistance: 

1. Economical support proofs for your entire Visit to Germany.
2. ITR- Income Tax Returns.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR A GERMAN VISA FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Before you need to apply for Visa 03 months prior to your journey but now according to the set of rules you must apply 06 months ahead of your trip. The steps to apply for a German Schengen Visa from San Francisco are as follows; 

Step 1: Initially, the applicant must decide the type of Visa he is interested in based on the purpose of their visit. 

Step 2: Then they need to gather the information regarding their application on the embassy website or can visit the nearby consulate.

Step 3: Next fill out the online application form and duly sign it by taking 02 printouts of it.

Step 4: According to your research collect all the required documents for your Visa.

Step 5: Next make an appointment for your Visa interview at the San Francisco Consulate.

Step 6: Attend the scheduled interview with the documents and application form and submit them.

Step 7: Patiently wait for the notification till your Visa is processed. You will receive it by 02 weeks after your application.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.

As Germany falls under the Schengen countries area, it has valuable and responsible Visa processing bodies all over it. And now to make sure that no one need to travel to neighboring cities for the embassy Germany outsourced their Visa application to cover the entire nation. The applicant can make an online appointment for a Visa interview. Also, he can visit the nearby consulate and schedule an appointment. Further, the actual process is explained below; 

WHAT TO DO? IF VISA IS APPROVED OR REJECTED?

If your Visa, is rejected:- After following every step in the application process, there may be a chance that your Visa may get rejected. The reasons can be any past criminal record, false/incomplete paperwork, invalid information, etc. If it happens, then without worrying much, you must verify and clear your mistakes and can reapply with proper care this time.

If Visa is approved: – The General Visa processing time is 02 weeks. You will be notified about your Visa completion process and may ask you to collect it physically at the Consulate General of San Francisco or via email. Post-which, you need to collect your Visa and pack your bags and you are all good to go.