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Schengen Visa

Schengen Visum

Schengen Visum, © colourbox

21.03.2024 - Article

Are you planning a short term visit to Germany? Do you want to visit a friend in Germany, attend a business meeting or need medical treatment? Here you can find information on the application process and required documents for a Schengen Visa.

Schengen visas allow people to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days every six-month period.

Visa applicants residing in Uganda are entitled to apply at the German Embassy Kampala for a visa to the Federal Republic of Germany as well as to the Republic of Estonia, the Federal Republic of Austria (for diplomatic and official passport holders only) and the Swiss Confederation (for diplomatic and official passport holders only) as the Embassy represents these three Schengen countries here in Uganda.

If you are a legal resident of South Sudan you have to apply at the German Embassy in Kampala for a visa to Germany. Please note that the German Embassy is not the competent authority for South Sudan residents who would like to apply for a visa to Austria, Estonia or Switzerland.

Please note that your application must be submitted personally at the external Service Provider TLScontact. Once you have obtained all necessary documents, please register for an appointment here. Find more information on the Schengen visa categories, the applciation process, the required documents as well as a note for holders of diplomatic or official passports below.

Your application must be submitted personally at the external Service Provider TLScontact. Once you have obtained all necessary documents, please register for an appointment here.

You may submit your application 6 months before the start of your planned trip at the earliest.

Applications are processed within 15 days but might take 30 days in special cases and for certain nationalities. Incomplete applications may be rejected. The processing time of your visa application will be shorter if your documents are complete upon submission of the application.

The visa fee for Schengen visas is currently 80,00 Euro payable in Uganda Shilling only. Children between 6-11 pay 40,00 Euro, children below the age of 6 are exempt from fees. The Uganda Shilling value of the visa fee is determined by the current exchange rate of the German Embassy Kampala. The visa fee as well as the service fee of our external service provider must be paid when submitting your application at TLScontact.

Please include one set of copies of your supporting documents with the print-out of your application form, along with the original documents:

  1. One application form duly completed and signed by applicant
  2. One biometric identical colour passport photograph (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) not older than six months, bright (white) background
  3. Passport not older than 10 years, valid for at least three months after intended return journey. The passport must have at least two empty pages.
  4. Nationals other than Ugandans/South-Sudanese must be able to show a valid residence permit and re-entry-permit for Uganda/South-Sudan
  5. Copy of passport bio-data page and copies of all previous Schengen visas and residence permits
  6. Proof of medical insurance for the duration of stay, minimum cover of Euro 30.000,00 and valid for all Schengen countries (please see the list of travel insurances in Uganda accepted by the Schengen embassies in Uganda on our website). Insurance can be purchased directly from Germany via various online services as well.
  7. Travel itinerary, self-written indicating your travel dates, destinations, point of entry/exit and duration in the Schengen area (please note that an airline reservation/ticket are not required). Please make sure that your itinerary tallies with the rest of your documentation: for example, if you arrive in Germany on the 15th of June, your medical insurance (no. 6) should equally start on 15th of June, also, your hotel reservation, if required, should cover the period starting from 15th of June. The same applies for your departure date.
  8. Proof of personal regular income or means of subsistence (i.e. salary certificates, bank statements covering the last 3 months) even if you are not paying the travel costs yourself (Housewives or students: Letter, bank statements, passport copy from the person, who sponsors your life in Uganda).
  9. Employees/Students:
    Introduction letter from company/University/School including postal address and telephone number, explanation regarding the necessity of the business trip, the precise activities of the organisation, how long the applicant has been with the company and his monthly income.
  10. Self Employed:
    Official documents of the business in Uganda (e.g. “Certificate of Incorporation” and “Trading Licence”), financial status of company
  11. Additional Documents for Minors:
    1. Notarized Consent Letter from Both Parents (if applicable sole custody order / death certificate of deceased parent)
    2. Birth Certificate of the applicant
    3. Passport Copies of both parents
  12. Supplementary Documents to submit for BUSINESS/CONFERENCE TRIP
    1. A recent and signed formal invitation from your business partner/organisation stating duration and purpose of the visit and – if applicable – funding of the journey
    2. If your trip is not or only partly funded by your business partner/inviting organisation: Proof of financial status of your company/your employer in Uganda/South Sudan (i.e. bank statements covering the last 3 months)
    3. Proof of hotel reservation covering all your stay in the Schengen countries
  13. Supplementary Documents to submit for SELF-FUNDED TOURIST TRIP
    1. Itinerary and confirmed hotel booking covering all your stay in the Schengen countries
    2. Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay (e.g. bank statements of current account, salary slips of the last 3 months, etc.)
  14. Supplementary Documents to submit for TRIP TO VISIT FAMILY & FRIENDS
    1. A signed invitation from your host stating at which address the applicant is going to stay, the nature of the relationship and the purpose and duration of the visit
    2. Passport copy from your host in Germany or Estonia (data page and page with residence permit if your host is not German/Estonian)
    3. In case of family visit: relevant documents to prove the family relationship (e.g. marriage/birth certificates)
    4. Original formal obligation letter (in German: Verpflichtungserklärung) before the Aliens’ Authority (Ausländerbehörde) of a person living in Germany giving the guarantee to cover all costs in accordance with §§ 66 – 68 of the Law of Residence (not possible for applications to Estonia) OR proof of own means of living. Please note that cash is no acceptable proof.

Additional documents may be requested by the Embassy.

Please be advised that submitting all required documents is not a guarantee that a visa will be granted and that a visa is no guarantee of access to the Schengen territory.

The final decision remains with the immigration office at the border/entry point. The permission to enter the Schengen Territory may depend on the presentation of the invitation letter, the original formal oblication letter, your financial means and travel health inssurance.

As soon as the Embassy has made a decision on your application, it will send your passport back to TLScontact for collection. You can collect your passport at TLScontact within a period of several days. You should collect your passport in person. If you are not able to collect it yourself, you can authorise another person to collect it for you. In order to do so, please fill out a power of attorney.

There are various reasons why your visa application may be rejected. The reasons and information about legal remedies will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected.

Your application must be submitted personally at the external Service Provider TLScontact. Once you have obtained all necessary documents, please register for an appointment here.

You may submit your application 6 months before the start of your planned trip at the earliest.

Applications are processed within 15 days but might take 30 days in special cases and for certain nationalities. Incomplete applications may be rejected. The processing time of your visa application will be shorter if your documents are complete upon submission of the application.

The visa fee for Schengen visas is currently 80,00 Euro payable in Uganda Shilling only. Children between 6-11 pay 40,00 Euro, children below the age of 6 are exempt from fees. The Uganda Shilling value of the visa fee is determined by the current exchange rate of the German Embassy Kampala. The visa fee as well as the service fee of our external service provider must be paid when submitting your application at TLScontact.

Please include one set of copies of your supporting documents with the print-out of your application form, along with the original documents:

  1. One application form duly completed and signed by applicant
  2. One biometric identical colour passport photograph (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) not older than six months, bright (white) background
  3. Passport not older than 10 years, valid for at least three months after intended return journey. The passport must have at least two empty pages.
  4. Nationals other than Ugandans/South-Sudanese must be able to show a valid residence permit and re-entry-permit for Uganda/South-Sudan
  5. Copy of passport bio-data page and copies of all previous Schengen visas and residence permits
  6. Official letter from local doctor stating diagnosis (original and one copy
  7. Official Letter from a registered and recognized hospital in Uganda, confirming the current health status and diagnosis for the treatment in Germany.
  8. Official letter from the Medical institute in Germany confirming time, duration and the estimated costs of the treatment (original and one copy)
  9. Official letter from the Medical institute in Germany confirming that the full amount of money for the treatment has already been transferred (original and one copy)
  10. Proof of regular income and financial status (e.g. salary slips or bank statements for the last 3 months) or formal obligation letter from Germany. Dependants have to provide documents of the husband / parents
  11. Working and granted leave certificate (original and one copy). Dependants have to provide documents of the husband / parents
  12. Hotel reservation (in-patient treatment needs to be confirmed by the Medical Institute in Germany).
  13. Travel itinerary, self-written indicating your travel dates, destinations, point of entry/exit and duration in the Schengen area (please note that an airline reservation/ticket are not required)
  14. Proof of medical insurance for the duration of stay with minimum cover of Euro 30.000 (original and one copy)

Additional documents may be requested by the Embassy.

Please be advised that submitting all required documents is not a guarantee that a visa will be granted and that a visa is no guarantee of access to the Schengen territory.

The final decision remains with the immigration office at the border/entry point. The permission to enter the Schengen Territory may depend on the presentation of the invitation letter, the original formal oblication letter, your financial means and travel health inssurance.

As soon as the Embassy has made a decision on your application, it will send your passport back to TLScontact for collection. You can collect your passport at TLScontact within a period of several days. You should collect your passport in person. If you are not able to collect it yourself, you can authorise another person to collect it for you. In order to do so, please fill out a power of attorney.

There are various reasons why your visa application may be rejected. The reasons and information about legal remedies will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected.

Your application must be submitted personally at the external Service Provider TLScontact. Once you have obtained all necessary documents, please register for an appointment here.

You may submit your application 6 months before the start of your planned trip at the earliest.

Applications are processed within 15 days but might take 30 days in special cases and for certain nationalities. Incomplete applications may be rejected. The processing time of your visa application will be shorter if your documents are complete upon submission of the application.

The visa fee for Schengen visas is currently 80,00 Euro payable in Uganda Shilling only. Children between 6-11 pay 40,00 Euro, children below the age of 6 are exempt from fees. The Uganda Shilling value of the visa fee is determined by the current exchange rate of the German Embassy Kampala. The visa fee as well as the service fee of our external service provider must be paid when submitting your application at TLScontact.

Please include one set of copies of your supporting documents with the print-out of your application form, along with the original documents:

  1. One application form duly completed and signed by applicant
  2. One biometric identical colour passport photograph (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) not older than six months, bright (white) background
  3. Passport not older than 10 years, valid for at least three months after intended return journey. The passport must have at least two empty pages.
  4. Copy of passport bio-data page and copies of all previous Schengen visas and residence permits
  5. Official letter from South Sudanese doctor and hospital stating the current health status and confirming that current health conditions requires medical treatment abroad (original and one copy).
  6. Official Letter from a registered and recognized hospital in Uganda, confirming the current health status and diagnosis for the treatment in Germany.
  7. Official letter from the Medical institute in Germany confirming time, duration and the estimated costs of the treatment (original and one copy).
  8. Official letter from the Medical institute in Germany confirming that the full amount of money for the treatment has already been transferred (original and one copy).
  9. Proof of regular income and financial status (e.g. salary slips or bank statements for the last 3 months) or formal obligation letter from Germany. Dependants have to provide documents of the husband / parents.
  10. Working and granted leave certificate (original and one copy). Dependants have to provide documents of the husband / parents.
  11. Hotel reservation (in-patient treatment needs to be confirmed by the Medical Institute in Germany).
  12. Travel itinerary, self-written indicating your travel dates, destinations, point of entry/exit and duration in the Schengen area (please note that an airline reservation/ticket are not required)
  13. Proof of medical insurance for the duration of stay with minimum cover of Euro 30.000 (original and one copy)
  14. Diplomatic and official passport holders do not need to submit documents stated under the points 9. / 10. but must present a Verbal Note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan and original Verbal Note from the Embassy of the Republic of South Sudan in Kampala stating the purpose of the trip and the place and intended duration of the trip.

Additional documents may be requested by the Embassy.

Please be advised that submitting all required documents is not a guarantee that a visa will be granted and that a visa is no guarantee of access to the Schengen territory.

The final decision remains with the immigration office at the border/entry point. The permission to enter the Schengen Territory may depend on the presentation of the invitation letter, the original formal oblication letter, your financial means and travel health inssurance.

As soon as the Embassy has made a decision on your application, it will send your passport back to TLScontact for collection. You can collect your passport at TLScontact within a period of several days. You should collect your passport in person. If you are not able to collect it yourself, you can authorise another person to collect it for you. In order to do so, please fill out a power of attorney.

There are various reasons why your visa application may be rejected. The reasons and information about legal remedies will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected.

Holders of diplomatic and official passports may submit their application without appointment at the Embassy (Tuesdays 8am – 9am and Thursdays 10am – 11am only).

Holders holders of diplomatic and official passports planning to travel to Austria or Switzerland may also apply for the Schengen Visa at the German Embassy.

Schengen visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the consulate staff/TLScontact staff or the visa application process via the contact form.

In the contact form, please select the option “Complaints concerning the Schengen visa process”. Please note that complaints may only be submitted in German or English. We are unable to follow up on complaints in languages other than German or English. Please enter one of the following two options in the “Subject” field of the contact form:
- Complaint about the conduct of consulate staff/TLScontact staff
- Complaint about the visa application process

We will follow up on your complaint once it has been received.

Important information: No legal remedies against decisions to refuse, annul or revoke a visa – in particular no remonstrations – may be submitted via the complaints contact form.

Please take note of the information on data protection during the visa application process in accordance with Art. 13 and 14 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation).

  1. Who is responsible for processing my data and how can I contact the Data Protection Commissioner?
    Responsibility for processing the data lies with the mission of the Federal Republic of Germany in [bitte ergänzen: postalische Anschrift, E-Mailadresse, Telefonnummer] and the Federal Foreign Office (postal address: Federal Foreign Office, 11013 Berlin, Germany).
    The Federal Foreign Office Data Protection Commissioner can be contacted as follows:
    Werderscher Markt 1
    10117 Berlin
    Germany
    Email: dsb-r@auswaertiges-amt.de
    Tel: + 49 30 5000 2711
    Fax: + 49 30 5000 51733
  2. What data does the mission process when I apply for a visa, and where do the data come from?
    The categories of personal data processed cover the data requested on the visa application form. Generally these include in particular your surname, name at birth, forename, date and place (including the country) of birth, gender, nationality/nationalities, civil status, current address, telephone number, email address, occupation, details of your travel document (type of document, serial number, issuing state and authority, date of issue, expiry date), your photograph and fingerprints.
    The data in these categories derive from the information you provide in the course of the visa application process.
  3. What data does the mission process when I issue a letter of invitation for someone to use to apply for a visa, and where do the data come from?

    The categories of personal data processed cover the data requested on the visa application form about the person issuing the invitation. This includes in particular your surname and forename, your address, fax number and email address.

    The data in these categories derive from the information you provide in the letter of invitation and the applicant provides in the course of the visa application process.

  4. Why are my data collected, and what happens if they are not?
    Your data are collected because it is necessary and legally required for the proper conduct of the visa application procedure. If you apply for a visa, you are required under Section 82 of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) to provide the data required for the processing of the application and to make available the necessary evidence. If your data are not provided, it may be that your application is rejected and the fee retained.
  5. For what purposes and on what legal basis are my data processed?
    Your personal data are processed solely in order to ensure the correct handling of the visa application.
    The legal basis is provided by Art. 6 (1) (c) and (e) and (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) in combination with Regulation (EC) No. 767/2008 (VIS Regulation) and Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 (Visa Code) including its Annexes, and Sections 72a ff. of the Residence Act and Section 69 of the Ordinance on residence, as well as the Central Register of Foreigners implementing regulation (AZRG-DV), the Visa Warning File Act (VWDG) and further special regulations as appropriate or Section 3 of the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG 2018).
  6. How long will my data be kept?
    Your data are deleted as soon as they are no longer required for completion of the visa procedure. Generally they are deleted two years after the visa procedure has been completed, but at the latest five years after the final decision on the visa application.
  7. Who receives my data?
    Your data are transferred to third parties only where necessary for the proper conduct of the visa procedure. As part of this procedure, it may be that your personal data are passed to the competent authorities in Germany, to the responsible visa offices of other Schengen member states or to the responsible authorities in your place of habitual residence. If an external service provider is charged with carrying out individual stages of the visa application procedure, your data will be collected by or transferred to this provider as far as necessary for the completion of the application procedure. Your data are only transferred to recipients outside the European Union to the extent permissible under Chapter V of the General Data Protection Regulation.
  8. What data protection rights can I exercise?
    You can request information about the personal data stored about you from the abovementioned entities responsible for data processing. In addition, under certain conditions, you can request that your data are corrected, erased or that processing is restricted. Further, under certain conditions you can object to the processing of your data.
  9. Where can I file a complaint?
    You have the right to file a complaint about the processing of your personal data with a data protection authority, particularly in the member state in which you have your place of residence, your place of employment or the place where the alleged breach of data privacy occurred.

Important Information:
Please do not send the Visa Section of the German Embassy or TLScontact any documents unless requested to do so, particularly not before you have applied for a visa. We are not able to store such documents and will not know to which application they belong. Please always bring all the necessary documents with you to your appointment with TLScontact.

Information for visa holders

If all the information on your visa label is correct, you are free to travel. Please check the information on the label as soon as your passport is returned to you. You should let us know immediately if there are any mistakes so that we can issue you a new visa.
Your visa will state your full name and passport number and include your photo. It will also state the period of validity. This is the time period in which you can travel. In addition, it will state the maximum number of days you can stay in the Schengen area during the period of validity of your visa. Our aim is to give you a certain amount of flexibility in planning your trip. In order to allow you to change your travel dates at short notice, visas are usually valid for 15 days longer than the maximum number of days you are allowed to stay in the Schengen area.
Please note that being granted a Schengen visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter the Schengen area. The final decision on whether or not you will be allowed to enter the Schengen area will be made by the border police on your arrival. When you arrive, the border police may ask you to present additional documentation alongside your passport and valid visa with information on your financial means, the length and purpose of your stay, and your health insurance cover. You should therefore take a copy of your visa documents (including an invitation from Germany, hotel reservation and travel health insurance) with you on your trip.

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