Trips to European countries are not always associated only with tourism and recreation. Collaboration with local companies and networking is ranked second among the goals of visits to this part of the continent. Today, doing business with the European community is prestigious and profitable. A business visa to Germany is one of the most frequently requested entry permits, which will interest everyone who considers this state as a way to grow professionally and enlist the support of German partners.
Visa permit for business travel
Whatever the purpose of your trip, border crossing is possible only on the basis of a visa stamp of the appropriate sample. And if you remember that Germany is a signatory to the agreement on a single visa area, it becomes clear that you cannot do without the Schengen area.
According to the migration legislation of the Eurozone, which guards the interests of local residents, it is prohibited to work within the EU without special permission for third-country nationals. This rule also applies to those who intend to cooperate with German entrepreneurs, only indirectly receiving financial benefits from this, for example, by participating in international exhibitions.
A visa for a business trip to Germany can only be opened with a special invitation.
A business visa stamp allows you to stay on German territory for the purpose of concluding contracts, negotiating, participating in conferences. Such a stamp can be obtained by both legal entities and representatives of companies and firms wishing to cooperate with German partners.
The business stamp as a subtype of tourism does not permit the conduct of activities that generate profits or fees.
To understand whether you really need a permit for this sample, and to figure out exactly when it is issued, our article "Business visa" will help.
Types of business visas
All visa permits issued by the German consulate can be divided into 3 groups:
- A - transit;
- C - tourist;
- D - national.
The business stamp that will be put on your passport will belong precisely to the third group, that is C. In some cases, when it is planned to conduct activities only within the country, and the foreign partner makes visits with constant regularity, has established himself as a respectable guest and represents some interest for the German economy, a business visa to Germany is issued at the invitation of a national sample.
You can count on getting a business visa:
- representatives of official delegations;
- persons arriving for the purpose of a business trip;
- individual entrepreneurs traveling for their business;
- drivers of international passenger and freight traffic;
- railway train personnel;
- journalists and freelance reporters;
- persons who intend to carry out short-term work in Germany;
- scientists who have received grants or are invited to the country by educational institutions or research centers;
- trainees, trainees.
Which of the C visas will be issued depends on the purpose of the visit and the length of stay. For example, journalists are not issued a permit for more than 3 months.
How is a visa stamp issued?
You can get an entry permit for the purpose of a business visit in two ways on your own or through a visa center.
To begin with, clearly define what exactly you will be doing in the country, and also ask the host company to provide you with an invitation on letterhead. Please note that it is this document that is the basis for issuing a business category visa.
If you simply registered on the site as a participant in an international exhibition, then you will most likely be refused a stamp, since you will not have any official invitation in your hands.
For these purposes, you need to request a tourist visa sticker. It is the discrepancy between the purpose of arrival of the requested category of visa that often becomes the reason for refusal.
Having figured out the details, you can move on to the main thing - preparing a package of papers.
What documents will be needed
Before going to the consulate, make sure you have the following documents for a business visa to Germany:
- International passport. The validity period must continue for another 3 months after you leave the state.
- A copy of the passport (first spread).
- An invitation from a partner company.
- A copy of a civil passport, including pages with notes on previously issued exit passports.
- 2 photos.
- Visa application.
- Confirmation of the availability of a place of residence in Germany.
- Health insurance policy. Its validity period must cover the entire period of stay in the Schengen area with a coverage amount of at least 30 thousand euros.
- Certificate issued at the place of work. In it, you must indicate your position, information about the company and salary for the last 6 months.
- Financial support of the trip. For these purposes, a bank statement, cash or traveler's checks are suitable.
- Round trip tickets.
The business visa application form is filled out in German or English. The information in it must be reliable and fully comply with what is indicated in the papers that accompany it. Avoid corrections and blots. Compare personal data with writing in a passport.
The article "Application for a visa to Germany" will help you to fill out and enter the information correctly.
Pay special attention to the invitation letter from the host. It should contain information of the following order:
- contacts of the German company;
- information about the passport of the foreign guest;
- place of work and position of the invitee;
- dates of the visit;
- justification for visiting Germany. This can be the name of the event or a description of the planned activities during the trip;
- if you want to get a long-term visa, indicate an approximate plan of visits to Germany for the next six months or a year;
- a guarantee of covering all financial costs that will relate to the stay of a business partner in the country.
- Name and position of the person who signed the invitation.
If all the costs of the visit are borne by the German side, then the applicant will not need a hotel reservation, tickets and financial guarantees.
The invitation must be supported by a copy of the authorized person's passport and a copy of an extract from the Handesregister.
Practice shows that if you are flying at the invitation of a world-renowned company, then consulates almost never ask for an extract. The main task of this paper is to prove that the company that hosts you exists legally in the country. This means that it has the right to invite a foreign partner for a business meeting.
The statement must be valid for no more than six months. Otherwise, this may also serve as a reason for refusing to grant you entry.
A German visa for an individual entrepreneur is issued on the basis of the same package of papers. The only difference is that instead of a certificate from work, you need to attach an EGRIP record sheet or a certificate of registration of an individual entrepreneur, a 3-NDFL certificate and a copy of a tax registration certificate.
The validity of the visa stamp and its price
A border crossing permit for business visits, like a tourist visa, is a short-term stamp. Only in some cases, a business visa is issued for a long period of time, if there is a reason for it. So, according to the time of action, all stamps of this sample are divided into several groups:
- for one visit. The standard visa validity period is one month.
- for several trips within six months;
- For multiple entries throughout the year, but with a total number of days of stay no more than 90 in each half of the year;
- multivisa for a period of 2-3 years. Most often, it is issued to those who are forced to visit Germany frequently for company business.
If you have previously managed to establish yourself as a responsible guest, the German consulate can meet halfway and provide multiple entries for 5 years.
And do not forget that the cost of applying for a visa stamp may depend on the method of application:
- on your own - you only have to pay the fee;
- through intermediaries - add to it the commission of the visa center.
As for the visa fee itself, its value is the same as for a tourist visa:
| Variety of stamp | Price |
|---|---|
| Submission of an application in the usual manner for citizens of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan for children under 6 years old | 35 euros is free |
| for citizens of other countries for children of citizens of other countries 6-12 years old | 60 euros 35 euros |
| Accelerated clearance only for citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine | 70 euros |
Please note that the validity period of the stamp you are requesting does not affect the price in any way: both a short-term permit and a multivisa will cost 35 euros.
The Visa Application Center will charge an additional service fee:
- without fingerprinting - € 18.85;
- with fingerprinting - 20.35 euros.
Where to contact
When all the preparatory stages have been passed, there comes a moment at which it is necessary to decide where to apply for a visa permit.
Embassy and consular departments
If you intend to deal with this process on your own, it will be useful to know where the nearest diplomatic mission is located. This information is also useful in order to correctly calculate the time that you will need to settle all the formalities.
| Organization | Telephone | Address | Time of acceptance of documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| German embassy | +7 (495) 933-43-11 | Moscow, Leninsky prospect, 95a | Mon-Fri 8.00-10.00 10.30-13.00 Mon-Thu 13.30-16.00 |
| Consulate in Kaliningrad | (4012) 92 02 19 | Telman street, 14 | Mon-Thu 14.00-16.00 |
| Consulate in Yekaterinburg | +7 (343) 318 27 35 +7 (343) 226 09 35 | Kuibysheva street, 44 | Mon-Fri 13.00-15.00 |
| Consulate in St. Petersburg | +7 812 320 24 00 | Furshtatskaya street, 39 | Mon-Thu 8.45-12.15 Fri 8.45-12.15 |
| Consulate in Novosibirsk | 007 (383) 231-00-52 | Red Avenue, 28 | Mon-Thu 8.00-16.30 Fri 8.00-15.30 |
You can get an appointment with a visa officer only by appointment, which can be done by calling the indicated numbers.
Where are the visa centers located
The way of filing an application through intermediary firms, namely through visa centers, will turn out to be easier. Please note that the process in this case may be delayed due to the transfer of documents to the Consulate General.
| Telephone | Address | Reception mode | |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | +7 (812) 309 97 54 +7 (812) 426 39 47 | Bolshaya Raznochinnaya street, 16/7 | Mon-Thu 8.30-16.00 Fri 8.30 -14.00 |
| Moscow | +7(499) 703 49 82 +7(499) 704 36 17 | Shabolovka street, 31, building 5 | Mon-Thu 8.00-17.00 Fri 8.30-14.00 |
What to do in case of refusal
You always need to understand what to do if the consulate suddenly provides a refusal. It is worth recalling the well-known German pedantry, which suggests that the chances of applicants to obtain an entry permit increase if they fulfill all the requirements.
If it was not possible to avoid a negative answer, you should find out the reason why this happened. It will be indicated in the stamp itself, which will be put in the passport.
The consular response can motivate you to do the following:
- pass an interview with a state representative;
- correct some inaccuracies in the questionnaire
- bring missing documents.
In case of a categorical refusal, you have the opportunity to appeal it.
You can find out how the procedure for filing an appeal goes from the article "Refusal of a Schengen visa".
Conclusions
So, in order for your efforts to take effect, the following nuances should be taken into account:
- A business travel visa is issued to those who enter Germany in order to establish and maintain a business partnership.
- A business visa is a type of tourist visa and is issued exclusively with an invitation from a company officially registered in German territory.
- If the host can guarantee coverage of all financial issues, the package of documents may not include financial confirmations, hotel reservations and tickets.
- The cost of a visa is 35 euros and does not depend on the period for which it will be issued.
Pay special attention to the interview. If you were invited to it, it means that the officer has some doubts about the purpose of your trip. Try to convince him that your intentions are pure.
