According to the German Embassy in South Africa, “South African passport holders require a visa to enter Germany.
It is important to note that if you wish to visit more than one Schengen country, you should apply at the embassy of your main destination, taking the length and purpose of your stay into consideration.
Short-term Schengen visas are seen as visits shorter than 90 days and will typically be for tourism or business visits.
A Schengen visa is valid in the countries that are part of the Schengen Area
The German Embassy in South Africa has offices in Cape Town and Pretoria.
The embassy is currently (August 2021) using TLScontact to process the visa applications.
TLSContact have offices in Bloemfontein, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)
The following short-term visas are available:
- Tourism – visiting family or friends in Germany
- Tourism – General Tourism
- Business
- Trade Fair
- Visa for family members of non-German EU Citizens – not to be confused with a reunification visa
Visa Validity info
- These are the valid dates for the Visa. You may not enter the Schengen Area before the From date, and you must leave the Schengen Area not later than the Until date
- Total days you may stay between the from and to dates
- Multiple or single entry. With a single entry, re-entry into the Schengen area with this particular visa is not allowed.
- Type of Visa. C is short term and D is long term
90/180 day rule
The 90/180-day rule states that any foreign national who enters the Schengen zone (any country within the area) can stay for up to 90 days within any 180 days.
On the Schengen Visa Info website, there is a very good explanation of this rule as well as a calculator that you can use
Additional Information on your visa
In the image above, it indicates that this is a visitor visa, and engaging in any economic activity is prohibited.
Legal basis
- Regulation 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the council – Visa Code
- Residence Act
Related content
Visa application tips
We are not immigration agents, and your first point of contact should always be the German embassy or consulate in South Africa.Most of the information
Verpflichtungserklärung – Sponsoring someone’s visit
One requirement for both short-term and long-term (National) Schengen Visas is Proof of financial status and sufficient funds. When you want to sponsor someone’s visit,
List of Long Stay Visas
Long Term visas are seen as visits longer than 90 days and will typically be for work or study visits. If your application is approved,
What can I bring into Germany
It is very tempting to bring some South African goodies with you when you travel to Germany, and while most items are allowed, there are Restrictions.
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