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Reviewed March 2024
Germany, one of the most visited countries in Western Europe, deserves to be high on any traveller’s bucket list. The historic city of Berlin, the rustic Baltic Sea islands and the breathtaking landscapes of Bavaria and the Black Forest attract millions of tourists from all over the world.
Read on this Wego article to discover the visa requirements for Kuwaiti citizens, how to apply for a visa, the necessary documents along with other requirements.
Table of Contents
Germany visa general requirements
Most Kuwaiti travellers who wish to visit Europe generally apply for a Schengen visa from Kuwait. The Schengen visa allows holders to access all 27 countries in the Schengen area, including Germany, France, and Italy, for up to 90 days. If you are a Kuwaiti citizen, you will likely need to apply for a visa to enter Germany.
To apply for any type of German visa from Kuwait, you must first schedule an appointment with a certified service provider in Kuwait and submit the required general visa documents along with the application fee.
For more information on Germany visa requirements, please visit the official website of the Germany Embassy in Kuwait.
Book cheap flights to Germany
Digital Schengen visa
The European Parliament has approved a new strategy to digitize the physical Schengen visa application and sticker process. This means that travellers from outside the Schengen zone, including Kuwaiti passport holders, can say goodbye to long lines and complicated paperwork, as they will soon be able to apply for and receive their digital Schengen visa online.
This means that individuals will be able to apply for their Germany visas from Kuwait online without the need to book appointments or physically submit their passports. Instead of the traditional visa sticker, under the proposed new rules, visas will be issued in digital format, as a 2D barcode, cryptographically signed. This will further reduce security risks related to counterfeit and stolen visa stickers.
Under the new rules, a single website will be created where all Schengen visa applications will be made. This platform enables visa seekers to input all necessary information, upload digital copies of their travel and supporting documents, and complete the payment process for their visa fees.
Additionally, they will receive notifications regarding the status of their visa application.
Check out our article to learn all about the Digital Schengen visa for more details:
Available Germany visas for Kuwaiti citizens
Short-stay visa
If you plan to stay in Germany for 90 days or less, you can apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. This visa allows you to stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. You must first download the visa application form.
In addition, you will need to complete and print the form and bring it with you to the Visa Application Centre for submission.
Please note that it is NOT possible to extend a visa. If, for some reason, your visa expires unused, you will have to apply for a new visa.
Long-stay visa
If you plan on staying in Germany for more than 90 days, you can apply for a long-stay national visa. The duration of your stay on this visa will be limited to 3 months to 1 year. If you wish to extend your stay beyond this, you will need to apply for a residence permit at a prefecture.
A long-stay visa allows you to move around and stay in any Schengen Area country outside of Germany for up to 90 days over any period of 180 consecutive days. The conditions applied are the same as those for a Schengen visa.
Airport transit visa
An airport transit visa allows you to briefly stop or change planes at an airport in Germany. It, however, does not allow you to go through passport control or to visit Germany.
Currently, there are 3 types of ATVs:
- one-way ATV, which permits a one-way transit through a Schengen country;
- return ATV, which permits return airport transit through one or two Schengen countries;
- multiple ATV permits several transits through one or more Schengen countries.
You can apply for your visa between 6 months and 45 days in advance of the date you will be travelling to Germany.
Click here for more information on Germany’s airport transit visa.
Applying for a Germany visit visa from Kuwait
The required documents, visa fees, and processing times for a German visa application may vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. To apply for a tourist visa to Germany, please follow the procedure outlined below:
Step 1: Fill out the visa application form
You must fill in the VIDEX application form, which can be filled in English or German and personally signed and dated by the applicant. In addition to the visa application form, you must complete declaration form A, “Provision of True Data.” To complete the visa application process, you will also need to provide:
- a valid passport or travel document (original + copy) issued less than 10 years ago, with at least two blank pages. It should be valid for at least 3 months after the date on which you have planned to leave the Schengen Area
- 2 recent photographs with a white background
- an overseas medical insurance valid for the entire duration of your first stay; valid for all Schengen countries.
- proof of flight and accommodation booking
- a copy of the marriage certificate (in case husband and wife are of separate nationalities).
For applicants under 18 years, the visa application form and other related forms must be signed by both parents/legal guardians and must also include passport copies of parents/legal guardians.
Step 2: Pay the required fee
You must pay the required visa fee online upon completing all the necessary online forms. The visa application fee also includes the administrative costs incurred for visa processing. Check below for more details on visa fees.
Step 3: Set up your appointment
Set up your appointment with VFS Global (Kuwait City), which is a certified visa service provider authorized by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. You will need to schedule an appointment to submit your Germany visa application. You can submit your application up to 6 months before the start of your planned trip.
Please note that the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany will ultimately process and decide on your visa application.
You can book your appointment at VFS Global through their official website.
Step 4: Submit your application
Once you have completed the visa application form, you can attend your appointment with all the necessary documents.
The service provider (or consulate) will receive your application, review it, collect the visa fee, capture your biometric data (photo and fingerprints), and retain your passport and copies of all your supporting documents to forward them to the consulate.
If you haven’t paid your visa fee online, you can pay the fee when you arrive at the centre. If you miss your appointment, you can reschedule for another one 24 hours after your original appointment date.
Check here for more details about in-person visa application submission.
Step 5: Track your application
After successfully submitting your documents to the visa service provider, you can track the progress of your visa application, and you will be notified about the same.
Typically, the processing time for most visa applications will take up to two weeks. For Kuwaiti nationals, the processing time for a Schengen visa is 3 to 5 working days, while for other nationalities, it can take up to 2 weeks from the date the application has been delivered to the German Embassy.
Visa applications will be accepted up to 6 months prior to, but no later than 2 weeks prior to, the intended date of travel.
How much does a Germany visa cost for Kuwaitis?
The cost of a Germany visa for Kuwaiti citizens may vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. A standard short-stay Schengen visa and Airport Transit visa usually cost around EUR 80, while a long-stay Schengen visa is priced at EUR 99.
However, please note that these fees are subject to change, and you should confirm the current visa fees at the time of your application.
