Visa requirements for German citizens are the required documents that are checked upon entering a selected foreign country. Each destination and its authorities establish which countries can enter their territory and on which conditions they can do so. Citizens of Germany can enjoy one of the most significant international travel liberty, the highest of all European Union countries, with 121 destinations that they can visit visa-free. Moreover, 38 countries offer an eVisa option for German passport holders to use upon visiting their territory. eVisas serve as electronic alternatives to regular visas. Using the electronic option allows one to avoid inconvenient Embassy visits, as well as save both time and money. 37 destinations allow German citizens to handle their visas after arrival at the closest border control checkpoint. This helps to skip the visa application process until the very last moment, but it is also connected with the need to complete the application paperwork right before entering the selected country. Thus, Visas on Arrival often mean waiting in long lines. Lastly, there are only 25 countries that require German citizens to present a valid Embassy visa upon their arrival. An Embassy-issued visa may take even weeks to process and usually requires applicants to provide numerous supporting documents, sometimes even officially issued ones. Further information on each type of entry and visas available for German citizens is available below, including lists of countries offering specific visa/type of entry. Electronic visa Electronic visas are online versions of regular visas introduced as an alternative option to ease the visa handling process by eliminating the unnecessary Embassy visits. eVisas are available entirely online after following a quick and intuitive application process and, once approved, delivered to each traveler via email. List of countries offering eVisas for German citizens Angola Australia Azerbaijan Bahrain Benin Cambodia Canada Djibouti Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Guinea Guinea-Bissau India Iran Ivory Coast Kenya Kuwait Laos Madagascar Malawi Myanmar New Zealand Oman Pakistan Papua New Guinea Russia Rwanda Saudi Arabia South Sudan Sri Lanka Suriname Tanzania Uganda USA Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe 38 countries make it possible for citizens of Germany to apply for an electronic visa online before their trip. This can be done by following three simple steps: Fill the application form. Cover the issuing fee. Wait for the approved eVisa to be delivered via email. The length of the maximum stay abroad using eVisas differs depending on the selected destination and can be anywhere between two weeks up to even three months. Despite being so easily accessible, electronic visas work similarly to regular visas, allowing their holders to enjoy leisure, business, and transit-related trips abroad. Visa on Arrival A Visa on Arrival is a short-term travel authorization document that is granted after arrival at the selected destination once an application process is completed. List of countries that offer a Visa on Arrival for German citizens Angola Bahrain Bangladesh Benin Burkina Faso Cambodia Comoros Egypt Ethiopia Gabon Guinea-Bissau Iran Iraq Jordan Kuwait Laos Lebanon Madagascar Malawi The Maldives Mauritania Mozambique Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Papua New Guinea Rwanda Saudi Arabia Sierra Leone Somalia Sri Lanka Tajikistan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe 37 countries offer a Visa on Arrival option for German passport holders visiting their territory. To get a VoA, citizens of Germany must visit the closest border control checkpoint and ask for an application form, which they should then carefully fill out. It’s crucial to avoid making any mistakes in the provided data to avoid delays or issues with approval. The next step is usually covering the issuing fee, which may be required to be done in cash, often using local currency. Applying for a Visa on Arrival requires waiting in long lines before actually getting into the selected destination. That is why many travelers check for a second option – an eVisa, which is often available when it comes to countries offering Visas on Arrival. This helps to skip the long waiting lines and ensures secure travel. For countries that do not offer an eVisa option along with the VoA one, it’s best to prepare for the VoA application process before departure. This includes checking for any required supporting documents and completing the paperwork while still in one’s home country. The needed paperwork may include any documents validating the purpose of the planned trip, e.g., hotel bookings, return tickets, proof of having sufficient funds, and other. Embassy visa An Embassy visa is a traditional paper visa that travelers can obtain after completing an application process at an Embassy or Consulate. The processing of this visa type may take even up to a few weeks. What’s more, preparing the required paperwork may also take a long time. That is why it’s best to apply for an Embassy visa well ahead of time and only if it’s required. List of countries that require German citizens to present a valid Embassy visa upon arrival Afghanistan Algeria Bhutan Burundi Cameroon The Central African Republic Chad China The Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo Cuba Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ghana Liberia Libya Mali Nauru Niger Nigeria North Korea Sudan Syria Turkmenistan Yemen 25 countries require citizens of Germany to present a valid Embassy-issued visa upon their arrival. German passport holders must apply for a regular visa at an Embassy before visiting the above-listed destinations. The first step into applying for an Embassy visa is checking the available visa types and choosing the one that correlates best with our purpose of visit. Next, it’s time to check what is the required paperwork and collect every document that will be needed while applying. Once that’s done, German citizens should fill out the Embassy visa application form that is usually available at the official Embassy website or directly at the Embassy or Consulate. The form must be filled thoroughly and provide correct and up-to-date information. Further steps include submission of the application along with the required supporting documents collected to the Embassy or Consulate in person. Some countries may require travelers to cover the issuing fee, go through a visa interview, or attach even more supporting documents. Despite the complex application process and long processing times, Embassy visas sometimes come in convenient types, even those allowing a long-term stay abroad. This is not available using any other visa system. Visa-free countries 121 countries have declared that German citizens can visit their territory without any type of visa on hand, which makes exploring these destinations effortless! Check the list of visa-free countries for German citizens. Traveling visa-free is the easiest way to travel internationally since no visa needs to be obtained. However, all German citizens using visa-free entry should present either an ID or a valid passport upon their arrival. Moreover, some destinations may require additional documents to be presented to help further validate the purpose of the trip. These documents may include hotel bookings, proof of having sufficient funds for the trip, or simply a return ticket. Visa-free travels allow German passport holders to enjoy all kinds of leisure, business, and transit-related activities. This includes going on vacation, visiting friends and family, going on a business trip, taking part in a meeting, conference, or seminar, or simply taking a stopover while transiting to an onward destination.