Live Webinar 
- How long does the processing take?
Video Course
How To Get Your German Student Visa Application Done — Quickly and Stress-Free
27 videos
incl. Checklist + PDF + Template
As you might probably know, if you want to study in Germany and you are from outside of Europe, you will most likely need a visa. Below, you can find out whether you need a visa to study in Germany.
Group 1 (EU + 4)
No visa or residence permit needed.
Group 2 (USA, UK, Canada, South Korea, Brazil, El Salvador +8)
No visa needed, but residence permit (after arrival).
Group 3 (rest of the world)
Always need a student visa.
Hence, if your case falls into the "Visa required" category, it is crucial to know how much time the German student visa processing takes. Why? Because this will be extremely helpful for you to plan the entire visa application procedure correctly.
Our goal is to inform you honestly and accurately. Therefore, we need to add a DISCLAIMER:
You should use this text as a general guide, but it cannot be a legal consultation. The visa regulations are made and executed by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), and the local Foreigners’ Offices (Ausländerbehörde). Please be aware: Some rules and procedures can vary from embassy/consulate to embassy/consulate (even within one country), and from Ausländerbehörde to Ausländerbehörde in Germany. That is why we highly recommend you also consult the German representation abroad near you, and the local Foreigners’ Office in Germany (which Ausländerbehörde is responsible for you depends on your residence in Germany) for information that applies to your case.
Want to learn more about your BLOCKED ACCOUNT requirement?
Check Fintiba's offer! 💰💰 = We receive a small commission for Fintiba products sold through this link. However, this does not result in any additional costs for the customer.
How long does the German Student Visa processing take?
German student visa processing time may take approximately 4-12 weeks! The processing time depends on the local German Embassies and Consulates. In fact, except for some outliers on the lower end (China: 5 weeks, Iran: 4-6 weeks), the typical case is rather 2-3 months (e.g. India, Nigeria, Colombia). Interestingly, in some countries, the processing time for students who have a scholarship from a German public institution (e.g. DAAD) is significantly reduced.
We collected information about the processing times provided by the German Embassies and Consulates around the world, which you can find in the table below.
Table 1: German student visa processing time in different countries
| Approximate Processing Time | Source | |
| China | 5 weeks | Link |
| India | 12 weeks | Link |
| Syria* | 5-12 weeks | Link |
| Russia | 6-8 weeks | Link |
| Iran | 4-6 weeks | Link |
| Turkey | Min. 4 weeks | Link |
| Cameroon | 2 months | Link |
| Tunisia | Up to 3 months | Link |
| Ukraine | 12-15 weeks | Link |
| Pakistan | 4-10 weeks | Link |
| Morocco | Up to 3 months | Link |
| Egypt | Min. 4 weeks | Link |
| Vietnam | 6 weeks - 3 months | Link |
| Nigeria | Up to 3 months | Link |
| Bangladesh | Min. 6 weeks | Link |
| Ghana | Min. 8 weeks | Link |
| United Arab Emirates | 7 working days - 12 weeks | Link |
| Sri Lanka | 3 months | Link |
| Nepal | 5 – 7 weeks | Link |
| Indonesia | 8 weeks | Link |
| Mexico | 4 weeks | Link |
| Colombia | Up to 3 months | Link |
* As the German Embassy is closed in Damascus, the residents of Syria can apply for a student visa among others at the Consulate General of Germany in Istanbul. The processing time is based on the information provided by the Consulate.
As you can understand from the table, there is no universal processing time that applies to all cases. For example, an approximate German student visa processing time for India is 12 weeks, while in the case of Iran, the process might take only 6 weeks. In general, one can say that the German visa processing time usually might take from 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the country.
Do not forget:
- The times mentioned in Table 1 are approximate ones
- The processing of a German student visa may take longer than the mentioned times
- The countdown for the processing time starts as soon as your visa application reaches the relevant German Embassy/Consulate.
Whether the processing time is 1 month or 3 months, it is important to apply as soon as possible in order to be in Germany on time!
Want to find out more about a German student visa? Then click here and find out about the costs, the requirements, the success rate and more!
