GermanyBusiness and self-employment
Germany business visa (Schengen type C)
Schengen visa (type C) for business trips
In short
Meetings, negotiations, trade-fair visits and similar short business activities in Germany require a Schengen visa in the business category. It does not allow productive work for a German employer.
Apply on VIDEX – Schengen visa application form checked 25 October 2026
Key facts
- Maximum stay
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Validity
- Single or multiple entry; frequent business travellers can receive multiple-entry visas valid for one to five years.
- Fee
- €90Adults EUR 90; children aged 6 to under 12 EUR 45; under 6 free. If an external service provider receives the application, it adds its own service fee.
- Funds required
- €45 per dayGermany sets no fixed legal amount and assesses each case. Where you cannot otherwise show your means, EUR 45 per day is the reference, plus a secured return journey; a formal obligation letter from a host can replace your own proof.
- Processing time
- Usually 15 days after the mission receives the file, up to 45 days in individual cases; any waiting time for an appointment comes on top.
- Work
- Business activities only (meetings, negotiations, fairs); no employment.
- Where to apply
- The German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, or its external service provider, business category; form via VIDEX.
What counts as a business trip
Business trips include talks with customers or suppliers, contract negotiations, visiting a branch, attending a trade fair as a visitor and similar activities where you remain employed and paid in your home country. Exhibiting at a trade fair has its own checklist at the German missions. Installing, repairing or assembling equipment, or any work for a German company, falls under employment rules and needs a different permit.
Company documents
The heart of the file is a letter from your employer explaining the purpose and duration of the trip and who pays the costs, plus an invitation from the German company with your contact person and the dates. Business owners add proof of company and tax registration.
Required documents
Identity
- VIDEX application form, printed and signed, with the signed declaration under Section 54 of the Residence Act
- Passport issued within the last 10 years (extended passports are not accepted), with two blank pages and valid at least three months beyond the planned departure; copies of Schengen, UK, US and Canada visas held in the last 10 years
- One biometric photo, 35 × 45 mm, not older than six months
- Civil status extract showing your family details, where the mission's checklist asks for it
Travel
- Flight reservation and hotel booking
Money
- Bank statements and payslips for the last three months; pension statements for the last three months if retired
Work
- Employees: original employer letter addressed to the mission (position, start date, approved leave, signatory) plus proof of social insurance or employment; business owners: proof of company and tax registration; students: student certificate
- Letter from your employer on company letterhead: purpose, dates, who pays the costs
- Invitation from the German company with contact person, address and dates of the meetings
Insurance
- Travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover for the whole Schengen area, paying providers directly, valid from one day before departure to one day after return
Supporting documents (where they apply)
Work
- Trade fair: ticket or registration confirmation; exhibitors: proof of stand booking
Family
- Minors: notarised travel consent of both parents or proof of sole custody
Appointments and multiple-entry visas
Book the appointment in the business category as the mission responsible for you instructs. If you travel to Germany regularly and have used previous visas correctly, ask for a multiple-entry visa and show the business need with your travel history.
Refusals
If the mission refuses the visa, the letter explains the reasons and the remonstration procedure. Missing company documents are a frequent reason; a new application with a complete file is possible at any time.
How to apply, step by step
- Find the German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence and book an appointment in the "Business" category as it instructs, either with the mission itself or with its external service provider. Choosing the wrong category can mean the file is rejected and any service fee is lost.
- Before the appointment, fill in the VIDEX application form online, print it and sign it together with the declaration under Section 54 of the Residence Act.
- Collect the documents on the official checklist for your purpose; bring originals and one set of copies.
- Attend in person (everyone aged 18 or over), give fingerprints and pay the EUR 90 visa fee plus any service fee, in the way the mission sets.
- The mission decides, usually within 15 days of receiving the file and in some cases up to 45 days. Your passport stays with the mission meanwhile.
- Collect the passport as the mission or its service provider instructs and check the dates, number of entries and permitted days on the visa sticker before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work on a project for a German client with this visa?
Only business activities such as meetings are covered. Carrying out work in Germany normally needs a work-related visa.
Who pays for the trip in the documents?
The employer letter should say who covers travel and accommodation. If the German company pays, its invitation should state that.
Is a business visa faster than a tourist visa?
The processing time after submission is the same, usually 15 days. Some missions offer business appointments sooner than tourist ones.
Do company owners need payslips?
No. They prove their business with company and tax registration documents, plus company and personal bank statements.
Official sources
- German missions in Türkiye – overview of checklists and information sheets
- German missions in Türkiye – Schengen visa: general information (fees, passport, insurance, iDATA, biometrics)
- German missions in Türkiye – current information (iDATA, fingerprints, waiting times)
- German missions in Türkiye – travel health insurance requirements
- European Commission – Applying for a Schengen visa
Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.
Other visa types for Germany
Visits and short stays
- Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
- Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Business and self-employment
- Self-employed and freelancer visa Validity: Up to three years.
Study and training
- Student visa Validity: The visa is usually issued for several months; the residence permit in Germany is normally granted for two years at a time, at least one year, and renewed while studies progress.
- Language course visa Validity: For the length of the course.
- Researcher visa Validity: At least one year, or the length of the research project if shorter.
- Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Up to six months for the EU internship permit
- Au pair visa Maximum stay: Six to twelve months
Work
- Work visa Processing time: Appointment waiting times depend on the mission; after submission the Federal Employment Agency approval adds a few weeks. The accelerated skilled-worker procedure shortens this.
- Skilled worker visa Validity: Up to four years, or the length of the employment contract plus three months if shorter.
- EU Blue Card Validity: Up to four years, or the length of the contract plus three months.
- Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Up to one year; a follow-up Opportunity Card of up to two years is possible for a qualified job that does not yet meet another permit.
- Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Length of the transfer, at most three years (one year for trainees).
- Working holiday visa Maximum stay: Up to 12 months, once
Family
- Family reunification visa Validity: Visa for entry; the residence permit is then issued in line with the sponsor's permit.
- Spouse and partner visa Processing time: Same appointment system and waiting times as other family reunification visas at the mission responsible for you.
Residence
- Permanent residence Validity: Unlimited.
Faster processing
- Fast-track and priority visa services Processing time: Recognition authority: decision within two months; Federal Employment Agency: one week; mission: appointment within three weeks and decision usually within three weeks of a complete application.
Protection
- Asylum and international protection Processing time: Regular procedure: six months from the application; accelerated procedure: at most three months; border procedure: at most twelve weeks.