The process of applying for German student visa from Nigeria and other countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana is one of the less stressful procedure of all European countries.
This write up will guide you on how to go about the process of German student visa application in Nigeria but the step is quite similar for other countries. Just follow the steps and you will smile at the end of your visa application process.
German Student Visa Application Process in Nigeria, India, Ghana, Bangladesh, Kenya
Type of Student Visa
There are two different categories of visas eligible for students from Nigeria:
● Student Visa :This is for persons who have already applied at a university and have received a letter of admission to the university or a confirmation that their application is being processed
● Language Course Visa : This is for persons intending to attend a language course for a duration for more than three months without planning to study at a German University afterwards
Note: A Language Course Visa cannot be converted into a Student Visa in Germany.
Therefore, if you intend to study at a German university immediately after your language course, you are requested to apply for a Student Visa right away. Otherwise you will have to return to Nigeria after your language course has ended.
Steps Involved in Applying for German Student Visa
Step 1: Apply for Admission into a German university or Language school. You can proceed to the next step when you’ve been granted an admission.
Step 2: Opening of blocked account
This account will be opened in one of the Deutsche Bank branch in Germany in your name.
You will download a blocked account opening form, fill it and take it to the German embassy in Lagos where you will sign it in front of an embassy official. You will be given a slip as confirmation that you have applied for bank account opening.
The form will be sent to the bank in Germany on your behalf by the the embassy.
The account name and number will be sent to you within three weeks.
Go here for more information on blocked account opening.
The blocked account opening might not be necessary if you intend to prove your financial means if you have a sponsor who is in Germany OR you are a scholarship recipient.
Step 3: Funding Blocked Account
Fund the account with the minimum amount of 7,908 Euro.
UPDATE:
From 1 January 2020, the presumed annual requirement that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa will increase to 10,236 euros. This increased amount applies to all visa applications submitted from 1 September 2019.
You will receive payment confirmation from the bank within two days of payment.
Note: The amount must be fully paid before you can receive notification from the bank.
Step 4: Print the payment slip from the email notifying you that the money has been deposited into your German bank account.
It is this email print out that you will use in booking a visa application/interview appointment.
Step 5: Booking of Appointment for Visa Application/Interview
How to Book an Appointment for German Visa
In order to obtain an appointment for submission of your visa application, you are requested to send scans of your admission letter, proof of financial means as well as your passport data page by email to Old: rk-visa201@lago.diplo.de, New: student@lago.diplo.de. An appointment date will be given to you by return email.
Note: You can use the email printout from the German bank indicating the payment of money into the blocked account or the slip given to you at the embassy that you’ve applied for bank account opening as proof of financial means.
Step 6: Preparation for Visa Application and Interview
- Visa applications have to be submitted personally Monday till Friday by appointment only
- The visa fee amounting to 60 € (13,500 in NGN only) has to be paid when submitting the visa application. The money is payable in Naira only.
Required documents for German Student Visa Application include:
Every applicant is asked to provide the following mandatory documents (original + 2 copies of each document, unless otherwise specified):
The documents include:
- Valid passport +2 copies of its data page
- 2 identical passport pictures according to biometric specifications, one attached to application form and one loose
- 2 Visa Application Forms (Application for a Residence Permit) – no copies required!
- School Leaving Certificates of Primary and Secondary School/ WAEC-Certificate
- Proof of previous academic studies/professional training/ work experience (if applicable)
- Birth Certificate from National Population Commission or Declaration of Age deposed to by head of Family
- Biographically old documents (older than 5 years) to verify identity (such as library card, baptism certificate, vaccination card etc.)
- Letter of admission to the university/ Confirmation of registration for language course
- Proof of knowledge of the German language, if required for the course of study
- A “WAEC-direct access card“ (scratch card to access WAEC results online, available e. g. at Spring Bank and Wema Bank)
- Proof of financial means for one year by one of the following options:
a) Confirmation of blocked German bank account bearing an amount of minimum 7.908,-€
b) official German declaration of sponsorship („Verpflichtungserklärung“) for the purpose of studies/ language course given before the competent German authority (Please note: Financing is usually only secured if declarant resides in Germany)
c) proof of scholarship of a German/ European organization covering the arising costs.
Step 7: German Student Visa Interview (Questions and Guides)
Make sure you don’t miss your interview. In case you miss it, you will have to wait for another month before you can be granted another date.
You can go here for information about likely visa interview questions
Step 8: Wait for Visa Interview Decision from the Embassy of Germany
The visa is usually granted between 3 to 5 weeks after the visa interview date.
In one of our previous posts, we shared information on Tuition-free Universities in Germany. We also dropped a list of the comprehensive list of Universities in Germany and their website.
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Good luck with your application !!!