How to Apply for Germany Schengen Visa from Canada in 5 Easy Steps – A Complete Guide

Of the 26 Schengen countries to choose from, but why not head to Germany for what might be the most exciting trip you’ve ever made? With stunning countryside, beautiful cities, and an interesting history – there is more than enough in this country to keep you happy and you’ll be thrilled that you ventured there in the first place! In this article, learn more about how to apply for a Germany visa at the Consulate General of Germany in Toronto, Canada, Germany visa appointment booking, processing time at the Germany visa application center, flight itinerary for a Germany visa, hotel bookings for a Germany visa, Schengen travel insurance for a Germany visa application, and Germany visa application process at the Toronto consulate.

Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/toronto-skyline-waters-sunset-dawn-3112508/

Germany Schengen Visas

In 2018, 2,056,296 German Schengen visa applications were received by embassies and consulates around the world. 186,699 (9.1%) were rejected. The Consulate General of Germany in Toronto received 2,432 applications and 91 (3.7%) were rejected.

Applying for a Schengen Visa from Canada  

If you are a Canadian citizen, you do NOT need to apply for a Germany Schengen visa. However, if you are a non-Canadian citizen and are currently living in Canada on a permanent basis, you DO need to apply for a visa for Germany. As long as you can prove that you have a legal right to remain in Canada, the application process is relatively straightforward. If you cannot prove this, you can still apply, but you must do so from the country where you were born.

Where to apply for a Germany Schengen visa

The German Missions in Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver DO NOT ACCEPT visa applications. If you are applying for a Schengen (short-stay) visa, you will submit your application to either::

1. Consulate General of Germany in Toronto
2. Austrian Embassy in Ottawa
3. Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver

The correct office will depend on where you live in Canada:

1. Residents of: – Manitoba, Ontario except residents of National Capital Region of Ottawa or its counties (Lanark; Leeds and Grenville; Prescott and Russell; Renfrew; Tormont, Dundas and Glengary) – German Consulate General in Toronto
2. Residents of: – National Capital Region of Ottawa or its counties (Lanark; Leeds and Grenville; Prescott and Russell; Renfrew; Stormont, Dundas and Glengary), Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Islands – Austrian Embassy in Ottawa
   
3. Residents of: – Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory – Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver
   

If you are applying for a National (long-stay) visa, you will submit your application to the consulate in Toronto.

You have to make sure you apply at the right visa office.

Types of Schengen visas offered at the Consulate General of Germany

There are 3 types of visas you may apply for and the one you choose will depend on the reason and duration of your trip:

1. Short-stay Schengen visa: for tourism, business, or visiting family or friends for up to 90 days
2. Transit visa: if you are passing through the international transit areas of a German airport or any other country in the Schengen area
3. Long-stay National visa: for over 90 days for employment, study, research, family reunification or residence

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa from Canada

Visa applications are usually processed within 15 days, but it could take longer depending on the type of visa you are applying for. You may apply up to 90 days ahead, so it’s best to apply as soon as possible.

There are 5 easy steps to follow to help you apply for your visa:

Step 1: Complete your application form

To complete your application form, go to the Embassy of Germany’s website and click on: “Consular services” then “Visa”:

Scroll down and choose the visa that you wish to apply for:

Click on: “Preparing your application” then the link for VIDEX Application Form Schengen Visa:

You will then be able to complete the application online by inputting the requested information and continuing through the screens:

Step 2: Make an appointment

Making appointments with the embassy, consulate or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, the visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below.

1. Go to the embassy’s website again, click on: “Consular services” and “Visa”
2. Scroll down and click on the link where it says: “Book an appointment with the Visa Section”
3. Choose the correct visa office where you will be submitting your application
4. Click on the link
5. You will be directed to the appointment booking system, click on: “Continue” under Visa
6. Choose the type of visa you are applying for
7. Read the instructions and continue
8. Type in the CAPTCHA text
9. Then, you will be able to choose a convenient day and time for your appointment

Step 3: Prepare your documents

The embassy has checklists of the documents required for each type of visa, so you should check these first before you start to prepare your documents. If you don’t provide all that is required, it could result in your visa application being rejected.

If you are applying for a long-stay visa, you will have to provide 2 application forms, so check the website to find out if this applies to you. You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!

Documents include:

1. Visa application form – completed and signed
   
2. Passport photographs
   
3. Passport  – must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Schengen zone, at least two empty pages and issued no more than 10 years ago
4. Copy of your passport’s data page
5. Valid permanent resident card or valid multiple entry visa for Canada, valid for at least 3 months after leaving the Schengen area
6. Copy of the valid visa/residence permit of your final destination (if applicable)
7. Declaration “Use of mail services”, duly signed
8. Flight reservation/itinerary (including your name) to Germany and back to Canada or final destination, rail tickets etc
9. Proof of Schengen travel medical insurance valid for the entire stay in the Schengen area with a minimum coverage of 30,000,00 EUR (approx. 50,000.00 CAD), including the following details: name of insured person, length of coverage, insurance sum and repatriation coverage
10. Proof of financial means to cover the costs of your proposed trip:- last three bank statements with your name OR declaration of formal obligation, passport copy as well as last three bank statements of the financial supporter
    
11. Confirmed hotel reservation for each day of your stay in the Schengen area, including name and full address of the hotel
    
12. Proof of employment – job letter or business registration, if self-employed OR enrolment letter from university or school in Canada
13. Invitation letter from your host not older than 4 weeks and signed, stating the dates of your trip, and a passport copy of the host along with host’s ID and/or residence permit (if applicable)
14. If sponsored by host in Germany or if your own funds are not sufficient: Original and copy of Formal Obligation (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) from your host
15. For minors: birth certificate with parental information, original and official translation into German or English, if applicable
16. Prepaid self-addressed Xpress post envelope (Canada Post only), RegionalStandard to Ontario or National Standard to all other provinces (shipment to a Canadian address only)

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2.  Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

Step 4 is to go to the visa office and submit your application along with your supporting documents. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your allotted time. If you are late, you will not be seen and you will have to reschedule your appointment. Remember to take all the documents you have prepared and dress smartly!

The visa officer will examine your application and documents and if they need to clarify anything they may question you about what you have stated. If this happens, simply give honest answers.

Typical questions include:

1. What do you know about Germany or the EU?
2. What is your salary?
3. Do you have any children?
4. What do you plan to do in Germany?
5. Why do you wish to go at this time?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa. You can pay by cash, Mastercard or Visa  Please note, the fee is non-refundable even if your application gets rejected.

A scan of your fingerprints and a photograph will be taken while you are at the visa office, especially if this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa. If you have provided this data within the last 5 years, it can be reused.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once your application has been processed, you will receive your passport by mail to your home address.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
2. Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason which will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected. You are welcome to submit a new application at any time with complete, informative and verifiable documentation

Common rejection reasons include:

1. Missing documents – if there are any missing documents, don’t be surprised if your application gets rejected. This is why it is so important to check what you need to provide before you get to your appointment
2. You applied at the wrong consulate/embassy – each visa office deals with applications from those that live within their jurisdiction, so check this before you start (see above for jurisdictions)
3. The consulate has concerns that you won’t return to Canada – the consulate is not going to grant you a visa if they have concerns that you won’t return home, so you need to provide them with documents to prove that you have ties in your country of residence such as an employment contract or proof that you own property
4. Documents are in a foreign language- any foreign documents must be translated into English or German before you submit your application

Contact details of the Consulate General of Germany in Toronto

Address: 2 Bloor Street East, 25th Floor,  Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8o

Phone: +1 416 925 28 13

Fax: +1 416 925 28 18

Email: Contact form

Hours: Monday to Thursday 8:30 – 4:30, Friday 8:30 – 1:30

Contact details of the Austrian Embassy in Ottawa

Address: 445 Wilbrod Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 6M7

Phone: +1 613 789 1444

Fax: +1 613 789 3431

Email: Contact form

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 12.00 noon (EST)

Contact details of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Vancouver

Address: World Trade Centre, 790-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1

Phone: +1 604 684 2231

Fax: +1 604 684 28 06

Email: vancouver@eda.admin.ch

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm

Conclusion

To apply for a Schengen visa for Germany, follow these simple steps:

1. Complete your application online or download it
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

Apply for Schengen Visa from Canada

Apply for Austria Schengen Visa from Ottawa, Canada

Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa from Montreal, Canada

Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa from Ottawa, Canada

Apply for Denmark Schengen Visa from Ottawa, Canada

Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa from Ottawa, Canada

Apply for Finland Schengen Visa from Canada

Apply for France Schengen Visa from Canada