8/F SOHO Donghai Plaza
299 Tongren Road, Jing'an District
Shanghai 200040, VR China
Tel.: (+86-21) 6032 6500
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shanghai.diplo.de
Gz.: RK-Visa10 -516.00/1
April 18, 2012
General Information on Schengen Visa
Schengen visas allow free travel within the Schengen area - unless stated otherwise on the visa. The Schengen member states
are the Czech Republic, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden and Switzerland. The maximum duration of stay within the territory of the member states is limited to 90 days in any 6month period starting from the date of first entry into the Schengen area.
Internationally responsible for the processing of your visa application is the mission of the Schengen state of your main
destination, that means of the main purpose of your travel, not necessarily the first Schengen state you enter on your trip.
The issuance of a Schengen visa does not constitute a guarantee of entry into the Schengen area. The final decision is
incumbent upon the immigration authority at the Schengen border. It is therefore possible that they will request at the border in addition to your passport with the valid visa - documents that provide information about your financial resources, the duration
and purpose of your stay and health insurance coverage. Please carry with you a copy of your visa documents (travel
insurance, original of the financial obligation letter) when you are traveling.
Where do I have to apply?
The Federal Republic of Germany has five missions in the Peoples’ Republic of China. Each of them has a clearly
defined region for visa issue:
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Applicants residing or having their normal abode in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and the city of
Shanghai have to apply for a visa at the German Consulate General Shanghai, SOHO Donghai Plaza, 8F, 299 Tongren
Road, Shanghai 200040, phone: (021) 6032 6500, E-Mail: [email protected]
•
Applicants residing or having their normal abode in the provinces Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan or the provincial-level
municipality of the city of Chongqing have to apply for a visa at the German Consulate General Chengdu, Western
Tower, 25. Stock, No. 19, 4th Section Renmin Nan Road, 610041 Chengdu, phone: (028) 8528 0838, Fax: (028) 8528
0866, www.chengdu.diplo.de, E-Mail: [email protected]
•
Applicants residing or having their normal abode in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and the
Autonomous Region of the Zhuang-Nationality Guangxi have to apply for a visa at the German Consulate General
Kanton, Teem Tower, 14F, 208 Tianhe Road, Tianhe District, 510620 Guangzhou, phone: (020) 8313 0000, Fax: (020)
8516 8459, www.kanton.diplo.de, E-Mail: [email protected]
•
Applicants residing or having their normal abode in Hongkong or Macao have to apply for a visa at the German
Consulate General Hongkong, United Centre, 21/F, 95 Queensway-Central, Hongkong, phone: (00852) 2105 8777, fax
(00852) 2105 8788, www.hongkong.diplo.de, E-Mail: [email protected]
•
Applicants residing or having their normal abode in any other province have to apply for a visa at the German
Embassy Beijing, 17 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Beijing 100600, phone: (010) 6532 1925, fax: (010) 6532 3557,
www.peking.diplo.de, E-Mail: [email protected]
Which documents do I have to present?
1.
One original Passport and one copy. The passport must be valid for at least 90 days after expiration of the visa and
signed by the applicant. The passport must not be older than 10 years and must have at least two blank pages left.
2.
One electronic (http://visa.diplo.de), fully completed and signed application form and two recent photographs with
white background (size 35mm x 45mm) plus one additional declaration:
http://www.shanghai.diplo.de/contentblob/2988974/Daten/988433/download_visum_VK_zusatzerklaerung.pdf
Please note that handwritten applications cannot be accepted.
3.
Proof of residence with one copy
4.
„Hukou“ (only for Chinese citizens), original and one copy of all pages – a translation is not required
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5.
Visa fee (see page 3)
6.
Proof of medical travel insurance (handwritten insurance policies cannot be accepted) for duration of stay in the
Schengen area with one copy. The medical travel insurance has to comply with the following requirements:
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cover the risks of urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment both in case of accident and
in case of illness
•
cover the risks of repatriation for medical reasons
•
•
the minimum coverage shall be 30.000 EUR
claims have to be covered in all Schengen states and Liechtenstein
7.
Spouses of German or EU-citizens are requested to submit their marriage certificate (a Chinese marriage
certificate needs to be presented in form of a notarized and legalized document with German or English translation),
the passport/ID of their spouse AND – if the spouse lives in China or outside of Germany a copy of his residence
permit/visa
8.
Further required documents according to the purpose of travel are mentioned on the “Harmonized Schengen
Information leaflets“:
•
Visa for Business visits or short trainings
•
Visa for Tourism
•
Visa for the purpose of cultural / sport events
•
Visa for ADS
•
Visa for the purpose of visit to family or friends
Please note that the documents mentioned on our information leaflets cannot cover each individual case. Therefore, the
visa section reserves the right to request additional documents after receiving the application.
Additonal documents which the applicant regards as useful to support his application and which are not mentioned on the
leaflet might also be handed in upon applying for the visa.
Documents in Chinese language have to be handed in with an informal German or English translation.
Minor applicants under 18 years require the permission of their legal guardians who have to sign the application form
together with the applicant. In case that the minor does apply without his legal guardians, a written and notarized legal
consent has to be presented together with an official German or English translation. The visa section reserves the right to
demand the presence of all legal guardians.
Annotation to our Information leaflets
The visa section of the Consulate General in Shanghai does apply the “Harmonized Information leaflets” according to Art.
48 of the Visa Codex.
We advise all applicants that the necessary flight reservation for the application means a cancellable one. We strongly
recommand to avoid buying a flight ticket or booking a flight before the receipt of the necessary visa. Holders of flight tickets
are neither eligible to a preferred treatment of their application nor does a flight ticket provide a claim to receive the visa.
All documents have to be presented in the original and if indicated with one copy.
Please note that an incomplete application cannot be accepted.
Application procedure: Appointment - Interview
In principle, all applicants have to submit their visa application in person.
Exceptions:
- „Frequent traveller“ who have received during the last 24 months before their application 2 Schengen visa (category C)
or were holding a multiple entry-Schengen visa with a one-year or even longer validity and have traveled with these visas
according to the Schengen regulations, can hand in their visa application without need of an interview (i.e. appointment).
The „drop off“ of visa applications of these applicants is possible Monday to Friday between 8:30 and 11:30 a. m. at the visa
section or at the application center of the GIC in Pudong (see below) and can be done by the applicant himself or an
authorized person (written authorization by the applicant is required). In case the application documents require an
interview with the applicant, he/she will be contacted by the visa section.
- Minors under 12 years who travel together with at least one of their parents can hand in their applications through the
parent – the minor does not have to present him-/herself in person at the visa section,
Where can I apply?
Please observe that in general every applicant has to book an appointment for the visa interview through our online
appointment system. However, there are some applicants who are eligible to submit their applications without appointment
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or can apply at our visa application center in Pudong. Please read the following explanations carefully!
a) Appointment for an interview at the visa section
Each applicant has to make an appointment. Appointments can only be booked online at:
https://service2.diplo.de/rktermin/extern/choose_realmList.do?locationCode=shan&request_locale=en
Exceptions - on workdays (mon-fri) between 8:30 a.m and 11:30 only:
- Spouses of German/EU-citizens
- Parents of German children by presenting the child's German passport and (i. a. notarized and legalized) birth certificate
- Spouses and children of frequent travellers (s. a.) ONLY if they are travelling together with the frequent traveller
- Holders of official passport, please contact us by phone or submit a Verbal Note of your mission
- Groups of more than 4 applicants can apply for a group interview by submitting a complete list of all group members
(complete names, passport no., date of birth, purpose and dates of travel, I. a. name of host in Germany, name and phone
no. of contact person in P.R. China.
b) Appointment for an interview at the application center – businessmen and ADS only
According to an agreement between the German Consulate General and the Delegation of German Industry & Commerce
Shanghai (German Industry and Commerce (Taicang) Co. Ltd., Shanghai Branch - GIC), businesstravellers with their main
business destination in Germany can hand in their visa application at the Application Center of the GIC in Pudong if they
- are holding a private passport of the P.R. China, SAR Hongkong or Macau,
- are of non-Chinese citizenship but employees of a German company,
- are employees of a German company (irrespective their citizenship) or Chinese businesstravellers who would like to
attend business meetings with a in Germany registered society („eingetragener Verein“ = e. V.),
- are employees of a law firm (irrespective their citizenship) who would like to attend business meetings at their German
parent law firm.
The application center is able to provide short term interview appointments.
Application Center of the GIC:
German Industry and Commerce (Taicang) Co. Ltd., Shanghai Branch
Shanghai Lujiazui Plaza Co., Ltd.
20/F 1600 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area
Shanghai, 200122
www.china.ahk.de
Online-appointment booking GIC: http://www.gic-shanghai.com/database/visade.nsf/appointment?OpenForm
Information on business visa and appointment booking: phone (021) 5081 5964 / (021) 5081 5572, fax.: (021) 6875 2653
Information on application status:
Online: http://www.gic-shanghai.com/database/visa.nsf/VisaWeb?OpenFrameset
phone: (021) 5081 5579
Processing time
After submitting all necessary documents (i.e. a complete application) processing time takes approximately 5-10 working
days. The processing time for business visa applications which have been handed in at the application center of the GIC is
7 working days. During this period questions regarding the ongoing process cannot be answered. Please note, that in case
of need of further documents or an additional interview as well as depending on the citizenship of the applicant, the
processing time can be longer.
How much is the fee?
The visa fee amounts to EURO 60,- (to be paid in Renminbi only). Please note that this fee includes all official acts of
the visa section. The application form, information leaflets and making an appointment are free of charge.
The service charge of the application center of the GIC amounts to RMB 200,00. There ist nor refund of the fee or
service charge in case the application is withdrawn or unsuccessful.
Collection of passport
a) For applications handed in at the application center of the GIC in Pudong:
Please check the status of your application online:
http://www.gic-shanghai.com/database/visa.nsf/VisaWeb?OpenFrameset
or by phone (021) 5081 5579
b) For applications handed in at the visa section of the German Consulate General in Puxi:
In the afternoon of Monday, Wednesday and Friday (not possible on Tuesday and Thursday!): Admission according to
your “pick-up note” you will receive after the interview. Please be prepared for a longer waiting time!
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c) By mail:
If you do not want to wait for collecting your passport in person, the passport can be sent to you via EMS in association
with China Post. EMS envelopes are available at the waiting room of the visa section. The fee is RMB 35 for mailing
within Shanghai and RMB 45 for mailing to other provinces.
ATTENTION:
When submitting the visa application the applicant is asked to confirm the correctness of all the datas given. Upon receiving
your visa, please check immediately all data (name, photo, visa category, validity etc.). Any errors should be reported
immediately to the visa section. The visa section cannot be hold liable for any damages caused by incorrect visa stickers
(e.g. wrong photo, spelling error, wrong validity).
*** Disclaimer ***
All data and information contained in this leaflet are based on the knowledge and experience of the Consulate
General at the time of its publication. Legal claims cannot be derived based on this leaflet.
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