Germany Schengen Visa Interview

With over 185 million visitors per year, Germany is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, drawing tourists from all over the world. In addition to its diverse array of museums, castles, and other essential historical sites, the country entices countless revelers to yearly cultural events like Oktoberfest, the month-long celebration of beer and Bavarian heritage located in Munich. For more serious-minded travelers, Germany’s excellent medical and educational system attracts hundreds of thousands of patients and students seeking surgical procedures and educational opportunities throughout the country’s world-renowned hospitals and universities. Long one of the strongest economies in Europe (and the world) – Germany is also a central hub for international investment and business development. 

If you are a citizen or resident of a country located outside Europe, you may have to obtain a visa in order to travel to Germany. Your best bet is a Schengen visa, which will allow you to travel to Germany and throughout the 26-countries in the Schengen area. If you are applying for a Schengen visa to Germany you will likely be interviewed as part of your application. Read on for more information about the kinds of questions you will be asked, and for other basic information about your German Schengen visa appointment. 

Your Germany Schengen Visa Interview: The Basics

• Your interview will take place at your Schengen visa appointment located at the German Embassy, consulate, or visa application center you are applying through.
• Unless you travel frequently to the Schengen area you will probably have to appear in person at one of the above sites in order to attend a visa appointment. 
• Your visa appointment is likely where you will drop off your application, pay your Schengen visa fee, have your fingerprints and photo taken, and submit to a short interview. 
• Bring a signed print out of your application, a passport, and other required documents to your appointment.
• Your interview shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes, although occasionally interviews can run 20 minutes or longer. 

How to Ace Your Germany Schengen Visa Interview

• Remember that the purpose of your visa interview is to determine that you are the type of candidate who deserves a German Schengen visa. The idea Schengen candidate is someone who will: 
  • Have a credible/compelling reason to return to his or her home country. 
  • Leave Germany before their visa expires (i.e. not stay longer than they are legally allowed to).
  • Not claim asylum in either Germany or the Schengen area. 
  • Not commit any crimes during their stay (i.e. follow German law).
  • Be able to afford their trip and all the associated housing, travel, and medical costs. 
  • Follow all the terms and conditions of the visa. 
  • Be a positive presence in Germany. 
• Keep the following qualities in mind during your interview. They should guide your responses to all of your answers to even basic questions. 
• Remember to be honest in all your responses. Lying is to be avoided because if you are found out you will likely be denied a visa or possibly even banned from future trips to Germany and/or the Schengen area. 

Biographical Interview Questions 

Question: Where do you work and what is your salary?

• What they want to know: Do you make enough money to afford this trip?

Question What is your relationship status? Married? Single? Living with Partner?

• What they want to know: Do you have a reason to return to your home country?

Question: Do you have travel medical insurance?

• What they want to know: Are you financially prepared in the event that you experience a medical emergency on your trip? 

Question: Have you ever supported or interacted with a terrorist organization?

• What they want to know: Are you going to pose a security risk to the Schengen area and its residents? 

Question: Do you know how long your visa is valid for?

• What they want to know: Have you done the research about the terms and conditions for your visa? Are you going to leave before your visa expires or will you try to overstay?

Germany-Specific Schengen Visa Interview Questions

The following questions are country-specific to Germany. The following information can help prepare you and guide your responses. Remember to answer confidently-and above all honestly!

Question: How do we know that you will leave Germany when your visa is up?

• What they want to know: That you have reasons for returning to your home country and therefore you won’t overstay your visa or try to seek asylum. 
  • How to respond: Talk about all the reasons you need to return home. If your family lives in the country, talk about how close you are to them and how frequently you see them. If you are married/dating someone talk about how much that person means to you and your plans for the future. If you are employed, talk about how much your job needs you and emphasize the vital role you play in your company. If you are a student, talk about the courses you take and detail upcoming assignments/presentations. If you own a house/rent an apartment, be sure to let your interviewer know. 

Question: What is your reason for travel to Germany?

• What they want to know: Do you have a clear and valid purpose for travelling to Germany and does your oral response correspond with what you wrote on your application?
  • How to respond: Be honest about why you are traveling to Germany. If you are traveling primarily because you want to go to Oktoberfest, talk about the festival and why you are looking forward to attending. If you are traveling for education purposes, bring any relevant acceptance letters and discuss the German university and the courses you intend to take. 

Question: Are you going anywhere else in the Schengen area outside of Germany?

• What they want to know: Are you planning on staying in Germany or do you have plans to go to other countries, and if so, is your reason for travelling to those other countries legitimate?
  • How to respond: If you plan on spending time elsewhere in the Schengen area, be honest about your intentions and talk about where and why you want to go. Unless you receive a Limited Territorial Visa (LTV) specifically for Germany, you should be allowed to travel to any and all of the 26 countries within the Schengen area. 

Question: How long will you stay in Germany for?

• What they want to know: Are you going to overstay your visa or are you going to leave the country within the time allotted to you on your visa? 
  • How to respond: Demonstrate your awareness of the 90/180 Schengen visa validity rule by saying you will leave the country before 90 days have passed. 

Question: Why do you need all that time in Germany? Why don’t you apply for a visa of shorter duration? 

• What they want to know: Do you really need 90 days in the Schengen area, or could the purpose of your trip be accomplished on a visa of shorter duration (i.e. less time)? 
  • How to respond: Talk about all the things you want to do and why you need the amount of time that you do. 

Question: How will you fund your trip to Germany?

• What they want to know: Are you aware of what your trip will cost/the general price of things in Germany and do you have enough money to afford it?
  • How to respond: Be honest about how much money you make and try to demonstrate your awareness of what things costs in the country. Do a little research beforehand to try to find out the basic prices for things, particularly food, housing, and other essentials. Germany can be expensive in comparison to other Schengen countries. It takes the Euro, which is a strong currency, so you should have an idea of what the exchange rate between it and that of your home country’s currency. Try to show how the trip fits within your budget by talking about the main things you want to do and how much they cost (and therefore why you can afford them). 

Question: Have you ever visited Germany or Europe before?

• What they want to know: Did you previously visit Germany, and did you leave before your visa expired? Do you know people in the country/region?
  • How to respond: If you have previously received a Schengen visa to Germany or another country, talk about your previous trip and be sure to convey that you left within the validity period allotted to your visa. Talk about the people you know in Germany and describe your relationship with them. If you are being hosted by a Schengen resident, you will need to establish your relationship with them. 

Question: Do you know how long you can stay in Germany for?

• What they want to know: Have you researched the terms and conditions of your visa and will you leave Germany before it expires?
  • How to respond: Demonstrate your awareness of the places you can go on your German Schengen visa and acknowledge how long you are allowed to stay in the Schengen area. If you know specifically when you will return to your home country, talk about your intended date of departure and why you picked that specific date.