If you are reading this blog, it suggests that you have researched enough to conclude that you need a valid visa to travel to the Schengen area. The list of countries that are Schengen members is as follows: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. At present the EU members Bulgaria and Romania only apply some of the Schengen provisions. Until these countries apply what is known as the Schengen acquis in full, as is their aim, passport controls will remain in place at internal borders. If you want to explore Europe, you can apply for a tourist visa for any of the countries listed above.
This blog focuses on two different types of short-term visas for Germany. A German tourist visa is a short-stay Schengen visa for Germany. It permits its holder to travel to Germany and the Schengen area for tourism purposes, as sightseeing, experiencing the countries and also visiting the friends and family members residing in Germany. It can be granted with a maximum validity of 90 days within a 180 day period.
The two types of short-term visas are:
1.Tourist Visa
2. Visit to Family & Friends visa
The difference between both the types of visas are listed below that will help you to answer the question, Which visa category is more suitable for me?
| Questions | Tourist Visa | Visit to Family & Friends Visa |
| Who can apply for respective visa category? | Anyone with the purpose to travel | Anyone with the purpose to travel or visit family or friends residing in Germany |
| Is Travel Itinerary necessary for visa application? | Yes | Not required |
| What would be the maximum duration for which visa is granted? | Depends on the number of days itinerary provided (max 90 days of 180 days) | Depends on the number of days mentioned in the invitation letter (max 90 days of 180 days) |
| Is Sponsorship letter required from the person sponsoring & living in Germany? | Not Required | Yes |
| Can the Visa for multiple years be granted? | Not possible | Possible for up to 5 years |
To conclude from our experience we would suggest that, if the sole purpose of your visit is tourism, apply for a tourist visa. But, if you have a friend, sibling, son or daughter living in Germany and want to visit frequently then go for the visit to family & friends visa category.
Now that you have all the information required to apply for a specific visa category go ahead and apply for that particular category.
To obtain accurate and up-to-date information, it is recommended to visit the official website of the German embassy or consulate or contact them directly for the latest visa requirements and categories.