According to the Schengen-Agreement, tourist and business visas issued by a mission of a Schengen-member state are valid for the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Nationals of many countries do not need a visa for a short term trip: To find out which nationalities (do not) need a visa, please check this link.

General Information

Competent Embassy

The Embassy of the country of your main travel destination is the competent authority to deal with the application. If a main travel destination cannot be ascertained, the application should be submitted to the Embassy of the country of first entry to the Schengen area.

Passport requirements

- your passport must have at least two empty pages.

- your passport must have been issued within the last ten years.

- your passport must not expire before the end of the scheduled trip and has to be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended return date from the Schengen area.

Appointment

- Applications shall be lodged no more than 6 months before the start of the intended visit, and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the intended visit.

- According to the EU visa code, applicants may be required to obtain an appointment for the lodging of an application. The appointment shall, as a rule, take place within a period of two weeks from the date when the appointment was requested.
In justified cases of urgency, the consulate may allow applicants to lodge their applications without appointment.

Additional

- The visa fee is 90 Euros and is to be paid in cash in KRW on application according to the current exchange rate or with Visa/MasterCard in Euro. If the visa is refused or the application withdrawn by the applicant, the visa fee cannot be reimbursed. In some cases the visa fee is reduced or exempted. For further information on visa fees, click here

- The visa applicant needs to apply at the Embassy in person. Children must be accompanied by their legal guardians (generally both parents).

Please note that there is no legal right to a visa. Submitting the documents listed below does not automatically guarantee the issuance of the visa.

Business

Required documents

• Valid passport + copy of the identification pages
• One duly filled in and signed application form (online / PDF)
• Two recent colour passport photographs; photographs have to meet the following requirements:
  • size 35 mm x 45 m
  • light background
  • taken without headgear
  • head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant’s face
  • picture has to be taken from the front
  • any changes or modifications of the photograph are not allowed
• Korean Alien Registration Card (at least valid until 3 months after the travel dates) + copy
• Flight reservation (round trip) and travel itinerary
• Proof of applicant’s return to home country after travel (certification of employment (not older than a month) / employment contract or other information proving employment / school or student certificate / proof of business registration and tax form / proof of immovable property).
• Proof of secured financial status:
  • if you are covering your costs  - proof of personal solvency (bank statements from the previous 6 months)

  • if your company or inviting party is covering the costs of travel and living – official letter from the employer (with companys letter head, stamp, signature , date), clearly mentioning the applicant, his position, salary, years of service and approval for absence, as well as information who will bear applicants travel and living costs.

• Original invitation letter from the business partners in Germany with stamp and signature, mentioning:
  • The full address and contacts of the company/organisation
  • Purpose and duration of the visit / detailed program
  • The person who will bear the costs of travel and living
• Proof of accommodation (e.g. hotel reservation / proof of possession of own real estate / confirmation that a host will provide private accommodation)
• Proof of medical insurance (from Korea) minimum coverage 30.000 Euros per person, covering emergency treatment, ambulance transportation, transportation back to applicants home country; valid in all Schengen states for the entire validity of the visa

Please note that these are the standard required documents. The competent Embassy maintains the right to ask for further documents or information if necessary.

Tourism

Required documents

• Valid passport + copy of the identification pages
  One duly filled in and signed application form (online / PDF)
• Two recent colour passport photographs; photographs have to meet the following requirements:
  • size 35 mm x 45 m
  • light background
  • taken without headgear
  • head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant’s face
  • picture has to be taken from the front
  • any changes or modifications of the photograph are not allowed
• Korean Alien Registration Card (valid for at least 3 months after the travel dates) + copy
• Flight reservation (round trip) and travel itinerary
• Proof of applicant’s return to home country after travel (certification of employment (not older than a month) / employment contract or other information proving employment / school or student certificate / proof of business registration and tax form / proof of immovable property)
• Vacation certificate from employer
• Proof of purpose of travel - booked tours, travel plan (itinerary)
• Proof of secured financial status (bank statements from the previous 6 months)
• Proof of accommodation (e.g. hotel reservation / proof of possession of own real estate / confirmation that a host will provide private accommodation)
• Proof of medical insurance (from Korea) with minimum coverage 30.000 Euros per person, covering emergency treatment, ambulance transportation, transportation back to applicants home country; valid in all Schengen states for the entire validity of the visa

Please note that these are the standard required documents. The competent Embassy
maintains the right to ask for further documents or information if necessary.

Visiting Friends or Family

Required documents

• Valid passport + copy of the identification pages
• One duly filled in and signed application form (online / PDF)
• Two recent colour passport photographs; photographs have to meet the following requirements:
  • size 35 mm x 45 m
  • light background
  • taken without headgear
  • head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant’s face
  • picture has to be taken from the front
  • any changes or modifications of the photograph are not allowed
• Korean Alien Registration Card (at least valid until 3 months after the travel dates) + copy.
• Flight reservation (round trip) and travel itinerary
• Proof of applicant’s return to home country after travel (certification of employment (not older than a month) / employment contract or other information proving employment / school or student certificate / proof of business registration and tax form / proof of immovable property)
• Vacation certificate from employer
• Proof of secured financial status (bank statements from the previous 6 months)
• Proof of accommodation (e.g. hotel reservation / proof of possession of own real estate / confirmation that a host will provide private accomodation)
• Original invitation letter of friends or family specifying the relationship between applicant and the inviting person, name and full address of the inviting person and/or formal obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung)
• Proof of medical insurance (from Korea) with minimum coverage 30.000 Euros per person, covering emergency treatment, ambulance transportation, transportation back to applicants home country; valid in all Schengen states for the entire validity of the visa

Please note that these are the standard required documents. The competent Embassy maintains the right to ask for further documents or information if necessary. 

Airport Transit

The Transit Visa category A is for applicants who will stopover at a German international airport (Frankfurt, Munich or Hamburg) and continue their travel to a final destination outside the Schengen area. The transit visa A does not entitle the visa holder to leave the international transit area of the airport.

The countries that need a airport transit visa in Germany include: Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan (with exceptions), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Turkey.

Required documents

• Valid passport + copy of the identification pages
• One duly filled in and signed application form (online / PDF))
• Two recent colour passport photographs; photographs have to meet the following requirements:
  • size 35 mm x 45 mm
  • light background
  • taken without head coverings (head coverings are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant’s face
  • picture has to be taken from the front
  • any changes or modifications of the photograph are not allowed
• Korean Alien Registration Card (must be valid until at least three months after the expiry date of the visa) plus one copy
  Return flight ticket reservation showing the ongoing travel to the country of your destination
• Visa issued by the country of your final travel destination (in case you need a visa for this Country)

Please note that these are the standard required documents. The Embassy maintains the right to ask for further documents or information if necessary.

Application Form

You can easily fill in the application form on your computer: VIDEX Please note that the German Embassy only accepts visa applications filled out in German or English language. The complete application form must be printed out with the barcodes and submitted at your appointment.

You can also download the application form for a Schengen visa here.

* See also: Information on Data Protection Regulation