The German High Commission in India has announced that there will be changes to visa fees for Schengen and National visa applications from April 26, 2023. The new fees will be applicable to all applications received on or after the said date. The fees for adults have significantly increased, while the fees for minors remain unchanged.
The German High Commission in India has announced that as of Wednesday, 26.04.2023, there will be changes to visa fees for both Schengen and National visa applications. The new fees will be applicable to all applications reaching the consulate on the said date.
The Schengen visa fee for adults will now be 7200 INR, which represents a significant increase from the current fee. Meanwhile, the fee for minors will remain at 3600 INR.
Similarly, for National visa applications, the fee for adults will be 6800 INR, and the fee for minors will remain at 3400 INR.
Germany Revised Visa Fees
| Visa Fee For | EUR | INR |
| Adults | 75 EUR | 6,800 INR* |
| Minors 0-17 | 37.50 EUR | 3,400 INR* |
It is important to note that while application dates at VFS centres in cities other than Mumbai may be a few days earlier, the new fees will still be applicable as long as the application is received at the consulate on 26.04.2023.
The following modes of payment are acceptable for the payment of Visa Fee:
| City | Acceptable Modes of Payment |
| New Delhi | Demand Draft or Cash |
| Bangalore | Only Demand Draft |
| Kolkata | Only Demand Draft |
| Mumbai | Only Demand Draft |
| Chennai | Only Demand Draft |
The German High Commission in India has not provided any reasons for the changes in visa fees. It is also not clear whether these changes will affect the number of applications being made.
Previous Hikes in Visa Fees
It is worth noting here that this is not the first time that the German consulate has raised visa fees. Visa fees would have been raised by the German Consulate General in Mumbai in December 2022. The most recent Schengen visa fee was ₹6800 for adults and ₹3400 for minors. The application fee for a National visa was ₹6400 for adults and ₹3200 for minors.
Prior to this increase, the Schengen visa fee was only ₹6400, while the German consulate charged adults ₹6000 for a national visa.
The German High Commission in India advises all visa applicants to consult their website or contact the consulate directly for more information and guidance regarding visa applications.
Bottomline
The announcement of the change in visa fees comes amid increasing demand for travel and tourism. As countries reopen their borders, there has been a surge in the number of people seeking to obtain visas to travel to different parts of the world. The change in visa fees may have been introduced to help cover the costs of processing these applications.