Welcome
National Visa (for stays of more than 3 months)
The German Embassy in Lusaka is responsible for residents of Zambia and Malawi for long-term visas only.
In most cases, the German Embassy in Lusaka requires consent from the local immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany before issuing a visa. Therefore, the processing time for a long-term visa depends on both the complexity of the case and the individual processing times of the local immigration authority in Germany. The German Embassy Lusaka has no control over the processing times of the immigration authority and cannot guarantee that a long-term visa will be issued within a specific timeframe or by a certain date. It is advised to apply well in advance of your intended arrival in Germany.
Taking fingerprints is part of the application process, so all applications must be submitted in person.
The visa fee is 75 euros, payable in Zambian Kwacha, either in cash or via VISA/Mastercard credit card in EUR. Please note that the fee is subject to change depending on the current exchange rate. The fee is a non-refundable administrative fee. If your application is rejected, you are not entitled to any refund.
The fee may be waived or reduced if a legal exemption applies.
Submitting a complete application does not automatically guarantee that a visa will be issued. Each application is assessed individually to determine whether the applicant qualifies for a visa in accordance with German laws.
Preparing your application
As soon as you plan to stay in Germany long term, you should start preparing your application.
Please prepare your application as follows:
- You may fill out your application form via this link . Please note that this is not an online application. Your printed application must be submitted to the German Embassy. The completed and signed form must be submitted to the German Embassy along with the other application supporting documents.
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Please gather all required documents for your application. The Embassy must review the originals but will not keep them on file. Therefore, always bring a copy of each original document you present at your appointment, including the data page of your passport. Incomplete applications or missing supporting documents may result in rejection.
- Please check first whether you can submit your application via the Consular Services Portal. If this is not possible, please make an appointment to submit your application HERE
Submitting your application
To submit your application, you must attend your appointment at the embassy in person and provide a complete set of required documents.
Due to frequent forgery, all documents must be submitted as originals unless otherwise specified. An original document is never an email or a scanned copy. Typically, original documents are signed and stamped by the issuing authority or an authorized person.
During your appointment, the embassy will ask you questions about your planned trip and collect your photograph and fingerprints.
The embassy will review your application to determine whether it meets the legal requirements for a visa. Processing times generally range from 6 to 10 weeks, but in some cases, it may take significantly longer. The embassy will contact you once a decision has been made.
Please note that we cannot provide status updates during the processing period. After this period, inquiries will only be answered if submitted by the applicant, their legal representative, or a person authorized in writing.
Health Insurance in the National Visa Process
Individuals entering Germany for family reunification, employment, or study purposes must have continuous private health insurance coverage comparable to the regulations of the Social Code Book V (SGB V) upon entry, provided they are not already covered by statutory health insurance. This health insurance coverage must include the benefits to which those with statutory insurance are entitled under Section 11, Paragraphs 1-3 of the SGB V. The insurance contract must be open-ended and must not contain any expiration or termination clauses related to a specific age, the cessation of employment, the change of residence purpose, or the loss of legal residency status.
Travel health insurance or the European Health Insurance Card from another member state is not sufficient as proof of adequate health insurance coverage.
In the case of family reunification, proof can be provided by submitting the health insurance details of the family member being joined and a letter from the health insurance provider confirming that the incoming individual will be covered under the family insurance upon entry.
For employment, insurance coverage must be guaranteed at the start of the employment contract. Proof can also be provided by a letter from the health insurance provider confirming that the incoming individual will be covered by the employer's health insurance upon entry or commencement of employment.
For students, proof must either be provided by the university confirming that enrollment has already occurred or by proof of health insurance. Statutory health insurance providers offer corresponding packages for students.
Information on German statutory health insurance and how to switch to German statutory health insurance is available at https://www.health-insurance.de/
Please note that the visa's validity can only begin from the day you provide proof of adequate health insurance coverage in Germany.
Information on blocked accounts
You are free to choose where to open your blocked account. However, it must meet the following conditions:
- The account must have sufficient funds to cover your living expenses for the duration of your planned stay in Germany, unless alternative proof of financial support is provided during the visa application process. Standard rates apply, based on those for German students.
- From 1 September 2024 (for students) and 1 January 2025 (for other travel purposes), the required annual deposit for a visa application is 11,904 euros.
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The account must restrict withdrawals to a fixed monthly amount (currently 992 euros for students).
- The blocked account may only be closed with the consent of the designated beneficiary. The beneficiary is either the German mission abroad or, after your arrival in Germany, the competent foreigners authority.
Further information can be found here.
Evidence of basic knowledge of the German language
For certain types of residence permits, specific German language skills must already be proven when submitting the visa application.
Language proficiency must be demonstrated when applying for a visa by providing a language certificate from a test provider certified according to ALTE standards. Abroad, this typically includes the Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, or an ECL-certified language school. Language certificates from other Zambian providers cannot be recognized in the visa process.
Language certificates must generally not be older than twelve months, with the examination date being decisive.
| Purpose of Stay | Language Skills |
| Joining a spouse | A1* (exceptions see below) |
| Children 16 years or older joining parents | C1** (exceptions see below) |
Here you can find out if you need German language skills for a residence purpose related to employment when applying.
Submitting a language certificate from the aforementioned providers does not automatically confirm the language proficiency in the visa process. The language proficiency must be verified for authenticity and, in specific cases, its plausibility and relevance regarding the applicant’s actual language ability. The decision on the plausibility of the language skills rests solely with the visa office.
*The law provides exceptions to the requirement for basic German language skills when applying for family reunification with a spouse. For example, the language proficiency requirement is waived if the spouse holds a Blue Card EU, an ICT Card, a Mobile ICT Card, or a residence permit under sections 18a, 18b paragraph 1, section 18c paragraph 3, sections 18d, 18f, 19c paragraph 1 for employment as an executive employee, manager, corporate specialist, researcher, guest researcher, engineer or technician in the research team of a guest researcher, or as a teacher under section 19c paragraph 2 or 4 sentence 1, or section 21. Further information can be found here.
**Starting from the age of 16, you can come to Germany if:
- The reunification occurs within three months (or later in exceptional cases, such as to finish a school year) after the parents’ arrival, or
- You can prove German language skills at the C1 level, or
- It can be assumed that integration into German life will be easy. This is generally the case if you have attended a German school abroad, or if you grew up in an EU country or a German-speaking household.
If the parent to whom you are joining is employed as a specialist in Germany, these conditions do not apply.
Return of your passport
Once the Embassy has made a decision regarding your application, you will be informed and can then collect your passport in person. If you are unable to collect it yourself, you may authorize someone else to do so on your behalf.
There are several reasons why a visa application may be rejected, and these will be outlined in the notification letter you will receive.
If your application is unsuccessful, please feel free to submit a new application at any time, provided that all documents are complete, informative, and verifiable.
Have a good trip! Information for visa holders
Once you receive your passport, please verify that all the information on your visa label is correct. If you notice any errors, kindly inform us immediately so we can issue a new visa.
Your visa will include your full name, passport number, and photo, along with the number of days you are permitted to stay and the validity period. The validity period indicates the time by which you must have obtained your residence permit for Germany.
Please remember to register at the Immigration Office shortly after your arrival in Germany and schedule an appointment. Your entry visa allows you to travel within the Schengen Area.