Short-stay visa (C) — tourism & visiting: Indian citizen in United States → Germany
Indian citizens living in the United States need a Schengen short-stay visa for Germany — apply at the Germany visa application centre in the United States and give biometrics.
Uniform Schengen short-stay visa for tourism or visiting, applied for through Germany as the main destination.
- Validity
- The consulate decides how long it lasts. A first or occasional visa usually just covers your trip; the more you travel (with a clean record), the longer a multiple-entry visa you can get — up to 5 years (the EU visa cascade).
- Entries
- Single, double or multiple entry — shown on the visa as 1, 2 or MULT
- Max stay per visit
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period — this cap applies even with a 5-year visa
When to start
Start 30 days–6 months before your travel date.
Apply to Germany only if it is your main destination (longest stay).
Submit at least 15 days before travel and no earlier than 6 months beforehand.
The Schengen visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12; a separate service fee applies.
Submit your application — by mail or in person — at least 20 days before your planned trip.
Attend the visa application centre in person to give your fingerprints and have your photo taken. Some categories of applicant are exempt.
Standard processing is about 15 days, extendable to up to 45 days if a closer look or extra documents are needed.
What you'll need
- Valid passport — Validity must exceed your duration of stay in Germany by at least three months; include a copy of the data page. ✓ verified
- VIDEX application form — Completed VIDEX form (videx.diplo.de) with declaration and all signatures; your signature must be notarized by a notary public. ✓ verified
- Passport photo — One biometric-specification picture, no older than 6 months. ✓ verified
- Proof of US residence status — Notarized copy of your US alien (green) card or valid US resident visa, valid at least three months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area. ✓ verified
- Proof of US address — Proof of your current residence address in the U.S. ✓ verified
- Proof of status — Proof of employment, student or unemployment status. ✓ verified
- Travel/flight itinerary — Travel and flight itinerary covering the entire duration of the trip. ✓ verified
- Proof of accommodation — Proof of accommodation for your stay in the Schengen area. ✓ verified
- Travel health insurance — Proof of travel health insurance valid in the Schengen area. ✓ verified
- Bank statements — Bank statements showing checking-account activity for the last 3 months. ✓ verified
Where you'll apply
Where you'll apply in United States
Apply in your districtIn the US, Germany assigns applications by your state of legal residence — apply to the German embassy/consulate covering your state.
Getting a slot — book early · community-reported, checked 2026-06-13
- Slots are released in batches with no fixed public schedule — most often early morning local time, on Monday mornings, and around the 1st of the month.
- For popular consulates (e.g. France, Italy and Spain in big cities), a fresh batch can be gone within minutes — be registered and logged in before you look.
- Cancellations free up slots throughout the day, so check daily even when it shows ‘no availability’.
- Because of this, apply as early as you are allowed — up to 6 months before travel. Waiting until 1–2 months out often means no slots are left at all.
home-affairs.ec.europa.eu — official source for this route →
Fees
Gotchas to watch
- German US missions have territorial jurisdiction — apply to the one covering your state of residence.
- Apply through Germany only if it is your main destination.