German Embassy Washington DC: Visa Requirements, Documents & BLS Appointment Guide (2026)

Q: How much does a German Schengen visa cost?

€90 (about $105) for adults plus a €39 (about $46) BLS service fee, as of September 2026. Children 6-11 pay a reduced visa fee; children under 6 are exempt from the visa fee itself.

29 Sep, 2026 • By The Get Itinerary Team

Are you planning to apply for a German visa through the Washington DC jurisdiction? If you hold a US passport and you're traveling for tourism or business for 90 days or less, you likely don't need a visa at all under the Schengen visa-waiver program. This guide is for everyone else, non-US passport holders, longer stays, or other visa categories, who do need one. Here's exactly who's covered and what to bring.

Does the Washington DC Jurisdiction Cover You?

The German Missions serving Washington DC handle visa applications for residents of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Notably, this jurisdiction does not include Pennsylvania for Germany, unlike France's DC jurisdiction. If you're in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Fairfield County (CT), or Bermuda, you fall under the New York jurisdiction instead, with its own separate BLS office. Be careful, applying at the wrong location gets your application rejected outright.

Where the Embassy Is, and Where You'll Actually Apply

Embassy address: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: +1 (202) 298-4000

The embassy building itself doesn't take visa appointments. Since BLS International took over processing, the workflow is:

Complete your application online at videx.diplo.de (Germany's official visa application portal), print the confirmation and the Declaration of Accuracy form.
Book and attend your appointment at BLS Washington DC, 1660 L St NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20036. Office hours are 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday-Friday, with application submission from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM and inquiry/passport pickup from 3:00-4:00 PM.
BLS collects your biometrics and documents and forwards your file to the German Mission for the decision.

Full Document Checklist (Schengen Short-Stay Visa)

Sourced directly from BLS's official checklist for Germany visa applications. Requirements vary somewhat by purpose of travel (business, tourist, or visiting family/friends), the core list below applies to all three, with purpose-specific add-ons noted after.

Required for every application:

Completed, signed application form (all pages, printed with barcode) plus the signed Declaration of Accuracy, both generated through videx.diplo.de.
One recent biometric passport photo (35mm x 45mm, meeting German biometric photo specs).
Valid passport that: was issued within the last 10 years, has at least 2 blank visa pages, and remains valid at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.
US alien registration card or valid US visa/immigration document, if applicable (for non-US-citizen applicants residing in the US).
Proof of address in the DC jurisdiction: driver's license, state ID, utility bill, or lease agreement.
Confirmed round-trip flight or travel reservation showing your name. (This is exactly the document Get Itinerary provides, a verifiable round-trip flight reservation, no need to purchase a real ticket in advance. Get it here -> Order Now)
Travel medical insurance proof showing: your name, at least €30,000 coverage for medical evacuation/repatriation/emergency treatment, validity across the entire Schengen area, and validity for your full stay. Employer letters and insurance membership cards are explicitly not accepted, the proof has to be a standalone policy document. See our complete guide to Schengen visa insurance requirements for what qualifies.
Proof of family/social ties in the US, if applicable (marriage certificate, children's birth certificates, proof of other dependents).

Additional documents by purpose of travel:

Business: signed employer letter (duration of employment, salary, business relationship with the German company, travel purpose, trip duration, guarantee to cover expenses) plus 3 months of bank statements; a formal invitation letter from your German business partner; confirmed hotel reservations.
Tourism: employer letter confirming approved leave and salary (or academic enrollment / business license + tax return if self-employed), a detailed itinerary with confirmed hotel and flight reservations, and 3 months of US checking account statements as proof of funds. Foreign accounts, credit limits, and cash are explicitly not accepted as proof of funds. Visiting family/friends: the employer/enrollment/self-employment documentation above, a signed invitation letter from your German host (with their ID and, if applicable, a formal "Verpflichtungserklärung" obligation letter from the German authority), plus 3 months of bank statements.
Minors: both parents' signatures on the application (unless one parent has sole custody, documented), both parents' passport copies, and the minor's birth certificate.

German Schengen Visa Statistics from Washington, DC

Here is a table showing the visa approval rates for German Schengen visa applications from Washington, DC:

Year	Schengen State	Country	Consulate	Number of Visa Applications	Visas Issued	Visas Denied	Not Issued Rate for Uniform Visas
2025	Germany	USA	Washington, DC	1,353	1,274	79	5.8%
2024	Germany	USA	Washington, DC	1,704	1,651	53	3.1%
2023	Germany	USA	Washington, DC	1,404	1,377	27	1.9%
2022	Germany	USA	Washington, DC	1,078	1,056	22	2.0%
2021	Germany	USA	Washington, DC	258	256	2	0.8%

Data source: European Commission DG HOME (updated January 2026). See the full Germany visa statistics breakdown, including every consulate and nationality, on TheVisaExperts.com.

US citizens applying for German visas at the German Consulate in Washington, DC have seen application volumes rise significantly over the past five years. From 258 applications in 2021, submissions grew to a peak of 1704 in 2024 before declining to 1353 in 2025. Despite strong approval numbers, the not-issued rate at the Washington, DC consulate has climbed notably: just 0.8% of applications were denied in 2021, but by 2025 that rate had increased to 5.8%. The underlying data suggests that while most Germany visa applications continue to be approved, the Washington, DC post has grown more selective or encountered higher rates of incomplete or ineligible submissions as application volume has shifted. Applicants should ensure documentation is thorough and carefully reviewed before submission to the German Consulate in Washington, DC.

Visa Fees

Effective September 8, 2026:

Applicant	Visa Fee	BLS Service Fee
Adult	€90 / ~$105 USD	€39 / ~$46 USD
Child, 6-11	€45 / ~$53 USD	€39 / ~$46 USD
Child, 0-5	Free	€39 / ~$46 USD

Depending on your nationality, the visa fees may be lower under EU visa-facilitation agreements. These fees are paid at the appointment, and will be converted at the exchange rate on file that day if you do not have Euros.

Processing Time

Minimum 2 weeks, though BLS notes some cases run up to 45 days. Apply at least 6-8 weeks ahead of travel to leave room for delays or supplemental document requests, applications can be submitted as early as 6 months before your trip.

A Few Things Worth Double-Checking

Confirm you're booking at the correct BLS office. DC and New York are separate jurisdictions with separate offices, an appointment booked under the wrong one gets the application rejected.
Foreign bank statements, fixed-term deposits, travel money cards, and credit limits don't count as proof of funds, only US personal checking account statements do.
Insurance proof has to be a standalone policy meeting the exact coverage/validity requirements above, an employer benefits letter or insurance card isn't accepted.
Most US passport holders traveling under 90 days for tourism/business don't need this process at all, confirm visa-waiver eligibility applies to your situation before starting.

FAQ

Do US citizens need a German visa?
Usually not, for tourism or business stays of 90 days or less within a 180-day period, US passport holders can enter visa-free under the Schengen visa-waiver program. This guide is for applicants who don't qualify for that: non-US passport holders, longer stays, or other visa categories.

Which states does the Washington DC jurisdiction cover?
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. Pennsylvania is not included, it falls under the New York jurisdiction along with New York, New Jersey, Fairfield County (CT), and Bermuda, served by a separate BLS office.

Does the German Embassy in DC handle visa appointments directly?
No. Applications are submitted online through videx.diplo.de, then processed in person at BLS Washington DC, which forwards the file to the German Mission for a decision.

Do I need a purchased plane ticket for my German visa application?
No. A confirmed round-trip reservation showing your name satisfies the requirement, you don't need to have paid for the ticket.

How much does a German Schengen visa cost?
€90 (about $105 USD) for adults plus a €39 (about $46 USD) BLS service fee, as of September 2026. Children 6-11 pay a reduced visa fee; children under 6 are exempt from the visa fee itself.