Beginning July 1, 2025, Germany will officially discontinue its worldwide visa appeal mechanism, known as the remonstration procedure, affecting all foreign nationals, including Nigerians, who wish to contest visa rejections. The decision was confirmed by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office in an official update, which also detailed revised entry guidelines for non-EU citizens planning to live, work, or study in the country for over 90 days.
“The Federal Foreign Office has decided to abolish the appeal procedure against visa rejections worldwide as of July 1, 2025. This eliminates a legal remedy in the visa process that was not provided for by law but was previously granted voluntarily.
Adequate legal protection will continue to be guaranteed, as the legal process provided for by law will not be shortened by the abolition of the remonstration procedure,” they stated.
Under the new policy, applicants whose visa requests are denied will no longer have the option to request a reassessment by the embassy. Instead, they will be informed of the reason for the denial and presented with two alternatives: initiate a formal legal challenge through the courts or reapply with improved documentation.
Clarified Rules for Long-Term Stays
In the same update, the German government provided further clarification on visa requirements for long-term stays. Nationals of countries outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland are still required to obtain a visa before entering Germany for stays exceeding 90 days or for employment purposes.
However, an exception remains in place for citizens of certain countries—namely Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States—who may enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit after arrival.
“Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America can also obtain the required residence permit after entering the country.
The following applies to all other citizens: A visa for a longer-term stay must generally be applied for at the responsible foreign diplomatic mission before entering the country,” they stated.
Foreign nationals outside the exempted group must continue to apply for national visas at the appropriate German embassy or consulate in their home country.
Visa Processing Times and Conditions
Germany also addressed expected processing durations for various visa categories. Applications for study, family reunification, or self-employment that require prior approval from local immigration authorities in Germany may take up to three months or longer to process.
“Approval from the responsible immigration authority in Germany is generally required. The immigration authority of the place where the foreign national will take up residence is responsible.
If the approval of the immigration authority is required for the visa process, the procedure can take up to three months, occasionally longer, as other authorities (such as the Federal Employment Agency) are often involved in addition to the immigration authority. The diplomatic mission may only issue the requested visa once the approval of the immigration authority has been obtained,” they stated.
On the other hand, employment-related visas tend to be processed more swiftly, as they typically bypass the need for additional external approvals.
The update also reaffirmed that holders of Germany’s national D visa retain the ability to travel throughout the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, offering flexibility to explore other European countries without obtaining separate visas.
