It is the attendee’s responsibility to enquire about the visa requirements for Germany and apply for a visa, if necessary.
Who needs a Visa? Third-country nationals generally require a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. Exempt from this requirement are nationals of EU states, as well as citizens of other states for whom the European Community has abolished the visa requirement for short stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period. To check if you need a visa, please verify the “List of states subject to visa requirements” provided by the Federal Foreign Office.
Where to apply? The German Missions (Embassies and General Consulates) in the district where you have your habitual residence are responsible for issuing visas. If Germany is your sole or main travel destination, you must apply at the German Mission.
Visa Type and Processing Time For conference attendance (stays of up to 90 days), you generally apply for a Schengen Visa. Processing usually takes up to 15 calendar days. During peak travel times, waiting times for appointments may occur. You can apply for a Schengen visa at the earliest six months and generally at least 15 days before your planned trip.
Online Application (Auslandsportal) The Federal Foreign Office offers a central “Auslandsportal” for online applications.
Apply Online: You can fill in your details and upload documents comfortably from home.
Pre-check: The application is pre-checked for completeness. If corrections are needed, you will be notified online.
Appointment: Once checked, you book an appointment at the mission to submit biometric data (fingerprints and photo) and pay the fee. Please check if the specific application type is available for your region on the portal.
Fees: Researchers traveling for research purposes or to participate in a scientific seminar or conference (as per Directive (EU) 2016/801) are exempt from visa fees.
Conference Invitation Letter Please advise should you require a letter of support for your visa application by sending your request to Dr. Katrin Bergener at katrin.bergener@uni-muenster.de. Please include:
Your full name as it appears in your passport
Your passport number
Date of birth
Name of the academic institution and physical address
Title of your paper, should you be presenting at DESRIST 2026
A letter will be sent to attendees upon receipt of payment of conference fees or on approval by the DESRIST 2026 Local Organizing Committee at the University of Münster.
Documents Needed for Application
To avoid time-consuming requests for additional information, you should inform yourself in good time before the start of your journey about the requirements and the documents to be submitted.
Application Form: You can fill out the visa application form online. Please bring the printout with you to the application appointment.
Biometric Data: You will need to provide fingerprints and a photo.
Supporting Documents: Please consult the website of the responsible German Mission for the specific list of required documents regarding proof of purpose, funding, and travel details.
