General information

Short-term visas are also called “Schengen-visa” as they allow a stay up to 90 days in a 180-day timeframe in the Schengen area. A short-term visa is needed for any stay shorter than 90 days. If you intend to stay for longer than 90 days, you would have to apply for a long-term visa (also called “national visa”).

You can use the Schengen calculator to find out how much time is left on your visa and determine if you are in compliance with the “90 days/180 days” rule.

Long-term visa

Please note that visa applications have to be lodged at the competent Embassy or Consulate in which jurisdiction you reside. Only if you have been legally residing in Australia for over 6 months, you can apply for your short-term visa in Australia. If you are only temporarily staying in Australia for a short period of time (under 6 months), we cannot accept your visa application.

Where to apply for short-term visa in Australia

1. Applicants with residence in Australia (residence = have been legally residing in Australia for over 6 months):

The Austrian Embassy in Canberra is responsible for issuing Schengen Visas on behalf of Germany in all States and Territories of Australia. As a consequence, visa applicants with residence in Australia will have to launch their application for a Schengen-Visa (intended stay of up to 90 days in a 6 months period; e.g. tourist or business visa) personally at VFS global or the Austrian Embassy in Canberra. The German Consulate General in Sydney cannot accept these applications.

For enquiries about short-term Schengen visa for travellers, please contact:

VFS Global
Tel: (02) 8278 4527 (Mon - Fri, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
Email: info.jvac-au@vfshelpline.com

For background Information on Schengen Visas (e.g. fees, required documents) you can also visit the respective website of the Austrian Embassy.

2. Applicants with residence on Nauru, Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands

Only persons requiring a visa and permanently residing in Nauru, Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands have to apply for a visa at the German Consulate General in Sydney. The following information is therefore only relevant for residents on Nauru, Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands:

• You have to book an appointment online and submit your application in person at the German Consulate General in Sydney.
• Please complete the visa application form on this website. If this is not possible, you can also download the application form: Application Schengen Visa
• Please compile the documents you need to submit your application: document checklist. If documents or supporting documents are missing, your application may be rejected.
• For long-term visa applications, please refer to: long-term visa

Please note that the German Honorary Consuls in Australia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands cannot accept any visa applications or give any information on visa issues.

3. Applicants who are only temporarily residing in Australia (under 6 months):

Please note that visa applications have to be lodged in at the competent Embassy or Consulate in which jurisdiction you reside. Only if you have been legally residing in Australia for over 6 months, you can apply for your short-term visa in Australia. If you are only temporarily staying in Australia for a short period of time (under 6 months), we cannot accept your visa application.

Australian citizens / The German-Australian Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements, dated 22.12.1952

Australian citizens do not need a visa for the Schengen area, which includes Germany, for an intended stay of up to 90 days in a 180 day period as long as

• their passports are valid for at least 3 months beyond the intended length of stay in the Schengen zone and
• they do not engage in any type of gainful employment

The German-Australian Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements, dated 22.12.1952

The German-Australian Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements, dated 22.12.1952, allows Australian citizens to travel to Germany and to stay in Germany for up to 90 days without having to apply for a visa, as long as their passport is valid for the entire duration of the stay and as long as they do not engage in any kind of employment in Germany.

According to this agreement the duration of one stay in Germany must not exceed 90 days but the number of entries to Germany is not limited. In order to re-enter Germany for another 90 days visitors have to depart Germany for any other country outside the Schengen States (e.g. the UK) and can come back even the same day.

Since visitors need to be able to document the period of time they have been spending in Germany we recommend to enter and to depart via a German airport in order to obtain an official entry and departure stamp in their passport.

Germany is part of the Schengen States, so your first 90 days count – no matter where in the Schengen Area you spent them. You have to leave the Schengen States after 90 days and then you can go back only to Germany for the next 90 days. If you want to visit other Schengen States during this time you have to check if these states also have a bilateral agreement with Australia.

This means:

You can spend your first 90 days anywhere in the Schengen States and enter and leave the different states as often as you like.

On day 90 the latest you have to leave the Schengen States (you could go to the UK for example).

You have to make sure that you have the stamps from the border police in your passport to be able to proof that you have left the Schengen Area.

Afterwards you are allowed to go back to Germany for the 90 days, but only to Germany.

If you want to visit other Schengen States please check before travelling if these States have also a bilateral agreement with Australia.

Holders of UN Travel Document / Titre de Voyage

Holders of UN Travel documents, issued by the Australian Government according to the UN Conventions for refugees (Convention of 28 July 1951) and stateless persons (Convention of 28 September 1954), mentioned on the front page, can enter Germany without a visa for an intended stay of up to 90 days, as long as at the time of entry into Germany their travel document is still valid for at least 4 months and they do not engage in any type of gainful employment. If you want to travel to other Schengen countries, please check with the respective embassy for entry requirements.

Holders of Document of Identity / Certificate of Identity

Holders of other Australian travel documents (Document of Identity or Certificate of Identity) need a visa according to the citizenship mentioned in the document. They have to apply for a Schengen visa at VFS Global or the Austrian Embassy (see above).