visa issues

The visa application process starts only after you have received your admission letter. The only thing

you can do before getting the admission letter is to arrange finances. As of now (2nd August, 2009), you

need to deposit €7,716 in a bank account in Germany in your name.

As soon as you get your admission letter, the first thing you should do is to go to Deutsche Bank branch

in your city with the admission letter, your passport and NIC. Make sure to know the timings for

student account dealings. They will ask you to fill in a form and this form is to be sent to the branch of

Deutsche Bank in Hamburg which deals with all student accounts. Previously, the bank used to send

this form itself but I heard from someone that the student has to send this form himself/herself now.

After this step, when your account has been created, a letter containing your account details will be sent

to the Deutsche Bank branch of your city from Hamburg. This takes about 1.5 to 2 weeks. It is a good

idea to call after few days and inquire if your letter has arrived.

Once you have the details, you may now transfer the amount into it. This can be done directly if

you/relative has a foreign currency account OR you can have the money transferred via a money

changer. Keep in mind that money changers might do the transaction few days after you have asked

them for it. Transfer about €50 extra than the required amount. €50 is deducted from your account as

charges for opening the account. As far as I know, €50 will be deducted after you arrive here and your

account is activated but its better to be safe (than sorry!). When the money has been transferred, the

local Deutsche Bank branch will get a letter containing your account balance and you have to collect

this letter from them which is in a sealed envelope and is to be given to the consulate/embassy sealed.

Warning: The amount you transfer is going to be blocked for one year and cannot be taken out all

at once. You may only take out €643 per month and not more.

Take a look at the relevant link for you:

German Consulate in Karachi (for Sindh and Baluchistan residents)

http://www.karachi.diplo.de/Vertretung/karachi/en/01/Visabestimmungen/seite__visa__student.html

German Embassy in Islamabad (for Punjab and NWFP residents)

http://www.islamabad.diplo.de/Vertretung/islamabad/en/01/Visabestimmungen/Arten__von__visa__und__voraussetzungen.html

Check out the visa requirements. Download the visa form, fill it in. Make sure that you fulfill all

requirements. There is no appointment system at the German Consulate (I don't know about the

Embassy). They take 20 applications per day (including other visa applications than student visa). So

get there early to make sure you get a number.

The student visa fees if €60. This can be paid in Pakistani Rupees. There are some strict payment

rules listed on the German Embassy's website (in terms of the currency denominations in which you

can pay. Please check the website).

The interview is usually held the same day. The interview is not at all difficult. Just a few general

questions like why did you choose Germany, why this particular university, what your family members

do, German language skills etc.

You may collect back your passport after about 12 days if you need it (or just leave it there). It might

take about a 1.5 months or more for your visa clearance. The consulate/embassy should call you up

when that has been done or you may call yourself and inquire.

When the clearance has been done, they will ask you to bring back your passport (if you had taken it

back earlier) along with a ticket and travel insurance. This insurance is just for your travel period and

different than the health insurance which you have to get here in Germany after your arrival. Usually

they ask for one months travel insurance. The insurance can be had from one of the companies listed on

the consulate's/embassy's website:

Caution: Book your ticket well in advance since it is sometimes difficult to get a seat later on your

desired date and you might have to buy a more expensive ticket or might not even get a seat!

After you have provided them with the travel insurance and the ticket, they will call you or give you a

date to collect your passport with the visa stamped (after a week or more).

Congratulations! You have completed the German student visa process!

The whole visa process may take upto 6-8 weeks. However, if your classes are starting earlier, you may

request the consulate/embassy to speed up your process and they are usually very cooperative.

The student visa granted is for 3 months. After coming to Germany, you have to apply for residence

permit which is given for either the whole period of study at once or maybe for an year or so and you

might have to get it renewed later.

The rejection ratio of student visas is very low for Germany and if you fulfill all the requirements, you

can be pretty sure you will get the visa.

Best of luck for your studies in Germany.

This is a student visa procedure of Germany (from Karachi) after getting admission letter:

1. Take the admission letter to Deutsche Bank (alongwith National ID

card and Passport), Karachi (In Avari Tower building)...and tell them

you want to open a student account. Account actually will be opened in

Germany (Branch nearest to University)...they just act as a bridge to

ease things for students. Their service if free of cost. They will ask

you to fill out a form, and will ask you to send it to Germany through

courier.

2. After about one week, go again to DB (they will call you). By now,

your account will have opened and they will give you your Account No.

and Bank Code.

3. Transfer around 7200 Euros to your bankaccount (One way is through

Money exchangers...they take Rupees check of amount, including their

fees).

4. In around 3 days, automatically a letter from your German

bankaccount will arrive (in DB, Karachi - they will call you home - go

there and pick it up) verifying that this much money has been

transferred (it will be in a sealed envelop - DONT OPEN IT) This has

to be given to the visa officer. Meanwhile, you will automatically

also receive a scanned copy of this letter in your email (directly

from germany and at the same time).

5. Download student visa application form from German Consulate

Website in karachi (3 copies - plus three sets of copies of all your

documents)... These will have to be taken to the German Consulate

(Near 2 Talwar & SZABIST, behind British embassy). They will take visa

fees in Pak rupees... Take all original documents and passport with

you - they will keep all your documents and conduct interview on same

date.

6. The visa process takes around 6-8 weeks max.