Germany ends visa appeal process. How will it affect Indians
What's the story
Germany will end its informal visa appeal process globally from July 1.
The decision is likely to affect Indian applicants seeking Schengen and national visas for education, work, or tourism.
The German Missions in India said the change aims to reduce wait times and increase staff capacity for processing more applications.
Until now, applicants whose Schengen visa applications were denied could initiate a free process known as remonstration procedure, which allowed them to contest the decision without going to court.
Process change
End of remonstration procedure to impact visa applicants
The decision to abolish the remonstration procedure for visa rejections comes after a two-year pilot project that showed the removal of this process freed up staff to handle more applications.
The German Missions in India said, "Dispensing with the remonstration procedure has released considerable staff capacity," enabling faster processing times for new applications.
New challenges
Rejected applicants face costly and time-consuming options
With the removal, rejected applicants will have to choose between submitting a new application or filing a legal appeal in German courts.
The legal route is often expensive and requires hiring a German lawyer, with court decisions taking up to two years.
"Adequate legal protection will also be guaranteed in the future, for judicial review under law will not be limited by the abolition of the remonstration procedure. Furthermore...applicants have the option of submitting...new visa application," the German Embassy said.
Indian impact
Visa reforms expected to impact Indian applicants significantly
The visa reforms are likely to hit Indian applicants the hardest, since they make up a considerable portion of the applications for German Schengen and national visas.
In 2024, Germany rejected 206,733 Schengen visa applications, with a rejection rate of 13.7%.
Schengen visas allow holders to travel across the Schengen zone for up to 90 days in a six-month period but do not permit employment.
Increased demand
Visa processing platform reports surge in demand
The visa processing platform Atlys also reported a spike in demand for Schengen visas among Indians this year.
Indians traveling to Germany also saw an 8.6% increase in overnight stays from 2023 to 2024.
The end of the informal appeal process means applicants must ensure their applications are error-free from the start to avoid rejections and additional costs or time delays.