Wait time for German visa appointment for Indians is only two to five days

The German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann, on Tuesday, said that visa appointments for Indians are now being provided within a remarkably short period, ranging from two to five days. Ackermann told ANI that the current processing time for visas is significantly improved compared to a year ago. 

These remarks coincide with the United States, a key destination for Indian students and workers, working to decrease its visa appointment period from as high as 400 days. On the other hand, Germany has witnessed a surge in popularity among Indian students seeking to pursue higher education abroad.

"We have in the last couple of weeks and months improved the visa service as such, that basically, your waiting time for an appointment is between two days and five days, actually. And that's India-wise. So basically, we are very proud that now with the current service, we are extending to the Indian public, visas can be issued in a very short time, much better than a year ago. And I think we'll crack this year... I'm very happy to tell you that on the visa front, things are much better than they were," said Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India. 

In recent years, Germany has seen a notable increase in popularity among Indian students. Newly released figures in October from Germany's academic exchange service, DAAD, reveal that Indian students have surpassed the Chinese in the academic year 2022-23, becoming the largest nationality group for the first time. 

“For the first time, the most important country of origin is India, from which around 42,600 students or 12 per cent of all international students have enrolled in Germany. In the In the last five years, the number of Indian students has grown by 146 per cent,” said the report. 

Germany has been reportedly facing labour shortages in parts of the economy and wants to fill the gap. To alleviate labour shortages and attract skilled workers from outside the European Union (EU), Germany is implementing immigration law reforms.  The new legislation, approved by the German government in July, is scheduled to be rolled out in three stages, starting in November of this year and continuing through March and June of 2024.

The reforms, outlined in the Skilled Immigration Act, are designed to streamline the process for skilled foreign workers, with a particular emphasis on individuals with vocational, and non-academic training. Notably, these changes aim to modernise the country's immigration system, making it more accessible for third-country nationals to work in Germany. It is anticipated that the reforms could lead to a substantial increase in the number of non-EU workers in Germany, potentially adding 60,000 individuals annually.