The decision of Germany to no longer review once more visa applications that have been rejected has been taken following an increase in the number of applications, Schengen Visa website reports.
According to the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, now that coronavirus travel restrictions have been lifted, certain visa sections are unable to process applications, leading to long waiting times for available slots.
For this reason, citizens of the three countries will temporarily not be able to request their refusal to be reviewed.
In order to create additional capacities for processing visa applications, enabling us to reduce waiting times, we are launching a pilot project in China, Morocco and Türkiye in which remonstrations – that is what an objection against the rejection of a visa application is called – will be suspended, the statement of the Foreign Office reads.
As the Foreign Office explains, despite deciding to suspend the remonstrations in visa procedures, the decision on a visa application will be taken based on the same legal basis as before.
This means that as long as all required documents are submitted, the German missions in these three countries will continue to issue visas.
However, with immediate effect, the visa sections in the three countries taking part in the pilot project will issue notices of refusals in which applicants will be informed in greater detail than before of the reasons for refusal.
Within a statutory period, applicants can request to have the refusal reviewed in an administrative procedure or can submit a new visa application.
However, their visa sections will no longer review once more applications already submitted, the Foreign Office stated.
Through this pilot project, Germany wants to examine whether the suspension can help the country’s mission abroad to increase the number of processes applications and reduce the waiting time for all travellers.
The pilot project will run for six months, and after this period is over, the results will be evaluated. In case the pilot project is successful, Germany is considering expanding it to include other visa sections in other countries.
Currently, citizens of the three countries – China, Morocco, and Türkiye – are required to obtain a visa in order to be permitted entry to Germany and the other EU/Schengen Area countries as they have not reached a visa-free travel agreement.
When applying for a Germany Schengen Visa, citizens of the three countries mentioned above need to submit several documents.
They need to submit the completed visa application form, two passport photos, their valid passport, a roundtrip flight itinerary, proof of accommodation, proof of sufficient financial means, and Germany travel health insurance, among others.
Tags: China, Coronavirus, German Federal Foreign Office, Germany, Morocco, passport, Schengen Visa, travel restrictions, Türkiye, visa-free travel
