Pakistan students make up one of the largest groups of international students in Germany, so despite the long and tiring visa application, they seem to think it is worth the hassle. If you are from Pakistan and have been admitted into a German university, you have to apply for a visa. Here is how to navigate the sometimes confusing process of applying for a German student visa application in Pakistan.
What Visa Do Pakistani Students Need to Study in Germany?
As a Pakistani national, if you are accepted to a German university, you have to apply for a National (D-type) Visa for studying. However, this visa is only temporary, and as soon as you get to Germany you have to start the process for a student residence permit, so you can live in Germany for the duration of your studies
Where Can I Apply for a German Student Visa in Pakistan?
You can apply for a German student visa either in the German Embassy in Islamabad or the German Consulate General in Karachi. Here is where to submit the application based on where you live:
| German Mission | Jurisdiction |
| German Embassy, Islamabad | Punjab Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) Gilgit-Baltistan AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) |
| German Consulate General, Karachi | Sindh Balochistan |
Note: The Honorary Consulate in Lahore does not issue visas.
How to Apply for a German Student Visa from Pakistan
To apply for a German student visa in Pakistan, you have to open a blocked account, buy travel insurance, collect all the required documents, make an appointment with the German Embassy/Consulate in Pakistan, and enter the visa interview.
The exact process differs depending on which German Mission you will apply in.
Applying for a German Student Visa at the German Embassy in Islamabad
- Open a blocked account. If you have a scholarship or a sponsor in Germany, you can skip this step.
- Buy travel insurance. As a Pakistani student, you can buy a travel insurance policy from international providers such as DR-WALTER, AXA Assistance, or Europ Assistance, or from Pakistani local travel insurance companies.
- Collect the required documents.
- Make an appointment online. You must click on the “New Appointment” button in the upper right corner, enter your passport number and email address, and answer the questions. You will receive an email informing you of the time and date of your appointment.
- Submit the documents at the Embassy. While there, you have to pay a PKR 500 fee so they can send you your passport by mail.
- Get the payment request from the Embassy and take it to the Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Diplomatic Enclave Branch to pay the visa fee. The bank will notify the Embassy that the payment is complete.
- Wait for your visa to process.
- Receive your passport with the visa and travel to Germany.
Address and opening hours:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Street: Ramna 5, Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad
Postal address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, P.O. Box 1027, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Tel. (0092-51) 2007 – 200 (24 hours; except visa enquiries)
Fax. +92 51 227 94 36
Note: Appointments for attestations, visa and passport applications at the German Embassy in Islamabad, can only be made online. Appointment requests by phone or e-mail will remain unanswered.
Applying for a German Student Visa at the German Consulate in Karachi
- Open a blocked bank account. If you have a scholarship or someone who will sponsor you in Germany, you can skip this step.
- Buy travel insurance. As a Pakistani student, you can buy a travel insurance policy from international providers such as DR-WALTER, AXA Assistance, or Europ Assistance, or from Pakistani local travel insurance companies.
- Collect all the required documents and put them inside a sealed envelope.
- Drop off the envelope with the documents at the Gate of the Consulate General.
- Wait for an appointment for a visa interview. You will hear back via email regarding how the date and time of your appointment.
- Enter the interview.
- Pay the visa fee in cash during the appointment.
- Wait to hear back from the Consulate.
- Receive your visa and travel to Germany.
Address and Opening hours
Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi
Tel. +92 21 35 87 37 82, +92 21 35 87 37 83, +92 21 35 87 02 34
Fax. +92 21 35 87 40 09
Postal address: 92-A/7, Block 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Opening hours
Monday – Thursday
7:30 am – 3:15 pm
Friday:
7:30 am – 1:00 pm
Opening hours of the consular section
Submission of visa applications
(As per appointment)
Collection of passports:
Monday – Thursday
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Visa inquiries by telephone:
Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Tel: +92 21 35 82 15 96
Fax: +92 21 35 82 15 97
Please note that visa inquiries by telephone will only be answered during the times and over the number indicated above.
Special rules for MA/PhD students and scholarship holders
If you have been admitted into a Master’s or PhD program in Germany, or if you have a scholarship from a German university, your visa interview appointment will be prioritized.
Requirements for German Student Visa in Pakistan
When you apply for a German student visa in Pakistan, you have to submit all the following documents in two sets:
- Pakistani original passport. Submit your original passport along with two photocopies of pages 1 and 2.
- Visa Application Form. Complete the form on a computer and print out two copies. Sign both.
- Visa pictures. You need two pictures to staple to the application forms. The pictures must have 35x45mm dimensions, white background and taken within the last three months.
- Letter of admission into the German university or preparatory school. Make sure that the letter includes information about the language of instruction.
- Proof you have sufficient financial means. You have to submit one of the following:
- Blocked Bank Account Confirmation. Pakistani students can open a blocked account online here.
- Proof of a scholarship by a German or foreign institution.
- Letter of Sponsorship from a relative/friend in Germany, along with the sponsor’s income proof and bank statements from the last 6 months.
- Your CV.
- Proof of your academic and professional background. This includes higher education and school diplomas as well as employment letters from previous employers. The academic degrees and transcripts must be attested by HEC (Higher Education Commission).
- Proof of language proficiency. You have to provide proof you are proficient in the language of instruction of the university you are accepted.
- German: “Zertifikat Deutsch” in at least A2 level.
- English: TOEFL (at least 550 points for the paper test or 213 points for the computer test) or IELTS (at least Band 6.0).
- Proof of travel insurance.
- Applicant’s Declaration Form. The form must be completed and signed.
- Form “Information provided to applicants pursuant to Section 54”. In this form, you agree that you have provided correct information, and understand that you lose your visa if you have provided incomplete or inaccurate information.
- If you have had a visa refusal, submit a written explanation for the refusal along with the refusal letter.
- Income proof and bank statements of last 6 months of yourself or of your sponsor. This is only required if you apply at the Embassy in Islamabad.
- A letter of motivation. Only required if you apply at the Consulate General Karachi.
- Information sheet for prospective students. Only required if you apply at the Consulate General Karachi.
Germany Travel Insurance for Pakistan Students
For your German visa application in Pakistan, you can get a travel insurance plan from international companies such as DR-WALTER, AXA Assistance, or Europ Assistance, or from a Pakistan-based insurance company.
This type of health insurance is temporary – you need it for the visa application and it will cover only the initial period of your trip. After you arrive in Germany, you have to register for a long-term health insurance plan, either public or private.
If you are a Pakistani student under the age of 30 and decide to register with the public health insurance provider TK, you can get a one-month free travel insurance policy.
How Much Money Do Pakistani Students Need for German Student Visa?
Pakistani students need at least €10,332 to apply for a German student visa. You have to prove that you have access to this money in one of the following ways:
- You open a blocked bank account (Sperrkonto). What this means is that you have to open a bank account with a German bank and transfer €10,332 there. This money will be blocked and you will only be able to access it after you receive the visa and get to Germany. The bank will issue a “Blocking Confirmation” which you need to submit to the German Embassy/Consulate.
- You receive a scholarship from a German or foreign institution. The scholarship must also be worth at least €10,332.
- Someone in Germany (such as a relative) agrees to sponsor you. This means they have to sign a formal obligation (“Verpflichtungserklärung”) agreeing to cover your financial needs during your studies.
Fintiba is one of the few providers where Pakistani students can open a blocked account entirely online.
German Study Visa Fees for Pakistani Students
The fee for a German student visa in Pakistan is €75 and must be paid in PKR. Here is how you can pay the visa fee, depending on which German Mission you will apply to:
- At the German Embassy in Islamabad: You will receive a payment request from the Embassy, which you have to take to the Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Diplomatic Enclave Branch and make the fee payment. You also need to pay the following:
- PKR 500, so the Embassy can return your passport by mail.
- PKR 350, which will be collected by the bank.
- At the German Consulate in Karachi: You have to pay the fee in cash during the visa submission
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When Should Pakistani Students Apply for a German Study Visa?
You should start the application process as soon as you get your acceptance letter. Remember, that before you even apply, you have to:
- Open a blocked bank account, which can take one to three weeks.
- Wait for the appointment, which can take up to four months.
- Collect all the documents.
When Will I Get My German Student Visa in Pakistan?
After you enter the visa interview, the German Embassy/Consulate in Pakistan will take 5 to 10 weeks to process your visa application. Once you receive it, you can travel to Germany.
The student visa is valid for three months, so within that time you have to apply for a residence permit.
Residence Permit for Pakistan Students in Germany
When you travel to Germany from Pakistan, you usually have three months to get your residence permit. To get your residence permit in Germany, you have to:
- Resister your address. After you find accommodation, you have to register your address at the local registration office and receive your Registration Certificate.
- Enroll in German health insurance.
- Set up an appointment with the local Ausländerbehörde (Foreigner’s Office).
- Submit these documents to the Ausländerbehörde:
- Biometric picture.
- Residence permit application form.
- Registration Certificate.
- Proof of your Blocked Account.
- Proof of health insurance.
- Letter of acceptance to the German university or preparatory college.
The student residence permit is valid for one to two years, and it can be renewed as long as you are still enrolled in university/school.
Sometimes, the Geman Embassy in Pakistan might give you a six-month visa – which means you have six months to set everything up.
Health Insurance for Pakistani Students in Germany
After you get to Germany, you have to enrol under a long-term health insurance plan. If you are a Pakistani student under the age of 30, you have to get statutory (public) or health insurance. If you are over the age of 30, then you must purchase a private health insurance plan, such as DR. Walter’s EDUCARE24.
If you are unsure, you can use this online tool to figure out what type of German health insurance you need.
