Germany has launched an online visa portal aimed at simplifying the visa application process for international travelers.

This new system, known as the consular services portal, allows applicants to submit requests for 28 different types of visas including those for tourism, study, family reunification and skilled workers entirely online.

Previously, the application process involved lengthy paper forms and physical document submissions to remote German embassies or consulates, often leading to significant delays and high costs.

The German Federal Foreign Affairs Office developed the portal over two years, piloting it in three locations before making it available at 167 embassies and consulates worldwide.

The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock praised the initiative as a crucial step towards attracting skilled workers, emphasizing the necessity of a modern and efficient visa system to bolster Germany’s status as a business hub.

This digital solution also connects to earlier digitization efforts for residence permits and citizenship applications in various regions, such as Berlin and Bavaria.

Currently, the portal supports individual applications only, so families must still apply at local consulates. However, the government intends to expand the system in the future to accommodate group applications.