🔄 Updated Information (New Policy as of February 2025):
According to the latest regulations introduced in February 2025, student visa applications can now be submitted online up to six months before departure. There is no longer a need to compete for in-person appointment slots.
After the documents are reviewed and approved, the system will assign an appointment time. Applicants only need to visit in person to provide fingerprints, submit passport photos, and pay the visa fee.
📌 Official announcement: German Institute Taipei – Latest Visa Information (2025)
📌 Further reading (regularly updated): German Long-Term Visa Guide | Required Documents, Timeline & 2025 Policy Changes
The following section shares the previous application process (January 2025 version). While the booking system has changed, the required documents and on-site procedures remain largely relevant for reference.
German exchange students typically stay for at least one semester. If the duration exceeds 90 days, a student visa is required. Based on practical experience, this guide outlines the application process for an exchange student visa in four main stages:
- Booking an Appointment with the German Institute
- Completing the Online Application Form
- Preparing the Required Documents
- On-Site Application Process
💡 Note: If you are a degree-seeking student, the document requirements may differ slightly. Please refer to the official information page.
Applying for a German Exchange Student Visa#
1. Booking an Appointment with the German Institute#
Update: As of February 2025, there is no longer a need to compete for appointment slots. However, it is still recommended to upload your documents online as early as possible.
Previously, applying for a student visa required securing an appointment slot through the German Institute’s website — and these slots were notoriously difficult to obtain. It often required refreshing the page frequently to catch newly released time slots.
In my case, the semester at TUM started on April 1. According to the regulations at the time, the earliest possible appointment date was within three months before the semester began, meaning appointments opened starting January 1. I began closely monitoring the German Institute’s website in early December. Together with several classmates who were also admitted to TUM, we emailed the Institute to ask whether group appointments were possible. However, we received a reply stating that group appointments were not available that year, so we had to book individually.
Fortunately, on the afternoon of December 6, I managed to secure a January slot that had just been released and successfully booked an appointment for January 13 (Monday). After completing the booking, a confirmation email was sent containing a link. It is essential to click the link to confirm the appointment in order to officially secure the slot.
2. Completing the Online Application Form#
The German long-term visa application form must be completed online through the official website: VIDEX Online Application System.
The form is relatively detailed and can feel lengthy, so it is recommended to set aside a dedicated block of time to complete it. The good news is that the system allows you to save a draft and import it later to continue editing, which makes the process much more manageable.
When filling out the form, I referred to online guides step by step. The following two resources were particularly helpful — using them side by side should make the process much smoother:
- German Exchange Student Visa | Required Documents & 2024 Application Form Guide – Yun’s Dailyyyy
- German Long-Term Visa Application Form 2025 | Detailed Bilingual Guide – Willstudy
📌 Tip: If you do not yet have a German residential address at the time of application, you may temporarily use the address of your host university’s International Office.
3. Preparing the Required Documents#
Update: As of February 2025, documents are uploaded online in advance. However, hard copies must still be brought on the appointment day for verification.
Below is the list of documents required for an exchange student visa application:
- Original valid passport (signed, with at least two blank pages), 1 copy
- Photocopy of the passport bio-data page, 1 copy
- Printed online application form (completed via VIDEX), 1 copy
- Two passport-sized photos (taken within the last three months)
- Admission Letter, 1 copy
- Certificate of Enrollment in English¹, 1 copy
- Academic Transcript in English, 1 copy
- Proof of Financial Resources², 1 copy
- Motivation Letter (in German or English)³, 1 copy
- Incoming Insurance certificate (travel/entry insurance)⁴, 1 copy
- Visa fee: €75 (card payment is usually accepted, but bringing cash is recommended)
Note ¹: Exchange students are not required to submit language proficiency certificates or degree diplomas. An English certificate of enrollment and an English academic transcript issued by the home university are sufficient.
Note ²: Proof of financial resources can be provided through the Expatrio Document 06 (Blocked Account Confirmation). It is advisable to apply as soon as the Admission Letter is received.
Note ³: The motivation letter can briefly explain the reasons for applying for the exchange program and how the experience will benefit future academic or career development.
Note ⁴: The incoming insurance (travel/entry insurance) is required specifically for the visa application and is different from the German public health insurance (e.g., TK) used after enrollment (April 1). It can be obtained during the Expatrio application process.
4. On-Site Application Process#
My visa appointment was scheduled for January 13 (Monday). It is recommended to arrive about 30 minutes early. The process was as follows:
- At the visitor kiosk on the first floor of Taipei 101, use the intercom to contact the German Institute on the 33rd floor and obtain a visitor pass.
- Take the elevator to the 35th-floor transfer level, then go down to the 33rd floor.
- Upon entering, security will collect your phone and ask you to place your belongings in a locker. You will be asked to prepare your application documents, passport, photos, and wallet.
- Inside, there is a posted guide showing the required document order, which you can follow to arrange your paperwork on the spot.
If there are no applicants ahead of you, your number may be called earlier than scheduled. The entire process takes approximately 10–15 minutes. On that day, I interacted with two staff members (one male and one female). The female officer was relatively friendly, while the male officer was more formal and reserved.
My On-Site Experience (Conducted Entirely in Chinese):
- I submitted my documents and passport to the officer.
- He first verified my personal information and asked about my purpose of travel (I was asked which TUM campus I would attend).
- I then paid the visa fee of €75 (approximately NT$2,560 at the time). Bringing cash is recommended.
- I signed the courier slip and other required documents on site (if the application form was unsigned, you will be asked to sign it there).
- Finally, fingerprints were taken, and I received a receipt for the visa application.
I also asked about the possibility of temporarily borrowing my passport, as I had travel plans in early February and was concerned about not receiving it in time. The officer replied that passports are typically returned within two to three weeks and suggested waiting to see if it would arrive before applying for a temporary withdrawal.
Afterward:
The result was surprisingly fast — I received my visa and passport just one week later (January 20)! (Possibly because it was not peak season.)
The passport was returned via courier, so be prepared to pay the delivery fee upon receipt.
The visa start date issued was March 1, which matched the date I had requested. Although the semester began on April 1, the officer had mentioned that an earlier start date could not be guaranteed. The final approval date may have been influenced by:
- Listing March 1 as my intended date of entry on the application form;
- Transferring seven months of living expenses through Expatrio instead of six, covering March through the end of September.
Since I received my visa before my scheduled trip abroad, I ultimately did not need to apply for temporary passport withdrawal. If you anticipate a similar situation, you may refer to this detailed guide: German Student Visa – Temporary Passport Withdrawal Guide | Application & Return Process
✈️ I hope this guide helps you better understand the visa application process and prepares you for a smooth journey to Germany!