General information on Schengen Visas

General information on Schengen visas

All Nigerian citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa before travelling to Germany. A Schengen visa can be issued for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. However, please be informed that a shorter validity may be granted depending on your purpose of visit. 

What is a short term visa?

A short term visa means that your period of stay in Germany is less than 90 days in 6 months = 3 months in a half-year's time.

You will then be issued a so-called "Schengen-visa" that allows you to stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days in 6 months.

Persons granted a short-stay visa with no territorial restrictions (category “C” visa) by a Schengen country may, for the duration of the visa’s validity, stay and travel freely in the territory of any other Schengen country. Holders of such visas may also cross the Schengen area’s internal borders without undergoing identity checks. Air passengers with transit visas (category “A” visa) are entitled only to enter the international transit area at airports but not the Schengen area itself.

Third-country nationals with a national residence permit issued by a Schengen country may, for the duration of its validity, travel for up to 90 days per six-month period to any other Schengen country. This also applies to holders of a national visa (category “D” visa) issued by a Schengen country.

Category C (short term visa - for visits to Germany of up to 90 days)

According to the Schengen Agreement, a Schengen visa allows you to stay in the following countries up to 90 days within a period of 180 days: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. However, you always have to apply at the mission of the country which is your main destination.

Category A (Airport transit visa)

With effect from 1 May 2008, Nigerian citizens do not need an airport transit visa if they are in possession of a valid visa for an EU member state, a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area of 2 May 1992, Japan, Canada, Switzerland or the United States of America; or if after using the visa they return to Nigeria from any of these countries. In all other cases, Nigerian citizens transiting Germany are required to obtain an airport transit visa.