In the case of business visitors, a distinction must be made depending on whether the traveler concerned is a national of a privileged country or not.

Nationals of so-called privileged countries are not required to obtain a visa or a residence permit for their business trip, provided that their stay does not exceed 90 days within a 180-day period.

Please note that anyone who enters Germany as a business visitor is expressly barred from taking up employment, and to do so is a criminal offense. A business visitor is defined as an individual who normally lives and works outside Germany, and comes to Germany to transact business and attend meetings and briefings, for fact-finding purposes or to negotiate. Business visitors may conclude contracts with German businesses to buy goods or sell services. However, a business visitor must not intend to produce goods or provide services within Germany.

Nationals from non-privileged countries must obtain a short-term visa for the entire duration of their business trip to Germany. The application for this visa must be submitted to the competent German diplomatic mission abroad.

A valid Schengen visa entitles the holder to travel through, and stay in, member countries of the Schengen Agreement (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania and Bulgaria will join the Schengen area in the course of 2024) for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Schengen visas must be applied for at the diplomatic mission of the main destination of the intended travel or at the diplomatic mission of the country first entered into in the Schengen area if a main destination cannot be ascertained.