How to get a Germany visa from Sierra Leone

• The short-stay Schengen visa is issued to foreigners who intend to travel to any Schengen state for a short period.
• This visa is referred to as the Type-C Schengen visa.
• Germany is a Schengen state and the rules for the Schengen visa apply to Germany visas.
• Travelers on this visa go to Germany for reasons such as business trips, holiday or to visit relatives.
• For the short-stay visa, the reasons or purposes for travelers' visits would be clearly stated on their visas. The purpose of your trip to Germany must be plausible and comprehensible.
• Applicants' passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond their stay in Germany.
• Passports that contain illegible data cannot be accepted and your passport must not be damaged.
• The short-stay visa is valid for up to 90 days within a 180 day period in Germany and your date of entry starts your 180- day period.
• The Schengen visas can be issued for one, two or multiple entries. These entries depend on the visa holder’s reason for travel.
• If you will be leaving and re-entering the Schengen area during your visit, you will need to apply for a double or multiple-entry visa.

• This visa is issued to foreigners who want to stay in Germany for a period longer than 90 days.
• This visa is referred to as the Type-D Schengen visa or the National visa.
• This visa is issued to foreigners for purposes such as joining a spouse/family member, taking up a job, studying and conducting research.
• To be issued this visa, your reasons must be clearly stated and will be duly indicated on your visa.
• The national visa grants entry to Germany on the basis that you will be applying for a residence permit.
• It allows you to enter Germany as a potential resident and stay while you apply for residency.
• You are expected to convert your visa into a residence permit within three months of arriving in Germany.
• Your visa can only be converted into the corresponding type of residence permit (a visa for work must be converted into a working residence permit).
• As a foreign national, you are not permitted to work in Germany unless this was expressly stated when applying for a visa.
• Applicants are required to submit a police report stating that they have no criminal record in Sierra Leone.

• An airport transit visa is issued to travelers who want to travel through Germany to another country.
• You will need an airport transit visa if your final destination is a country outside the Schengen area.
• The airport transit visa does not permit you to leave the airport.
• Applicants of this visa should be in possession of the visa of the destination country.
• Holders of this visa are not allowed to take up permanent residence in Germany.
• Holders of this visa should have a flight ticket to their destination country.

Yes, it is possible to extend the validity of visas only in exceptional cases. The extension must be done at the foreigners’ office covering your area of residence. If your German visa extension is on the grounds of compelling personal reasons or late entry, it costs 30 euros but you do not have to pay fees if your visa extension is due to a natural disaster or for humanitarian reasons.