Are you looking for good medical services? Have you considered the most visited country for health tourism? The German government is strict with the quality of its hospitals and healthcare centers. That is why it attracts more than 250.000 people to get medical services. Made your decision? You might need a German medical visa.
This article will explain whether you need a medical visa for Germany or not, the requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.
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ToggleWhat is a Germany Medical visa?
German medical visa is the legal authorization for foreigners to use the health service of the country. It allows them to stay and get the medical service they need. Foreign nationals can enjoy Germany’s high-quality health service as long as they can afford it. The exact number of people who visit Germany for medical services is not clear. But, the estimates show about 15.000-250.000 people visit Germany to get medical care.
Who Needs a German Medical visa?
Whether you need a German medical visa depends on:
- The length of your stay in Germany
- Your nationality
Up to 90 days stay
When you need to stay for up to 90 days in Germany, it gets called a short stay. A few countries are free of German short-stay visas. Their nationals can enter Germany with a passport. So if their treatment takes up to 90 days, they do not need a visa. But to stay longer, they have to apply for a visa or residence permit.
The countries that are not visa-free have to apply for a treatment visa. It is true even if they need to stay up to 90 days.
Stays longer than 90 days
When your medical treatment takes longer than 90 days, you need a visa. Yet, you might be free of it. The nationals or residents of the below list do not need to apply for a German medical visa:
- EU / EEA / EFTA members
- Australia
- Honduras
- Israel
- Japan
- Canada
- New Zealand
- South Korea
- The US
The citizens of nationals of the above list do not need to apply for a German medical visa. It is true for them even if they have to stay for longer than 90 days. The citizens of the rest of the countries have to apply for a visa.
Who is Eligible for a Germany Medical visa?
Anyone who wants to get medical treatment in Germany can apply for a medical visa. Yet, there is eligibility over it. First, you must reach an agreement with a German hospital or clinic. They must agree to provide health services to you. Only then can you apply for a German medical visa.
Second, you must be able to pay the expenses of your treatment. If you can not afford to pay the costs, there will be neither treatment nor a visa.
Follow the below procedures to get an agreement with a German health center:
Find a German health center
Contact the German hospital or clinic where you want to get treated. Research to know whether they can help you with your medical condition. Do not waste time with a center that can not help you.
Send the history of your medical conditions.
Provide the health center with whatever they need. They might require specific medical documents. You might only be able to provide them in your home country. Also, they might ask you to conduct some medical tests.
Agreement
The German health center agrees to provide service to you. They send you a Treatment plan along with the costs.
Invitation letter
When you approve the plan and pay the fees, the health center will send you an invitation letter. You can use this invitation letter to apply for a German medical visa. You may not apply for the visa without the invitation letter.
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Germany Medical visa Requirements
The requirements for a German medical visa are as follows:
Application form
Complete the online application form for German medical visa. Provide true and correct information. Print it TWICE. Many applicants forget it, but it’s an essential point. Date and sign both forms.
Photos
Provide two identical photos. They must be in passport size. Take photos in the latest three months to the date you deliver the requirements.
Passport
A valid passport is issued by the federal government of the country you live in. It must not be older than ten years ago. Holding at least one blank page is mandatory.
Health insurance
Buy health insurance valid in Germany and all of the EU countries. It has to support your medical costs of 30.000 EUR. The insurance company must prove your purchase was meant through a letter.
Permission leave
Providing that you are an employee, get a permission leave letter from your employer.
Proof of accommodation
In case you need to stay at the German hospital, provide approval from the hospital from them. If not, you have to provide one of the below ones:
- A rental agreement
- Invitation letter from a host staying in Germany
- Hotel reservation
- Anything that proves you have somewhere to stay
Financial requirement
You must afford to pay for the medical treatment you want to receive. You could do it through:
- Bank statement
- Receiving sponsorship. You must confirm it through a letter.
Proof of paid treatment fees
Provide a certificate that proves you have paid the cost of medical treatment. You could also provide a payment agreement.
If you want to know how to immigrate to Germany as a nurse, read our article.
Correspondence
Provide the correspondence between a doctor in your home country and a German doctor.
Requirements based on your job status
Employed
- Permission leave
- Employment contract
- payslips for the latest three months
Self-employed
- Proof of ownership
- Any proof that states your income
Student
- Enrolment proof in the Education center
- No objection letter from the education center
Retired
Your pension statements for the latest six months.
If you want to know how to immigrate to Germany as a pharmacist, read our article.
Requirements for children
In case your children need medical services in Germany, provide:
Birth Certificate.
The original form and a copy are required.
Consent letter
If the only parent accompanies the child, provide a consent letter from the other parent. He/she must state having no objection to the child traveling. Also, the letter must be in English or German.
If the child is traveling with a third person, both parents must provide the letter.
Death certificate
If one of the parents has died, provide his/her death certificate.
Medical treatment certificate
Requirements that confirm the applicant needs medical services:
- Certificate from a doctor approving that the patient needs particular medical services in Germany.
- A doctor’s certificate stating that the medical service the patient needs can get in a German hospital or clinic.
- Appointment proof at the German hospital or clinic.
- Proof to have paid the medical treatment fees/financial agreement.
- The correspondence between the doctor has sent them and the German doctor who received them.
- A guarantee that the patient can cover unexpected-extra medical costs.
How to have a job as a doctor in Germany? Read our article.
The Application Process for German Medical visa
Follows this step-by-step procedure for a Germany research visa application:
Do I need a visa?
Research to know if you need a visa or not. As explained above, some countries do not need a medical visa for Germany. They can get medical services without a visa. The lengths of stay do not matter to them. Figure out if you are among them or not. If yes, you should not apply for a visa.
Agreement with a German medical center
Find a German medical center before you apply for a visa. It must provide the medical service you need. Also, they must be ready to give services to you. Send them a history of your medical condition. Try to reach an agreement with them to receive services. When so, they send you an invitation letter. You must have this letter to apply for a German medical visa. Without it, there is no visa.
Am I Eligible for the visa?
You must be eligible for a medical visa in Germany. See the sections above to learn about it. Study each item with care. If you do not comply with them, work on your conditions.
Application form
Complete the online application form for a German medical visa. Then print the form TWICE, date, and sign the two forms.
Requirements
Gather all the requirements for a medical visa, as explained. Everything must be complete. The German officials will not skip any part. They are strict with their visa rules. One part is missing, and the processing time will take longer.
Visa appointment
Set an appointment with the German embassy or consulate in your home country. Get there on the exact date and bring all the requirements. Submit everything to the officials.
Pay the fee for visa processing.
It’s wise to apply as early as possible. There might be some delays. You should not miss the days for treatment. The processing time could take longer than usual.
Processing
Wait until the embassy’s officials process your application. You might have to wait for two weeks to three months. When they finish, they will send the visa to your address. In case it gets denied, they inform you why.
When you receive the visa, check everything:
- See the lengths of validity and the date it will start and finish.
- How many times you can enter Germany.
- The spelling of your names on the visa. They must be the smake as your passport.
After you get to Germany under a Medical visa
You have to complete a few things after you get to Germany under a medical visa. First, you have to register your address with an immigration office. You have to do it even you will be staying in a hotel or medical center. If you can not do it due to your health conditions, the health center people have to do it on your behalf.
Also, you have to apply for a residence permit. Again, if you can not do it due to your medical conditions, the health care center should do it on your behalf.
Can I Extend my Germany Medical visa?
YES. You have permission to extend your German medical visa. Yet, only under a particular occasion. You could apply for an extension when you need more medical services. Also, it’s not possible to receive services in your home country. So, you have to receive the related documents from the hospital you are staying in. The doctors treating should also verify this.
Bear in mind that you have to apply for an extension before your visa gets expires. If your visa expires, you MAY NOT apply for an extension.
Can I Bring My Family under a German Medical visa?
The answer depends. If the applicants are a child and need care, the parent or legal guardian can accompany him/her. It’s better to contact the German embassy or consulate in your home country for further information.
If the visa applicant is an adult and they are so sick that they need someone to:
- Take care of him/her.
- Complete procedures
- Take care of the patient’s matters.
In this case, a relative or friend can accompany the patient in Germany. Ask the German embassy or consulate in your home country for more details.
How Long is the Germany Medical visa Valid?
The visa’s validity depends on the type of visa you have applied for. Providing that you have applied for a short-stay visa, its ultimate validity is 90 days. Yet, the officials might grant a visa with less validity.
Providing that you have applied for a long-stay validity, its ultimate validity would be to one year. Yet, the officials will grant you a visa valid to complete your medical services in Germany.
The permitted times you can enter Germany is up to the officials’ decision.
Am I Eligible for German medical visa for Check-ups?
No. You are not eligible for a German medical visa to perform a check-up. To be eligible, you must have a serious medical condition. Also, you must meet the eligibility criteria mentioned above.
You could do a check-up with another German visa. For example, you could perform a check-up with a German tourist visa.
German medical visa Processing time
The processing time for a German freelancer visa is 2-4 weeks. Yet, it could take longer than that. The earliest date you could apply for a Schengen visa is three months. But it would be best to apply as early as possible.
Germany Medical visa Fee/cost
The fee for the German medical visa depends on the type of visa.
A German medical visa for a short stay will cost about 60 EUR. The visa cost for underage children is 35 EUR.
A medical visa for a long stay will cost you about 75 EUR.
Bear in mind that the fee is always subject to change. The German embassy in your country might charge you more or less.
Let’s sum up…
In this article, we explained all you should know about Germany’s freelance visa.
The text covered whether you need a visa or not, requirements, the application process, FAQs, and more.
You can learn about other types of German visas by visiting the left sidebar.
Also, visit the Visa Library’s homepage to gain more information about other countries’ visas.
If you have information about visas, write them in the comment section below. They are valuable tips for applicants.
- Published by
- Max-B.
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Thank God you have mentioned the pension statement document for the requirements of retired applicants. I was about to forget. Thanks a bunch.