Germany visa requirements for Thai citizens

VFS Global centres in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, for the German Embassy in Bangkok

Thai nationals need a Schengen visa for Germany. The German Embassy in Bangkok is competent when the main destination is Germany or Lithuania, and receives all Schengen applications only through VFS Global, including those of family members of Germans. The form is filled in online on VIDEX and the appointment booked on the VFS website; the embassy says short-notice slots are usually available but recommends booking ahead, and applications can be made up to six months before travel. VFS has centres in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, takes the documents with the fee paid, sends them to the embassy and returns the passport; the decision rests with the embassy alone. The fee is 90 euros (45 euros from 6 to 12), and the VFS service charge depends on the centre: 19.13 euros in Bangkok and 40 euros in Phuket and Chiang Mai. Since 1 August 2026 fingerprints must be given, so applicants attend the appointment in person; for Schengen visas they are only taken from age 12.

Official application site →

What the visa centre can and can't do →

Fee

€90

Amount published by the consular post that handles this corridor; the country page may give another consulate's figure.

Processing time

Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).

Required documents

• A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
• A valid visa, if your nationality requires one. It is not needed if you hold a valid residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b))
• Documents justifying the purpose and conditions of the intended stay: an accommodation booking or a declaration of invitation from your host, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Art. 6(3), which points to the non-exhaustive list in Annex I)
• Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the whole stay and for the return to your country of origin, or of being in a position to acquire such means lawfully. They are assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay, by reference to average prices for board and lodging in budget accommodation (Art. 6(1)(c) and 6(4)). Cash, traveller's cheques, credit cards and declarations of invitation or of sponsorship all count as proof (Art. 6(4))

How much money you need to show

€45 per day if you cannot show the purpose of your trip or where you are staying

Germany sets no mandatory amount: border officers take into account the purpose and length of the trip and whether you are staying with family or friends. Besides money, a letter of guarantee from your host, a bank guarantee or a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) also count. You also need to show how you will leave, for example with a ticket.

What each Schengen country asks for →

Source: European Commission, Annex 25 to the Practical Handbook for Border Guards (reference amounts notified by each State), version of 8 June 2026. Checked on 1 November 2026.

Health insurance

Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).

Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

How long you can stay

Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.

Calculate your available Schengen days →

Why isn't your passport being stamped? The EES system →