The Federal Republic of Germany is the number one destination in the overall health and medical tourism segment. It is estimated that around 250,000 people from 177 countries receive medical treatment in Germany every year. These patients mainly come from neighboring countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Poland. The country benefits from around 1.2 million euros per year from medical tourism.
While many can enter and seek medical care in Germany without having to follow any preventative procedures, many others cannot. Due to Germany’s travel and immigration policies, many will need to obtain a visa before embarking on a trip to the Western European country.
What is a medical visa for Germany?
A German medical visa is a permit that allows the holder to enter Germany for the purpose of seeking and receiving medical treatment. This visa gives the right to foreigners to get any type of medical service they need in Germany, as long as they are able to afford it financially.
Who needs a medical visa for Germany?
Whether you need a visa or not, it all depends on your nationality and the length of your intended stay in Germany. It is possible to obtain a visa for Germany for medical treatment, both for stays of up to three months and for longer stays.
For stays of up to three months
If you need to enter Germany to receive medical treatment that takes less than three months, you may need to obtain a Schengen medical visa for Germany. If you are a citizen of one of the third-world countries that have established a visa exemption regime with the Schengen area, it is not necessary to obtain such a visa.
Instead, you should only proceed with your medical arrangements with the clinic or hospital where you will receive treatment for your health condition. Currently, citizens of 62 countries around the world can enter Germany without a visa, for stays of three months, within 180 days.
For stays longer than three months
On the other hand, if you need treatment that takes more than three months to receive in Germany, you may need to obtain a national medical visa, even if you belong to one of the countries mentioned above.
You will be exempt from obtaining a visa only for medical treatment, in this case only if you are a citizen of one of the following countries:
• EU/EEA/EFTA
• Australia
• Honduras
• Israel
• Japan
• Canada
• New Zeeland
• Republic of South Korea
The United States of America
Please note that you will still need to register with the local authorities – the Residents’ Registration Office or the Citizens’ Service upon your arrival in Germany.
How to get a German medical visa
If you need a short-stay or long-stay medical visa, you will still need to follow the steps listed below to complete the Germany visa application process:
• Check if you need a visa. From the explanations provided above you will probably already understand whether you need a visa.
• Find where you need to apply. In some countries, you may need to apply at the German embassy or consulate and in other cases at a visa center to which Germany has outsourced the submission of visas.
• Collect the required documents. This is a vital part of your question. Collect the required documents as per the specifications explained below in this article.
• Make an appointment. In some countries you can do this online, while in others you may have to make the appointment in person.
• Attend the interview. On the day of the appointment, show up on time, with the required documents arranged in order.
• Wait for your file to process.
Where to apply for a medical visa
Depending on how the German embassy has regulated the submission of visa applications in your country, you may need to apply for a medical visa for Germany at:
• The German embassy in your home country
• A German consulate in your home country
• A visa center to which the German embassy has outsourced the submission of visas
However, it is the German Embassy that is solely responsible for processing visa applications, regardless of your nationality or visa type.
When to Apply for a Medical Visa to Germany
Of course, you cannot just submit your visa application whenever you want to. Germany has very strict rules when it comes to visa applications. You are highly suggested to submit your application at least three weeks before your trip to Germany.
Germany Medical Treatment Visa Application Documents and Requirements
The list of required documents for a Medical visa to Germany is as follows:
• Fully completed application form. Please be careful to choose the right form, since the short-stay visa form differs from the long-stay visa form. Take care to give the correct information. Print the form twice and sign both copies at the end. You can fill out and download the form here!
• Two passport photographs. These photos should be identical and taken within the last three months according to visa photo requirements.
• Valid passport. Your passport should be no older than 10 years and with a validity of three months beyond your planned date of return to your home country. It should also have a blank page for the visa sticker, and fulfill the other visa passport criteria.
• A copy of your passport’s data page (A4 size copy).
• Europe Travel Health Insurance. A letter issued by your health insurance company confirms you have travel insurance, which covers any medical emergency or hospitalization with a minimum of €30,000.
• Flight reservations, rail tickets, and others.
• Leave a letter from your company. If you are an employee, you should submit this letter to your employer, which confirms the dates of your leave.
Documents confirming the applicant’s need for health treatment, are as:
• Certificate from a medical doctor confirming the need for specific medical treatment in Germany
• Certificate from a medical doctor confirming that necessary treatment can be provided by a clinic/hospital in Germany
• Proof of an appointment made at this clinic/hospital
• Proof of advance payment of the treatment / financial arrangements with the medical doctor in Germany
• Correspondence between the sending medical doctor and the receiving medical doctor
• A guarantee letter from the applicant to assure the patient’s capacity to cope with the extra medical costs (when expecting unforeseen costs of medical treatment to happen)
Confirmed Accommodation in the Medical Clinic
• Proof of accommodation. If you are going to stay at a hospital throughout your whole period in Germany, you should submit a confirmation by this hospital to prove that. If not, then you should submit either a hotel booking, an invitation letter from a German host or a rental contract, where you will be staying.
• Proof of civil status: Marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, ration card if applicable
• Proof of financial status: In addition to the documents regarding health treatment listed above, you will have to submit proof you are capable of covering any other expenses. You can do so through a bank statement or letter of sponsorship through which another party confirms they will be covering your expenses. According to your employment status, you also need to submit:
• If employed: Pay slips of the past three months, employment contract and leave permission.
• If self-employed: Certificate of Proprietorship or other proof of ownership (proof of land title, proof of income from agriculture (sales form) etc.)
• If studying: proof of enrollment and no objection letter from the university.
• If retired: pension statement of the latest 6 months.
On the other hand, if you are applying to get a visa for your minor child who needs medical services offered in Germany, you should also submit the following documents:
• Birth Certificate. Provide this certificate in original, accompanied by a copy.
• Letter of Consent from the other parent. A formal document from the other parent, translated into English or German language and notarized, stating he/she has no objection about their child traveling with you only, if applicable.
• Letter of Consent from both parents. A formal document from you and the other parent of your child translated into an English or German language and notarized, stating they have no objection to your child traveling with a third person, if applicable.
• Death certificate of the other parent. In case the other parent of your child has passed away.
Germany Health Treatment Visa Fee
The fee you need to pay for a Medical visa to Germany depends on the period you need to remain in Germany to fully receive your treatment.
If you are coming to Germany to receive your treatment for a shorter period than three months, then you will have to pay a fee of €60. If you are under the age of 12, you will need to pay a reduced fee of €35. There are some categories, which should pay, either a reduced fee or are exempt from paying the fee at all. Check the list of these German visa fee categories!
On the other hand, if you intend to remain in Germany for more than 3 months under a long-stay visa, you will have to pay a fee of €75.
Please note that in case of visa denial or application withdrawal, you will not receive a reimbursement of the fee you paid.
Visa Processing Time
A German embassy anywhere in the world, takes from 10 to 15 days to process a visa application. Delays may happen at times when the embassy is accepting a lot of applications. However, if your health condition has suddenly worsened, and you urgently need a visa, your application may be processed more quickly than normal.
Germany Medical Visa Validity
When it comes to visa validity, how long you will be permitted to remain in Germany, depends on the visa you have applied for.
If you have applied for a short-stay visa, you can either get a visa with an appointed number of days i.e. 15 days, or get a multiple-entry visa. The multiple entry visa permits you to enter and leave Schengen as many times as you want, as long as you do not stay more than 90 days within six months.
On the other hand, if you get a long-stay visa, you may be permitted to remain in Germany for up to 12 months. After the expiration of your visa, if you need to remain in Germany for a longer period to complete your treatment, you can apply for a visa extension.
Germany Medical Visa Extension
You can extend your medical treatment visa only in case your health has not improved and you need to receive medical treatment further, which you cannot receive in your home country. To do so you should obtain documents from the hospital where you receive this treatment, and the doctors that treat you. These documents must confirm your need to remain in Germany longer than the validity of your visa.
Please take care to apply for a visa extension before the expiration of your current visa. If your visa expires first, you will no longer be able to apply for an extension.
FAQ
How can I get a medical visa for Germany?
To obtain a medical treatment visa in Germany, a German hospital must agree to treat your medical condition, draw up a treatment plan and provide an estimate of the cost of the treatment. Only then will the visa request be taken into consideration.
What medical exam is required for the German visa?
What is the mandatory medical check-up for permanent and temporary visa applicants?
Age tests required
2 or more but less than 11 years Medical examination Tuberculosis screening test – Tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release test (IGRA)
11 or older but under 15 Medical examination Chest x-ray
Can I travel to Germany for medical reasons?
It is possible to obtain a visa for Germany for medical treatment, both for stays of up to three months and for longer stays.
Is medical treatment free in Germany?
In Germany, healthcare is partially free thanks to social contributions to the public healthcare system. This means that people can receive medical services for the most part free of charge. However, some low copayments apply, such as the €10 fee for a visit to the family doctor (GP) every quarter.