Germany begins online visa application for Nigerians, others

Germany has commenced online visa applications for Nigerians and nationalities of countries with its visa offices.

The visa applications portal is available on a new digital platform for people seeking employment, study, or joining family in Germany.

Germany Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, in a statement, said the portal is “a real administrative revolution.”

Baerbock described the system as “long overdue” while lamenting that Germany has been short of at least 400,000 skilled workers annually.

The portal has been available since January 1, 2025, and will allow applicants to choose between 28 categories of national visas online.

“At times like these, we cannot afford to downright put the best off coming here to roll up their sleeves because of long paper application forms and even longer waiting periods,” Baerbock said.

Baerbock stressed that Germany, as an immigration country, requires “a national visa process that is state-of-the-art — modern, digital and secure.”

In related news, Thailand has also announced online visa applications for Nigerians Ghanaians, and about 15 other nationalities.

The Thai embassy said it would only demand physical visa interviews in rare cases.