Germany ditches visa appeals ... what this means for travel plans

POLICY SHIFT

- ZAMANDOSI CELE

THE landscape of visa applications for travellers — including those from South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini— heading to Germany is set for a significant shift.

In a decision announced by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, the remonstration procedure, which previously allowed applicants to appeal visa denials, will be abolished starting on July 1. This change comes as part of a broader effort to streamline the visa application process.

Until recently, applicants who faced visa rejection could challenge the decision through an appeal process, which, while not legally mandated, was a common practice within the visa sections of German foreign missions.