From 9 months to 2 weeks: Germany cuts visa processing time for Indian skilled workers

In a move to alleviate labour shortages, the German government has announced a dramatic reduction in visa processing times for Indian skilled workers.

According to a report by Schengen News, the waiting period for long-term visas has been cut from nine months to just two weeks.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed this reduction, stating, “The Federal Agency for Foreign Affairs is the biggest visa office for national visas worldwide already today. And we urgently need skilled workers who can continue to support this. In India, in Delhi, we have thus been able to reduce waiting times for national visas to two weeks. That used to take nine months.”

This decision aims to expedite the process for approximately 400,000 individuals affected by extended waiting times when applying for national visas, addressing a growing concern within various sectors.

Germany is currently grappling with a workforce shortage, with reports indicating that around 570,000 positions went unfilled in Germany in 2023, which is impacting the economy.

Particularly hard-hit sectors include transportation, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, engineering, and information technology, as outlined in another Schengen News article. The reduction in visa processing times is expected to attract more skilled workers from India, bolstering Germany’s capacity to meet its workforce demands.