Germany guide · Student visa · 3 min read
Germany student visa from Nepal: the appointment, the documents and the wait.
Nepali students apply for a German national (D) visa for study at the German Embassy in Kathmandu, by appointment, in person. You need an admission letter, proof of €11,904 a year in funds (usually a blocked account), health insurance, your certificates (and APS if any are Indian or Chinese), and a motivation letter. The embassy says decisions take at least about 5 to 7 weeks, because your file goes to the German immigration office. Book the appointment when you're admitted.
The short version
- Apply at the German Embassy in Kathmandu, by online appointment, in person. Book as soon as you're admitted; slots run months out.
- Funds: €11,904 a year, usually in a blocked account.
- Decisions take at least about 5 to 7 weeks, because the file goes to the immigration office in your university's city.
- APS only if any of your certificates are Indian or Chinese; a Nepali +2 and degree don't need it.
- Fees are set in euros and paid in Nepali rupees; DAAD and other public scholarship holders can be exempt.
The documents
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Valid passport, and copies | Valid beyond your planned stay |
| Completed national visa application form and photos | As the embassy specifies |
| Admission letter (Zulassung) | From the university or Studienkolleg |
| Proof of funds | Blocked account confirmation for €11,904, a formal obligation letter, or a scholarship letter |
| Health insurance | Travel insurance from entry until you join student health insurance |
| Academic certificates and transcripts | SEE, +2, bachelor’s, as required; certified copies |
| APS certificate | Only if any certificate is Indian or Chinese |
| Language certificates | IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught programmes; German certificate for German-taught |
| Motivation letter | Why this programme, how it follows from your study, your plans |
| CV | Dated, with no unexplained gaps |
| Visa fee | Set in euros, paid in Nepali rupees |
Check the embassy’s current checklist the week before your appointment; it changes.
The steps and the timing
| Step | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Admission letter | 4 to 8 weeks after the application deadline | |
| Book the embassy appointment | The same day | Slots before the winter semester fill months ahead |
| Blocked account and insurance | 1 to 2 weeks | Confirmation needed for the file |
| Appointment in Kathmandu | When your slot comes | In person; biometrics taken |
| File forwarded to the immigration office | Part of the wait | The office in your university’s city approves |
| Decision | At least about 5 to 7 weeks, often longer in summer | |
| Fly and register | Within your visa’s start date | Register your address, then apply for the residence permit |
For the winter semester (October), aim to have your appointment by June or early July. For the summer semester (April), by December or January.
The questions at the appointment
The officer wants to know the same things the documents show:
- Why this programme, and how it follows from your +2 or bachelor’s.
- Why Germany, and this university.
- How you’ll pay: the blocked account, and where the money came from.
- Your German: even for an English master’s, some German shows you plan to live there.
- Your plans after.
Short, specific answers that match your motivation letter work best.
From our files. Sujata Neupane from Kathmandu had a BTech from a university in Bengaluru and planned to apply in January for April. Her degree is Indian, so APS India applied to her. We moved her start from the winter to the summer semester so APS finished first. Her visa was approved in 6 weeks.
After you arrive
- Register your address (Anmeldung) at the citizens’ office, usually within 2 weeks.
- Open a current account so the blocked account can release €992 a month.
- Enrol and join student health insurance.
- Apply for your residence permit at the foreigners’ office before your visa ends.
Mistakes that delay German visas
- Booking the appointment late. It’s the biggest single delay we see.
- APS not started for students with Indian or Chinese certificates.
- A blocked account confirmation missing on the day.
- A motivation letter that doesn’t match the CV or the programme.
- Certificates without certified copies as the embassy specifies.
