Germany will continue to allow citizens of 62 countries and territories outside the European Union and the Schengen Area to enter the country without a visa for short stays in 2026.
According to guidelines sighted on the German Federal Foreign Office’s website on Sunday, eligible travellers can visit Germany for up to 90 days within any 180-day period for purposes such as tourism, business meetings and family visits without obtaining a visa.
However, the visa waiver does not permit holders to take up paid employment during their stay.
Those intending to work or remain in Germany beyond the permitted period must obtain the appropriate visa or residence permit, depending on their nationality.
Some visa-exempt nationals are also eligible to apply for certain residence permits after arriving in Germany, subject to the country’s immigration laws.
The countries whose citizens can travel to Germany without a visa for short stays are:
Albania
Andorra
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong (SAR passport holders)
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Macao (SAR passport holders)
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
New Zealand
North Macedonia
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Taiwan (passport holders with an identity card number)
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
On the other hand, citizens of 102 countries and territories require a visa to enter Germany.
They are Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad and Nigeria.
Others are China, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, and Libya.
The rest are Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, the Palestinian territories, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
(Punch)
