German Visa Remonstration - Visa Rejection

A German visa remonstration, also known as a "re-examination of visa application" according to the German Embassy, is a process where an applicant can appeal a visa rejection directly to the German consulate or embassy. It allows for a review of the decision, potentially leading to a reassessment of the application. However, this process is being phased out, with a global abolition starting on July 1, 2025.  The most important points in brief:

• The previously voluntary remonstration procedure will be abolished worldwide from 01.07.2025 in order to be able to process more visa applications overall and shorten waiting times for visa decisions.

• If your visa application is rejected after July 1st 2025, please refrain from submitting remonstrations to the embassy. The Embassy will no longer process such remonstrations.

• You can take legal action against a rejection of your visa application by filing a complaint with the Administrative Court of Berlin (Germany). This must be done in German and involves court costs.

• The following applies more than ever: Reduce the risk of a rejection by submitting the required documents in full from the outset. If the visa office requests additional documents, please submit them in good time.

• You always have the option of submitting a new visa application even after a rejection. Abolition of the remonstration procedure from 1 July 2025 Abolition of the remonstration procedure from 1 July 2025 The Federal Foreign Office has decided to abolish the remonstration procedure for visa rejections worldwide from 1 July 2025. This eliminates a legal remedy in the visa application procedure that is not statutorily prescribed and which up to now has been granted voluntarily. This decision is based on a pilot project conducted in several German visa sections, where suspension of remonstrations for both Schengen visas and national visas was tested from 1 June 2023. Evaluation of the pilot project has shown that Dispensing with the remonstration procedure has released considerable staff capacity in visa sections in some cases, freeing up staff to process more visa applications. As a result, it has been possible to process both more national and more Schengen visa applications and to reduce waiting times compared to the same period in the previous year. The processing of a greater number of visa applications and a reduction in waiting times benefits all applicants. Adequate legal protection will also be guaranteed in the future, for judicial review under law will not be limited by the abolition of the remonstration procedure. Furthermore, it goes without saying that all applicants have the option of submitting a new visa application at any time in the case of a rejection. With the general option to apply for national visas for skilled workers, apprentices, students or for family reunification purposes online via the Consular Services Portal available worldwide since 1 January 2025, applicants also receive clear and intuitive step-by-step guidance through the application process to ensure that they submit complete (digital) applications. Experience from the online application pilot project has shown that this significantly improves the quality of the procedure and avoids delays caused by incomplete applications. Source: German Embassy Manila https://tinyurl.com/35ben7jy