Visa rules for Turkmen citizens visiting Germany
Turkmen need a Schengen visa to enter Germany. A type C visa is required for short-term travel since Germany is part of the Schengen Zone.
Tourist visa for Turkmen traveling to Germany
A German tourist visa lets you visit the country for sightseeing, vacation, meeting family or friends, or taking part in short cultural events. With this visa, Turkmen citizens can also travel freely across the Schengen Zone. The visa is valid for up to 90 days within 180 days and does not allow you to work.
How can Turkmen get a tourist visa to Germany?
- Choose a German consulate or visa center where you will apply.
- Collect all required documents – they are the main part of the process.
- Book an appointment to hand in your documents and give your fingerprints and photo.
- Pay the visa fee: €90 for adults, €45 for children 6–12, and free for children under 6.
- Wait for a decision. Normally it takes up to 15 days, but in some cases it may take 30 days.
What documents do Turkmen citizens need for a German visa?
- Filled‑in visa application form
- Passport valid for at least 6 months after the planned return
- Two recent passport‑size photos
- Travel insurance covering the whole trip, with a minimum of €30,000 coverage
- Proof of funds (bank statements, sponsor letter, etc.)
- A personal cover letter explaining your trip, planned stay, and purpose
- Proof of accommodation (hotel booking or invitation)
- Proof of travel plans (tickets or reservations)
- Certificate from employer or school/university
- Visa fee (about €80)
If you are visiting relatives or friends, you also need:
- An official letter of commitment from the Foreigners' Office in Germany
- A copy of the host’s ID or registration card
- An invitation letter with the purpose of your visit, relationship, stay dates, and host’s address
- A document confirming your family relationship.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Germany for Turkmen citizens?
Yes. When Turkmen apply for a Schengen visa to Germany, they must include proof of valid medical insurance along with their application.
Medical insurance requirements for travel to Germany for Turkmen
Since Germany is part of the Schengen area, medical insurance that meets Schengen standards is mandatory to obtain a tourist visa. Your policy must:
- Have a minimum coverage of €30,000 per person
- Be valid in all Schengen countries, not just Germany
- Cover your entire stay, including entry and departure dates
- Include emergency care, hospitalization, urgent treatment, and repatriation costs
You can easily buy such insurance directly on our website.
What should Turkmen do if their visa application is rejected?
If your German tourist visa is refused, you will get your passport back with a note explaining the reason. If you think the decision is unfair, you can submit an appeal by writing a letter to the embassy. The embassy sets a deadline for appeals, and after that time you can no longer challenge the refusal.
How many times can Turkmen citizens enter Germany with a Schengen visa?
Schengen visas for Germany can be issued with different entry types:
- Single‑entry visa – lets you enter Germany (and the Schengen area) once. If you leave, the visa becomes invalid even if there are unused days left.
- Double‑entry visa – allows you to enter, leave, and enter again. Both visits must fit within the visa’s validity and the 90/180‑day rule.
- Multiple‑entry visa – you can enter and leave as many times as you like during the visa’s validity, as long as you do not exceed 90 days in any 180‑day period.
- Visa with limited territorial validity (LTV) – this visa only allows travel in Germany (or sometimes in a few listed countries) and does not permit travel across all Schengen countries. It is issued in special situations such as humanitarian reasons.
Can Turkmen extend their German Schengen visa?
Normally, a German Schengen visa cannot be extended. There are a few exceptions when you may apply for an extension:
- Force majeure, such as flight cancellations or natural disasters
- Humanitarian reasons, for example a serious illness of a close relative in Germany
- Serious personal circumstances, like an urgent work assignment
- Entering Germany late and not using up all the visa days
Keep in mind: even in these cases, you must apply for an extension before the 90‑day period ends.
The holder of a German transit visa can stay in the international transit zone of the airport for up to 24 hours. Leaving the international transit zone of the airport with this visa is strictly prohibited and illegal.
Do I need a transit visa to the German airport?
Whether you need a German airport transit visa depends on your nationality. The list of those who need a German airport visa is actually quite narrow.
Citizens of the following countries need a transit visa to the German airport:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Small
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Turkey
*Visa holders from Australia, Israel or New Zealand are exempt from the German transit visa requirement. Furthermore, if your transit time does not exceed 12 hours, you will not need a German transit visa.
Note that if you only need to stop at one airport in the Schengen area, you will need to apply for a regular Schengen visa. Whereas, if your destination country is one of the Schengen countries to which you have a short-stay visa, you will not need a transit visa through a German airport.
Documents required to apply for a transit visa to the German airport
As with any other visa, you will need to submit some documents when you apply for a German transit visa.
In addition to the standard required documents, below is a list of documents required to apply for a transit visa to the German airport:
- Application form for a transit visa to Germany . The form of the transit visa is the same as for the German Schengen visa;
- A signed declaration of information reliability.
- Confirmation of further travel:
- Confirmed airline ticket to the final destination.
- A copy of a valid visa for the country of destination.
- Full travel itinerary .
- Confirmation of the purchased travel insurance.
Exemption from a transit visa to the German airport
However, if you are a citizen of any of the countries listed above, you will be exempt from the transit visa requirement if you:
- Holder of a valid US visa.
- Holder of a valid visa to a Schengen country, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania or the United Kingdom.
- Holder of a Turkish service or official Turkish passport.
- A Jordanian citizen who has a visa to Australia, Israel or New Zealand and your transit time in Germany does not exceed 12 hours.
- The partner (married, civil or same-sex) or child of an EU/EEA/EFTA citizen and you hold a UK "EEA Family Member Residence Card".
- Holder of diplomatic passports.
Pets of the species Dogs, Cats and Ferrets have the following health requirements:
- Each animal must be identified with a clear tattoo or microchip.
- Proof of valid rabies immunization must be provided on the veterinary certificate. The validity of the immunization is determined on the basis of information provided by the manufacturer. The primary vaccination must be given at least 21 days before crossing the border. The pet must be microchipped before being vaccinated against rabies.
- Entry is possible if the animal is accompanied. The accompanying person must provide a written statement that the animal is not being transported for the purpose of sale or change of ownership.
- The above conditions governing entry must be documented in a veterinary certificate issued by an officially authorized veterinarian. In addition, the traveler must carry supporting documents such as a vaccination certificate.
Current regulations and additional information can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and on the EU website.
It is permitted to import into Germany from outside the European Union:
- tobacco products in the amount of up to 200 cigarettes or 100 cigars (cigars weighing up to 3 grams), or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of loose tobacco;
- alcoholic beverages in the amount of up to 1 liter in case of spirits with an alcohol content of more than 22%, or up to 2 liters if the alcohol content is less than 22%, or a proportional combination of these goods;
- 4 liters of non-sparkling wine and 16 liters of beer (alcohol, like tobacco, is allowed to be imported only by persons over the age of 17);
- medicines in the amount necessary for personal use - if the amount is significant, the need must be confirmed by medical documents;
- fuel in the volume of a full car tank, regardless of its capacity, plus 10 liters in a canister can be carried with you.
There are also limits on the import of coffee, perfume (50 ml) and eau de toilette (250 ml).
Goods prohibited and restricted for import
German law strictly regulates restrictions on the importation of certain goods through special sectoral laws. Based on their provisions, the law prohibits the importation of certain goods into Germany:
- Weapons and ammunition may be imported into Germany only if you have a permit to carry them issued by the competent German authorities and a document confirming your ownership. Otherwise, it is fraught with punishment for the passenger of up to 5, and in some cases up to 10 years.
- Medicines and drugs may be transported across the border only if they have a certificate signed by a doctor. In addition, it is prohibited to transport counterfeit medicines or drugs used as doping agents.
- Pyrotechnics: Pyrotechnics in Germany are divided into 4 classes - from F1 to F4. A permit is required to import pyrotechnics of class F3 and F4.
- Dangerous dogs: the law on the prohibition of the transportation and import of dogs prohibits the importation of dogs that are classified as dangerous. We are talking about such breeds as pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, bull terrier, and so on. Exceptions are disabled dogs, guide dogs, service dogs, and so on.
- Rough diamonds: transportation and sale of rough diamonds is allowed only with a Kimberley certificate. But even if it is available, transportation is allowed only for transit purposes.
- Certain food products: wild mushrooms, potatoes, sturgeon caviar, dietary supplements, food and feed of animal origin (meat and meat products, milk and dairy products).
- Animals, plants and products made from them.
- Textile products worth more than 1.5 thousand euros, or more than 1 thousand euros if they are not intended for personal use.
- Pirated counterfeit products, but only in the case of commercial activities - the restriction does not apply to personal use.
Restrictions on export from Germany
Certain restrictions may be imposed on specific categories of goods, for example, on:
- Medicines: German law does not prohibit the export of medicines from Germany, but if they contain narcotic substances or are otherwise restricted in circulation, the passenger must have a certificate with information on the unit and daily doses of the drug signed by a doctor.
- Weapons and ammunition: export from Germany requires a permit and an export license issued in accordance with EU Regulation No. 258/2012. Such a license is not required for hunters and sport shooters.
- Rough diamonds: as mentioned above, you will need a Kimberly certificate to export them.
- Certain species of animals and plants: their export is allowed only with a permit.
- Goods made from certain dead animals and plants: up to 125 grams of sturgeon caviar, up to 4 crocodile skin products, up to 3 giant mollusks, up to 4 dead sea skates, up to 1 kg of cod are allowed to be exported.
Amounts of currency to be declared
When entering Germany from a third country or leaving Germany for such a country, a person who owns an amount of EUR 10 thousand or more must declare these funds.
If the money is in the form of cash, it is subject to a written declaration. If it is a means of payment equivalent to this amount, it is subject to an oral declaration.
In the latter case, we mean traveler's checks, shares, bonds and other securities. Violation of this rule entails administrative liability, including a fine of up to EUR 1 million.
The rest of the rules of customs clearance in Germany can be found on the site.
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