Applying for a German visa from Cameroon

Short-stay or national visa, booking an appointment, documents, fees and processing times: the steps to know before submitting your application in Yaoundé.

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Important Information

This guide summarizes the information published by the German Embassy in Yaoundé, consulted on 03/10/2026. Requirements, amounts and processing times change regularly: this information may be out of date by the time you read it. The only reliable reference is the embassy's official website: jaunde.diplo.de. Institut der Fuchs is not a visa agency and does not process any application on behalf of the embassy.

Short-stay visa or national visa?

Cameroonian nationals need a visa to enter Germany. The type of visa depends on the length and purpose of the stay:

  • Schengen visa (short stay): up to 90 days within a 180-day period, for example for tourism, a visit or a business trip. It cannot be extended or converted into a residence permit in Germany.
  • National visa (long stay): more than 90 days, in particular for studies, vocational training (Ausbildung), work or family reunification.

Getting an appointment

  1. Online registration only. Depending on the case, via the embassy's appointment system (waiting list) or via the Auslandsportal, used since May 2026 for work, training, studies and the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte). Registration is free of charge; no appointments are given by phone or e-mail.
  2. Only one registration per person, in the correct category: multiple registrations are deleted, and an application filed in the wrong category is not processed.
  3. Confirm within 7 days the appointment assigned to you by e-mail, otherwise it is cancelled. A missed appointment can block your passport number for three months.
  4. Submitting the application at the embassy or, for several categories (studies, health and care professions, fast-track procedure, vocational training), at the service provider VFS Global in Yaoundé. VFS does not decide: the decision lies with the embassy.

Documents usually required for a national visa

  • Application form (filled in automatically in the Auslandsportal, otherwise the VIDEX form);
  • Recent biometric photo (35 × 45 mm);
  • Passport valid for at least 12 months with at least two blank pages, and national identity card;
  • Original birth certificate (and supplementary judgment where applicable);
  • Diplomas and transcripts (Probatoire, Baccalauréat or GCE O/A Level, university degrees);
  • CV and cover letter (one page each; the required language depends on the visa);
  • Health insurance suited to the stay;
  • Documents specific to the purpose of the stay: admission, training or employment contract, proof of financial means…

Documents in French, English or German do not need to be translated. For a minor, the presence of all holders of parental authority is generally required. Any forged document leads to a refusal.

Fees

VisaFees stated by the embassy
National visa, 18 and over50,000 FCFA
National visa, under 1825,000 FCFA
Schengen visa, from age 1260,000 FCFA
Schengen visa, ages 6 to 1130,000 FCFA

Fees are paid on site against an official receipt and are not refunded if the visa is refused. Submitting at VFS Global involves additional service fees. Holders of publicly funded scholarships may be exempt.

Processing times

For a Schengen visa, the embassy states about 14 days of processing for a complete application once the appointment has taken place; the application must be submitted between six months and fifteen days before the trip. For national visas, the wait for an appointment varies greatly by category, from a few weeks (fast-track procedure with prior approval) to more than a year (vocational training, bachelor's degree, language course). These times are indicative: check the embassy's page for the current situation.

Language certificates

When the visa requires a level of German, the embassy accepts certificates from ALTE member organisations: Goethe-Institut, TestDaF, telc, ÖSD and ECL. All four modules (reading, listening, writing and speaking) are required; they may come from different organisations, but the oldest must be less than one year old. The embassy has announced that from 1 August 2026, an ECL certificate is only accepted if each module reaches at least 60%.

At Institut der Fuchs, our A1 to C1 courses prepare you precisely for these exams, module by module.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an agency to get an appointment?

No. Registering on the embassy's appointment system (or on the Auslandsportal) is free of charge and done online. The embassy advises against intermediaries and points out that paying in cash does not speed up processing.

How much does a national (long-stay) visa cost?

According to the embassy: 50,000 FCFA from age 18 and 25,000 FCFA under 18. If the application is submitted at VFS Global, service fees are added.

Is my German certificate accepted?

The embassy accepts certificates from ALTE member organisations (Goethe, TestDaF, telc, ÖSD, ECL). All four modules are required, and the oldest must be less than one year old.

Do my French documents need to be translated?

No: documents written in French, English or German are accepted without translation.

How long is the wait for an appointment?

It depends on the category: from a few weeks to more than a year, according to the indicative figures published by the embassy. Register early and check the embassy's page for the current situation.

Official sources

Last checked by the institute: 03/10/2026. In case of any discrepancy, the embassy's website prevails.