Germany to Abolish Visa Remonstrance Procedure as of July 1, 2025
As of July 1, 2025, Germany will be ending the remonstrance procedure for visa applications, a step that previously allowed candidates whose visa had been refused to request a new administrative review free of charge from embassies or consulates. This decision, made by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, applies to all German missions worldwide, including for Schengen visas and national visas.
The remonstrance was not provided for by law but was voluntarily granted as an internal administrative recourse to contest an unfavorable decision. Its abolition means that candidates will no longer be able to file an informal, free appeal after a visa refusal; this step will be declared ineffective as of July 1, 2025, and remonstrance requests submitted after this date will no longer be processed.
According to the official statement, this reform follows a pilot project implemented in June 2023 in several German consular sections. The evaluation of this project showed that the elimination of this recourse freed up significant processing capacity within the consular services, allowing for reduced processing times for visa applications and the management of a larger volume of files.
Now, when a visa is refused, candidates will have two main options: submit a new complete application, with the required documents and usual fees, or initiate a formal judicial appeal before an administrative court in Germany. The latter option is more expensive, more complex, and generally longer than an administrative remonstrance.
However, the German authorities emphasize that legal protections remain intact: even without remonstrance, applicants still have legal recourse before the competent courts.
In parallel with this reform, Germany has extended, since January 1, 2025, a unified digital portal for national visa applications (work, study, family reunification), aiming to improve the quality of submitted files and reduce errors or omissions that may lead to refusals.
This change occurs in a broader context of modernizing consular procedures and optimizing resources, but it reinforces the need for candidates to rigorously prepare their application from the first request to avoid complications related to a refusal.
