General information

If you are to be employed as operating and service personnel on a passenger ship (e.g. a river cruise) in cross-border traffic, you can apply for a national visa, provided that you

• stay predominantly in Germany, i.e. on German river sections and
• aim for a stay of at least 91 days

Basic information

• You have to submit your visa application for the purpose of employment as operating and service personnel on a passenger ship in cross-border traffic to the external service provider TLScontact. Information about the services TLScontact offers and how to make appointments can be found in German and English on the TLScontact website.
• All application documents must be submitted in original with 1 copy.
• Please sort the documents in the order listed below.
• Documents not in the German or English language must be submitted with a certified German or English translation.
• The Embassy reserves the right to request additional documents in individual cases.
• Incomplete application forms as well as applications with incomplete documents will delay processing and may lead to rejection of the application.
• Processing time is as a rule ca. 1 to 2 months but can take longer in individual cases.
• Please do not contact the mission abroad to check the status of your application during the normal processing period. Such inquiries are extremely time-consuming for the visa section and can thus not be answered.

For your application we require the following documents:

1. Passport and 1 copy of the data page. If you are a foreigner residing in Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, Eritrea or the Seychelles, you have to show a valid residence permit for the country of residence.

2. 1 completed and duly signed application form including information provided to applicants pursuant to Section 54 (2) no. 8 in conjunction with Section 53 of the Residence Act (AufenthG)

   A digital application form to be completed online can be found on https://videx-national.diplo.de

3. 2 current, identical biometric passport photos with a white background
4. Signed information pursuant to section 18 (2) no. 4a of the Residence Act (AufenthG) – Requirement to have a concrete job offer
5. Curriculum vitae in German or English, gapless
6. Completed form signed by your employer: “Declaration regarding a contract of employment”
7. Completed questionnaire for crew members of river cruise ships

8. Letter of Invitation/Guarantee from the employer

   This letter must contain the following information:

   - Name of the ship you will be working on

   - Port of embarkation in Germany

   - Confirmation from the employer that you will not be assigned to another ship during the visa process and prior to arrival in Germany

   - If applicable, the information listed under No. 11

9. Ship Register
10. Ship route plan

11. Employment Contract signed by the employer and the applicant containing the following information:

    Compliance and guarantee of the minimum wage law in Germany

    Countries in which the work will take place

    Working Hours

    Off days and periods of rest

    Name of the ship

    If the above points cannot be included in the employment contract, the employer can also issue a separate confirmation letter (please see no. 8) with the required information.

12. Proof of qualification

    Secondary school degree (in Kenya: KCSE)

    If applicable: vocational school and/or university degree (including transcript of records)

    If applicable: other qualifications

13. Proof of professional experience on passenger ships or in the hotel/catering sector

    Please submit reference letters from your former employers or similar documents (employment contract, salary slips, etc.).

    If you have relevant professional experience outside your country of residence or home country, please also provide copies of your visa/residence permit and the pages of your passport with the relevant entry and exit stamps

14. Proof of incoming health insurance coverage, valid for the entire duration of employment on the passenger ship beginning with date of entry to Germany

15. Visa fee in the amount 75 Euros, payable in Kenyan Shillings

This fact sheet reflects the legal situation at the time of drafting it. It is regularly updated but makes no claim to be complete. Authoritative version of the fact sheet is the German version.