German Passport Visa-Free Countries

Traveling with a German passport

German passport ranks 3rd in the global passport ranking by the Henley Passport Index, which means it is one of the best passports in the world in terms of travel mobility and provides its holders exceptional travel freedom.

As of the beginning of 2023, the visa-free countries list for German citizens includes 117 countries. Currently, Germany has the greatest access of all European Union member states.

German citizens have full freedom of movement in Schengen member countries, while in other countries providing travel visa-free access, the permitted stay varies from 1 day to 180 days, depending on the country and the purpose of travel.

To enter other countries, German nationals need a valid visa. It is possible to apply for a regular visa at the embassy, get a visa on arrival, or obtain an electronic visa by applying online.

The German passport application process

You need to be a German citizen to be able to get a German passport. The application can only be made in person and includes such steps:

1. Make an appointment at the Embassy/Consulate General/Honorary Consul/German mission in your country of residence.
2. Attend an appointment for identification and fingertips. Bring with you all the required documents.
3. Wait for 3–6 weeks for the processing of your application.
4. Pick the passport up from the office.

Countries that German passport holders can visit visa-free

German citizens can visit more than 100 countries without a visa, including the whole European Union member countries:

• Andorra
• United Arab Emirates
• Albania
• Armenia
• Argentina
• Austria
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Brunei
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bahamas
• Botswana
• Belarus
• Belize
• Canada
• Switzerland
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Serbia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• Estonia
• Spain
• Finland
• Fiji
• Micronesia
• France
• United Kingdom
• Grenada
• Georgia
• Gambia
• Greece
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Honduras
• Croatia
• Haiti
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Israel
• Iceland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kiribati
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Kazakhstan
• Saint Lucia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Latvia
• Morocco
• Monaco
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• Marshall Islands
• Macedonia
• Mongolia
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• Malaysia
• Namibia
• Nicaragua
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Panama
• Peru
• Philippines
• Poland
• San Marino
• Senegal
• Suriname
• El Salvador
• Thailand
• Tajikistan
• Timor Leste
• Tunisia
• Tonga
• Turkey
• Tuvalu
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vatican City
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Venezuela
• Vanuatu
• Samoa
• South Africa
• Zambia
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Qatar
• Singapore
• Seychelles
• Palau
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Romania
• Paraguay
• Solomon Islands
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Eswatini

The benefits of visiting visa-free countries with the German passport

Many people would like to get a German passport, as it provides great travel benefits:

• visa-free access saves your time as you don’t need to spend it on applying for a visa;
• you don’t need to pay visa fees, so you can save the money for something else, for example, the trip itself;
• you don’t have to worry about visa requirements and therefore get a stress-free trip;
• you tend to travel to more destinations, including the countries you wouldn’t visit if they required a visa.

Countries offering eVisa to the German citizens

The list of visa-free countries for German passport holders is pretty long, but still, there are many other countries that do require a visa. To facilitate the application process, a number of governments implemented an online visa. The eVisa is as official as a regular visa but can be obtained in a much simpler way.

The application process takes place entirely online, all needed is to complete a short form, attach the required digital documents, and pay the fees. The approved eVisa will be delivered directly to the applicant’s email address.

Moreover, some countries introduced electronic travel authorization (ETA). It is not legally considered a visa, but it is also an official electronic travel permit that allows entering a country and can be obtained online.

See a list of countries that launched eVisas and electronic travel authorization for German citizens:

• Angola
• Australia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Benin
• Canada
• Congo
• Ivory Coast
• Djibouti
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Guinea Bissau
• Guinea
• Indonesia
• India
• Iraq
• Iran
• Kenya
• Cambodia
• South Korea
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Sri Lanka
• Lesotho
• Madagascar
• Myanmar
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• New Zealand
• Oman
• Papua New Guinea
• Pakistan
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• United States
• Vietnam
• Rwanda
• Saudi Arabia
• South Sudan
• Cape Verde

Countries offering visas on arrival to German passport holders

Some countries offer German citizens a visa on arrival. It is a good option for those who forgot or didn’t have time to apply for a visa in advance. However, visas on arrival may serve only some purposes and can be obtained solely at certain entry ports. Also, you have to wait in long lines to receive a visa on arrival, so applying for an online visa still requires less time.

Check out which countries provide visa-on-arrival services:

• Bangladesh
• Burkina Faso
• Bahrain
• Burundi
• Egypt
• Guinea Bissau
• Guinea
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Cambodia
• Comoros
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Sri Lanka
• Madagascar
• Myanmar
• Mauritania
• Maldives
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Nepal
• Papua New Guinea
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Togo
• Tanzania
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda
• Saudi Arabia

Countries where German citizens need to get a visa to travel to

Most countries give German passport holders an opportunity to apply for a visa in a simplified way. However, there are more than 20 countries demanding from Germans a traditional visa. To get a regular visa, it is necessary to attend a country’s embassy or consulate in person.

This is the list of countries requiring a traditional visa:

• Afghanistan
• Bhutan
• Central African Republic
• Republic of the Congo
• Cameroon
• China
• Cuba
• Algeria
• Eritrea
• Ghana
• Equatorial Guinea
• North Korea
• Liberia
• Libya
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Nauru
• Syria
• Chad
• Turkmenistan
• Yemen
• Russia
• Sudan