German Embassy in Nigeria





German Ambassador, Joachim Christoph Schmillen

Germany, a western European country, is a choice state for travellers from Nigeria and across the world.

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany is located at 9 Lake Maracaibo Close, off Amazon Street Maitama, Abuja.  It has a consulate office in Lagos at 15, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island.



The current German Ambassador to Nigeria is Mr. Joachim Christoph Schmillen. Schmillen became his country’s Ambassador to Nigeria since 2006. Before his arrival to take his current diplomat post in Nigeria he was the German Ambassador to Chile from 2003 to 2006 and has held other diplomatic positions.

  Mr. Walter L. Von den Driesch is the Consul-General in Lagos.

Embassy Departments



The German is made up of the political section, the economics section, the consular section, the cultural section and the press section.

Visiting Hours

For the Abuja office visiting hours is between 9 a.m to 12 p.m or by appointment.



The Lagos office is opened to visitors from 8 a.m to 12 p.m. or by appointment.

Requirements for visa application

All Nigerian citizens are required to obtain a Schengen visa before travelling to Germany for up to 90 days. A Schengen visa is a category C short-term visa for visits to Germany of up to 90 days. The procession of a Schengen visa takes at least two weeks.



However, with effect from 1 May 2008, Nigerian citizens do not need an airport transit visa if they are in possession of a valid visa for an EU member state, a state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area of 2 May 1992, Japan, Canada, Switzerland or the United States of America; or if after using the visa they return to Nigeria from any of these countries. In all other cases, Nigerian citizens transiting Germany are required to obtain an airport transit visa.

Also a national visa is required for a stay in Germany exceeding duration of 90 days. These include family reunion, student visa, au-pair visa, etc.

For term stay, submission of visa application for family reunion or student visa.



Foreign Spouses wishing to reside permanently in the Federal Republic of Germany must be 18 years of age and must prove basic skills in the German language. Both requirements have to be met at the time of application for the visa.



The Language Department of the Goethe – Institute (German Cultural Institute) in Lagos normally provides classes and conducts the relevant examination (“Start Deutsch 1”) for those applicants who need to acquire or improve their skills in the German language.

Visa Fees

Fees for German visas are fixed in Euro and payable in Naira according to the current exchange rate. The current fee for all visa categories is 60 Euros (about 13,000 Naira).



Children under 6 years are exempted from visa fees. Schengen Visa fees for minors aged 6-12 is 35 Euros, while for a long term visa for all children under 18 years is 30 Euros (about 6,500 Naira).

Spouses and minor children of German nationals as well as parents of German minor children are exempted from all visa fees.

How to Apply

All applicants requesting an appointment for submitting their applications are required to download formal letter (from the Embassy website http://www.abuja.diplo.de) according to the purpose of stay and send it to the visa section of the German Consulate-General 6-8 weeks prior to the intended time of travel.

All letters have to be mailed via reliable courier service to the Consulate-General; it is not accepted to submit them at the front gate.