Germany's New Visa Decision: Right to Object to Rejected Applications to Be Removed

The German Foreign Ministry is making significant changes to Schengen visa applications as of July 1, 2025. The ministry announced that people whose visa applications are rejected will no longer be able to appeal through consulates. According to the decision, those who want to appeal the rejection will have to file a lawsuit directly with the administrative courts in Berlin.

The statement made by the ministry emphasized that the current system is having difficulty functioning due to the visa demands that have increased significantly in recent years, especially in 2024. The statement, which drew attention to the fact that the number of visa applications has increased by 26 percent worldwide compared to 2019, said, "Therefore, as of July 1, 2025, the remonstration procedure will be abolished on a global scale. In this way, consulates will be able to evaluate more applications, processing times will be shortened and all applicants will benefit from this development."

With the new practice, the right to appeal through diplomatic missions in the event of a visa refusal will be eliminated, leaving only the judicial route open. This decision is expected to speed up the process, especially in countries with high numbers of applications.