- Germany has expanded its visa application network in Africa and the Middle East.
- Four new Germany Visa Application Centres (VACs) have been established.
- The new VAC locations are in Abuja and Lagos (Nigeria), Yaoundé (Cameroon), and Nicosia (Cyprus).
Germany has widened its visa application network across Africa and the Middle East with the addition of four new Germany Visa Application Centres (VACs) in partnership with VFS Global, a private visa outsourcing provider. The new centres are located in Abuja and Lagos (Nigeria), Yaoundé (Cameroon), and Nicosia (Cyprus).
This expansion follows the renewal of a seven-year agreement between the German Federal Foreign Office and VFS Global. Previously, Nigerian applicants could only process German (Schengen) visas at the German Consulate General in Lagos or the German Embassy in Abuja. Without dedicated VACs in Nigeria, applicants faced long waiting periods and limited appointment slots as documents had to be submitted directly to the embassy or consulate.
With the new centres now operational, VFS Global will handle the collection of applications, biometric data, and appointment scheduling, streamlining the process and making it more convenient for applicants, particularly those outside major cities.
New Visa Centres and Global Reach
The latest additions bring VFS Global’s German visa centres to 72 worldwide. The company already provides German visa services in countries such as:
- Algiers, Algeria
- Manama, Bahrain
- Erbil, Iraq
- Amman, Jordan
- Doha, Qatar
- Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Beirut, Lebanon
- Muscat, Oman
- Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE
Jiten Vyas, VFS Global’s Chief Commercial Officer, described the renewed contract as a sign of the German government’s trust in the company’s services.
Why the Expansion is Significant
Germany continues to attract travellers from Africa and the Middle East for education, tourism, healthcare, and professional opportunities. Increasing the number of visa centres is expected to reduce congestion, expand available appointment slots, and enhance the overall application experience.
VFS Global has also warned applicants against fraudulent agents and fake websites offering paid appointment bookings, urging travellers to use only the official VFS Global portal.
Visa Rejections and Application Trends
Despite these improvements, Nigerian applicants still face high rejection rates. In 2024, Schengen visa denials for Nigerians reached 45.9%, the third highest globally, behind Bangladesh and Senegal. This marks a sharp rise from 40.8% in 2023, meaning nearly half of Nigerian applicants were refused entry to the Schengen zone.
According to the European Commission, Schengen consulates processed over 11.7 million visa applications globally in 2024 a 13.6% increase from 2023 even as Nigeria’s rejection rate continued to climb.
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