The international dimension of German trade fairs is one of the reasons why Germany is the world’s number one venue for exhibitions and why two thirds of the world’s leading events take place here. Trade fairs are events held over a short period of time and in Germany in particular their customers are very loyal. For this reason it is especially important that visa issuing procedures operate smoothly, to enable exhibitors and visitors to attend events on time.
The German trade fair industry depends to a large degree on its customers receiving visas. Every year, an average of more than 100,000 visitors and over 20,000 exhibitors from countries requiring entry visas attend approximately 140 international trade fairs which take place in Germany. Therefore AUMA maintains close contact with the German Foreign Office, German embassies and consulates, as well as with the foreign representatives of trade fair companies in order to improve visa issuing procedures for trade fair participants.
The most important countries for the German trade fair industry for which a visa is required include China, Turkey, India, Russia and Pakistan. Visa requirements exist for almost all Asian and African countries.
Visa countries are red colored. (last update: October 2021)Since summer 2013 invitation letters from the trade fair companies are no longer required, when applying for a trade fair visa. Moreover visa fees are waived for exhibitors at German trade fairs.
Additional information regarding the visa application procedure, requirements for the issue and application forms in different languages are available at the website "visa regulations" of the German Foreign Office.
For selected countries you will find links in the following list leading directly to the information on trade fair visa of the German embassy on location:
