Visa waiting times for international exhibitors and visitors who want to take part in trade fairs in Germany are often still too long. This is shown by this year's trade fair visa survey, which AUMA conducted in July and August among the foreign representatives of German trade fair organisers. 49 foreign representatives of trade fair organisers from 27 countries took part in the survey.
The results show: Many countries reported waiting times of several weeks or even several months to get an appointment to apply for a visa. Although issuing companies in Turkey can obtain appointments for visa applications more quickly, visitors still face long waiting and processing times, making the overall situation here unsatisfactory. In countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, it is also difficult to get an appointment to apply for a visa quickly. But there are also rays of hope: in Shanghai in particular - still at the top of the negative list for waiting times last year - the situation has eased noticeably. Waiting times have also shortened in Pakistan.
For decision-makers and managing directors of companies in particular, long waiting times can be a reason not to travel to Germany. For trade fair participants, it is crucial that they can apply for a visa without long waiting times and can reliably assume that they will be on site in time for the trade fair.
AUMA is therefore campaigning for more long-term visas to be issued to business travellers who regularly travel to Germany for trade fairs. Appointments to apply for a visa should be possible within a few days. If this is not possible, greater consideration must be given to the great importance of the internationality of trade fair participants in Germany as a trade fair centre and the fact that trade fair dates cannot be postponed when processing visa applications. Finally, the digitalisation of the visa process, which is still paper-based for business travellers, must be accelerated quickly.
AUMA will use the results of the survey together with representatives of German trade fair companies to seek targeted dialogue with ambassadors and consuls general at the Business Day of the Ambassadors' Conference on 9 September. The aim is to point out existing problems and jointly develop solutions so that international exhibitors and visitors can participate smoothly in German trade fairs.
In 2024, more than 20,000 exhibiting companies and visitors from China, almost 5,000 exhibiting companies and visitors from Turkey and over 3,500 exhibiting companies and visitors from India attended international trade fairs in Germany. Trade fair participants from countries requiring visas are therefore an important pillar for the success of the international German trade fair industry.
(This article was updated on 10 September 2025.)
