- Cultural, sporting, and religious event participants require a special visa to enter Germany.
- A visa for cultural, sports & religious events is a short-term Schengen visa for stays of up to 90 days, which entitles the holder to travel throughout the Schengen area.
- The visa can be issued as a single or multiple-entry visa.
- The requirements for granting a visa for cultural, sports & religious events include proof of the travel reason, sufficient financial resources for the stay, and health insurance for the entire Schengen area.
Visa requirements for Germany and the Schengen area
Most third-country nationals coming to Germany for cultural, sporting, or religious events require a visa for entry and stay.
Germany is a Schengen state, like all other EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. A visa is only required for the first entry into a Schengen country; during the validity of the visa, you can travel throughout the entire Schengen area.
Schengen visas are issued in 2 versions:
- C visa: Short-term Schengen visas for a maximum of 90 days, issued according to uniform criteria in all Schengen countries, no work permit.
- D visa (German national visa): For longer stays in Germany. If the visa does not cover the entire stay, you can apply for a residence permit in Germany. A national visa usually also includes a work permit.
Exemptions from the visa requirement exist for short-term Schengen visas for travelers from about 60 countries and German national visas for citizens of 14 countries. These third-country nationals can enter Germany without a visa. Citizens of Schengen countries generally enjoy freedom of movement and do not require visas or residence permits to travel within the Schengen zone.
Visas for cultural, sports, and religious events are short-term Schengen visas for a stay of up to 90 days. Cultural Schengen visas are tied to their specific purpose and are issued exclusively for event participation.
You can receive this visa for single or multiple entries. A single-entry visa is valid for a defined period, which you specify in your visa application, or the maximum permissible stay. A multiple-entry visa entitles you to stay in Germany and other Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days during its validity.
If your country is visa-exempt for Germany and the Schengen Area, you do not need to fulfill any visa requirements to attend a cultural, sporting, or religious event for a stay of up to 90 days. However, starting May 2025, you will need an ETIAS travel authorization to enter the country, which you apply for and receive digitally.
Short-term Schengen visas cannot normally be extended—exceptions apply in the event of force majeure or sudden serious illness. However, an extension for a visa for cultural, sports, and religious events may be possible if the event’s timing changes. To achieve this, you must contact the relevant immigration office in Germany. However, there is no guarantee that the visa will be extended.
Who can apply for a cultural Schengen visa?
A visa for cultural, sports & religious events is for people who want to participate in a cultural, sporting, or religious event in Germany. Eligible for this visa category are:
- Artists (musicians, actors, dancers, visual artists, etc.)
- Athletes (individuals and teams)
- Journalists
- Film crews
- Religious representatives (e.g., clergy, preachers, representatives of religious organizations)
- Foreign organizers of such events (including key team members)
Examples of events for which a culture & sport visa can be issued are:
- Concerts
- Music and film festivals
- Theater performances
- Art exhibitions
- Sports competitions (including international qualifying matches)
- Filming for movies
- Special journalistic reporting
- Religious events, conferences, and pilgrimages
Visa application process and visa documents
You can apply for a visa for cultural, sports, and religious events in your home country or the country where you have permanent residence. The following are contact partners for visa applications:
- The local German embassy
- German consulates
- A visa application center that the German embassies have commissioned for visa processing
Visa application process
- You must appear personally at the embassy, the consulate, or the visa application center. This requires a prior appointment, which you can usually schedule online.
- In advance, you prepare the visa documents.
- During the appointment, you submit your visa documents to the embassy, pay the visa fee (cash, in your national currency at the current exchange rate), and complete a visa interview with an embassy employee. If this is your first application for a Schengen visa, your fingerprints will also be taken—this procedure will be repeated every 5 years.
Required documents
For a visa for cultural, sports & religious events, you need the following documents, which you submit in the original and with 2 photocopies each:
- Valid passport with blank pages for the visa sticker and copies of its data page
- Visa application form
- 2 biometric passport photos (passport) (please check the photo requirements for a Schengen visa)
- Personal covering letter with explanation of the travel reason
- Declaration of authenticity of the submitted documents and information
- Proof of financial resources for your stay (e.g., bank statements, tax assessments, other evidence of income and assets, fee agreement with a German partner including due payment date, declaration of commitment from the inviting institution or another sponsor in Germany).
- Schengen travel health insurance (taken out with a European insurer, covering at least €30,000 for acute medical expenses, medically necessary repatriation, and transfer to your home country in case of death, valid for all Schengen countries and your entire stay)
- Proof of accommodation
- Travel itinerary, flight reservation for outward and return travel
- Documents that prove your participation in a specific event (e.g., invitation letters, entry tickets, confirmations of involvement)
- Information about previous participation in similar events
- Proof of professional activity (e.g., work samples, press card, or reporting assignment for journalists)
- Civil status (proof by registry office extract and — if applicable — marriage certificate and birth certificates of your children)
- Proof of willingness to return/ties to your home country (e.g., family, employment contract or other professional roots, proof of income and assets)
- Proof of payment of the visa fee
Documents for film crews
Film crews require some further documents to be attached to the visa applications of all team members:
- Official proof of registration as a filmmaker in the home country
- A letter from the production company stating the title, content, and shooting locations of the project
- Film permits for all Schengen countries in which filming is planned.
- A list of all members of the film crew, including a description of their tasks
The documents listed are standard documents for granting visas. However, German embassies are entitled to request additional documents if necessary. The responsible embassy will provide information about all required documents and possible necessary notarizations. There may be differences between countries and individual visa applicants.
Processing time and visa fees
The processing time for a culture & sport visa is around 14 days. However, you should plan for slightly longer lead times, as visa issuance can also be delayed.
Some German embassies process visas for cultural, sports & religious events within 3 to 5 working days, provided that the urgency of the visa application can be demonstrated. If you have traveled to Germany and the Schengen Area repeatedly in the past, you can often expect a faster visa application process.
The visa fee for adults and minors aged 12 and over is €90. Children under 12 pay a reduced fee of €45 for a short-term Schengen visa.
Conclusion
A visa for cultural, sports & religious events provides a straightforward way for artists, athletes, journalists, and religious representatives to attend events in Germany and the Schengen Area for up to 90 days. This short-term visa ensures smooth participation in cultural performances, sports competitions, and religious gatherings while allowing limited work directly related to the event.
While Schengen visas generally cannot be extended, exceptions exist for event-related delays. Multiple-entry options are available for frequent travelers. Understanding the specific requirements and application process is key to ensuring a successful visa application and a smooth experience in Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ
No. There are special visas for international student exchange. In most cases, this is a German national visa that entitles the holder to a longer stay and to obtain a residence permit in Germany. Visa applicants must fulfill special requirements for this. These include a contract with the institution organizing the student exchange, a school enrollment certificate, and — if applicable — a declaration of commitment from host parents in Germany.
Yes. Suppose their participation is necessary to attend an event or for an artistic or cultural project, such as a film shoot. In that case, they can also get a visa for cultural, sporting, and religious events. They must submit a separate visa application and the required documents to the German embassy.
In principle, yes, as long as the maximum validity period of 90 days is not exceeded. If you come to Germany more often for professional reasons, you can apply for a multiple-entry visa. Depending on the reason for your travels and your travel history in the Schengen Area, it will be issued for periods between 1 and 5 years.
The visa allows you to work in direct connection with the purpose of your trip. This includes, for example, participating in competitions, performances, and other events or shooting films. Taking up any other work activity is not allowed.
You can apply for a freelance visa (national visa). In addition to the general requirements for a visa (proof of financial means, health insurance), you must also provide evidence of financially viable plans for your freelance work in Germany or – ideally – letters of intent or contracts with specific clients. With a freelance visa, you will receive a residence permit for a maximum of 4 years, which can be extended. If you are successful with your projects in Germany, you can receive a permanent settlement permit. It is possible to obtain a work visa if you are an artist, journalist, or other creative professional and have an employment contract with a German institution (theater, orchestra, publishing house, etc.).
