Student visa from Pakistan: the documents you need in 2026

Where you apply

You apply through the Federal Foreign Office's Consular Services Portal at digital.diplo.de/studium. Pick Pakistan as your country of residence, then the German office that covers your province.

• Embassy Islamabad: Islamabad Capital Territory, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. So if you live in Lahore, Faisalabad or Peshawar, this is your office.
• Consulate General Karachi: Sindh and Balochistan.

How the portal works

You register, answer an interactive questionnaire that shows which documents you need, then scan and upload them. A visa officer screens your file first. After that you either get an appointment or a request for further or corrected documents.

The appointment itself is in person. That is where you give your fingerprints and photo, pay the fee and show any originals the portal asks for.

Get on the waiting list early

Demand is high. The missions' student visa page says demand still exceeds their capacity and that they work through applications in the order they arrive. When we checked in early October 2026, the portal showed an active study visa waiting list at both Islamabad and Karachi.

So register as early as you can. When you start your application, the portal shows the likely waiting time. We are not quoting a number because it keeps changing.

Two deadlines catch people out. While you wait, you must confirm your request every 60 days when the portal reminds you. Once your turn comes, you have 30 days to submit, or the application is deleted automatically.

The Embassy also asks you to have every document ready before your turn, as clear A4 copies in the right order. Proof that your university accepts late arrival, or an enrolment letter for the next semester, also helps the process.

One warning straight from the missions: applying and booking do not need an agency. Agents and consultants cannot get you an appointment, an earlier slot or better chances, and the missions may cancel any appointment booked through one without warning.

The documents most students need

This is the typical list from the official pages. Yours may differ slightly.

• A valid passport, signed or thumb-printed. The Embassy cannot print a visa in an unsigned Pakistani passport.
• Your admission letter from a state or state-recognised university, or an acceptance from a Studienkolleg or similar preparatory institution.
• School and university certificates with transcripts.
• Proof that your language skills are good enough for your programme, such as a recognised certificate or confirmation from your university.
• Proof of funds (more on this below).
• Proof that your tuition is paid, if your programme charges fees.
• Proof of valid health insurance, which you need before the visa can be issued.

Proof of funds for 2026

For 2026 you must show at least €992 a month, which is €11,904 for a year. Germany publishes this amount for each calendar year, so check the current figure before you transfer any money.

If you use a blocked account, your signature on the opening papers has to be attested by the Embassy in Islamabad, the Consulate General in Karachi or the Honorary Consul in Lahore. This is a separate appointment. At the Embassy it costs €25 (about 5,400 PKR, depending on the exchange rate), and you need the exact amount or you will have to book a new one. Our blocked account guide explains the details.

Two other options also count: a formal sponsor declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung) made by a sponsor living in Germany, or an official scholarship. A scholarship from a Pakistani university is not enough; the missions say only an HEC scholarship can be accepted.

The fee, and a word on APS

The national visa for study costs €75. You pay it in Pakistani rupees at the current exchange rate, in cash, at the counter at your appointment.

You may have read that you need an APS certificate. APS only exists in China, Vietnam and India, and the German Missions in Pakistan's visa pages do not mention it. If a website says otherwise, check it against the official pages.

The list that counts is in the portal

Everything above is a guide. The list that applies to you is the one the portal shows in its "Your documents" section after the questionnaire. After the first review, a checklist there tells you which originals to bring.

There is one known glitch. The Embassy says the portal marks some mandatory documents as optional, in particular past degree certificates (school, bachelor's or earlier master's), transcripts and, where it applies, proof of tuition payment. Upload them from the start anyway. Without them your registration stays halted.

Uploads can be PDF, JPG or PNG files, up to 10 MB and 50 pages each.