Muscat: It is not good news from Europe for those planning a trip this summer! Starting July 1, 2025, Germany's Federal Foreign Office has decided to eliminate the protest procedure for visa refusals throughout the world.
This change means that applicants whose visa applications are refused will no longer be allowed to lodge a formal protest (a form of appeal or objection) directly with the German mission that handled their application. Until recently, applicants were allowed to request a new evaluation of their visa application as long as they did so within one month of receiving the visa rejection letter.
Applicants now have the opportunity to pursue legal action by filing a lawsuit with the Berlin administrative court.
The remonstration process was once a required step for applicants seeking to contest a visa denial before pursuing other legal options. Its elimination attempts to streamline the visa application process and minimize administrative costs. This ruling affects all German diplomatic missions around the world.
