German embassy in Islamabad announces likely restrictions on winter semester student visas

The German Embassy in Islamabad has announced that due to an overwhelming number of visa applications for the winter semester, it will be unable to process all requests. The embassy indicated that only the "most deserving" applications are likely to be processed.

Over the past few weeks, numerous students have reported significant delays in scheduling visa interviews, despite having secured university admissions in Germany.

According to the students, the embassy's appointment system for study visas was activated on May 21 for those admitted for the winter semester. However, they claimed that appointments for the "normal track" were either unavailable or exceedingly difficult to obtain, with only "fast-track applicants" seemingly receiving attention.

The embassy confirmed in a statement that due to the high volume of applications and limited resources, it would “most likely only be possible to process the visa applications of the most deserving students,” specifically those who have received public scholarships or have outstanding academic records.

The embassy acknowledged the "huge interest" from Pakistani students wishing to study in Germany and admitted that the current demand for visas exceeds their capacity. They assured that they are actively exploring ways to enhance their processing capabilities.

"We hope to improve the situation further in the upcoming academic years," the embassy added, indicating their commitment to addressing the current limitations and better accommodating future applicants.