How do you apply for a German spouse visa from Nigeria or Ghana, step by step?
Short answer
To apply for a German spouse visa on the portal route, both the German Consulate General in Lagos and the German Embassy in Accra describe the same order: you fill in the form and upload your documents, the mission checks them, and then you get a link to book your appointment. At the appointment your documents and identity are checked, you have a short interview, your fingerprints and photo are taken, and you pay the fee. 165
On this page
- Short answer
- Lagos: portal first, then the booking link
- Lagos: the existing waiting list
- Lagos: booking rules to get right
- Lagos: the Foreign Office portal text
- Accra: upload first, then wait for the preview
- Accra: Liberia and Sierra Leone
- What happens at the appointment
- The fee
- After you apply
- People also ask
- Related questions
- Sources
Lagos: portal first, then the booking link
The Lagos spouse page says you can apply online through the Consular Services Portal. You fill in the application form online and upload your documents. Your details and documents are then checked for completeness.
You get feedback on whether your documents are complete and were submitted successfully. After that you receive the link to book an appointment at the visa section.
Sources for this part1
Lagos: the existing waiting list
The Lagos spouse page says the Consulate schedules appointments in strict chronological order of its waiting list, and that the list is still valid. Applicants who registered earlier and have a registration number get an appointment in turn. Once everyone on that list has one, applicants who registered on the Foreign Portal will get one.
The Lagos appointments page also describes a paper application in its National Visa section. There, you book through the online appointment system. Because of high demand, the consulate says it has set up a waiting list for various categories.
The same page lists family reunion among the visas you can apply for online. It says there are two ways to apply, depending on the category.
Booking an appointment is free of charge, and the consulate does not encourage booking through agencies or other third parties who charge a fee.
Lagos: booking rules to get right
- Each applicant needs an appointment of their own.
- Book in the correct category. If you book in a wrong one, you are not admitted and have to book a new, correct appointment.
- Fill in everything the booking system asks for, such as passport number and complete address. The page says no correct or complete information means no admission.
- To be admitted, bring a print-out of your valid booking confirmation and a complete application. Latecomers are not admitted and incomplete applications are not processed.
Sources for this part2
Lagos: the Foreign Office portal text
The portal page on the Lagos site is general Foreign Office text. It says that since November 2025 you can submit group applications using a single user account.
It also says the portal does not change which mission is responsible for you. Do not try to apply online at a different mission if the application you want is not yet available online at your own mission.
Sources for this part3
Accra: upload first, then wait for the preview
The Accra embassy asks you to log into the Consular Service Portal and follow the steps shown. After you upload your documents, they are previewed. When the preview is successful, you receive a link to book an appointment directly.
Because of high demand, Accra says uploaded documents cannot be pre-screened immediately. It asks you to expect a waiting period of approximately 12-16 months, and the page says that period applies to pre-screening of uploaded documents.
If you apply with other family members, such as children, Accra asks you to use the joint application feature in the portal.
Accra: Liberia and Sierra Leone
The Accra embassy processes visa applications from people living in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. If you are applying from Sierra Leone or Liberia, it asks you to choose "Ghana" as your place of residence in the portal.
What happens at the appointment
Lagos and Accra describe the appointment the same way. Your identity and original documents are checked, a short interview is held, your biometric data (fingerprints and photo) is recorded, and the fee is paid.
The Lagos spouse page adds that all documents must be submitted as both copy and original.
The fee
For Lagos, the German Missions in Nigeria give the processing fee as 75 euros. That figure sits on the Lagos national visa page, and the spouse page does not repeat it. You pay at the current exchange rate of the mission, in Nigerian naira, in cash or by POS.
The fee is not refundable if the visa is rejected. The Lagos national visa page says there are a few exceptions to the 75 euro fee, but it does not list them.
The Accra spouse page lists its own fee and payment methods. Check it before you apply.
After you apply
Lagos says it cannot answer questions about the processing status in the first 12 weeks for family reunion visas. Accra says the same for the first 12 weeks after you apply.
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Practise saying it out loudPeople also ask
What are the steps to apply for a German spouse visa online?
On the portal route, the Lagos spouse page and the Accra overview both describe uploading your documents first. The mission then checks them, and you receive the booking link. Lagos's existing waiting list is a separate arrangement for people who registered earlier. 16
Can I apply for a German spouse visa at another mission if the wait is long?
The Foreign Office portal text on the Lagos site says the portal does not change which mission is responsible for you. 3
Which German mission handles spouse visas if I live in Liberia or Sierra Leone?
The Accra embassy is responsible for applications from people living in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the portal, it asks you to choose "Ghana" as your place of residence. 65
Do I have to pay an agent to book my Lagos visa appointment?
No. The Lagos appointments page says booking is free of charge and that the consulate does not encourage bookings through agencies or third parties who charge a fee. 2
Sources
- 1Reunification with spouseOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 31 Oct 2026
- 2Booking an appointment for visa purposesOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 3Consular Services Portal: Apply for visas quickly, easily and securely onlineOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 30 Oct 2026
- 4National visa for long term staysOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 5Family reunion to a spouseOfficialGerman Embassy Accra · checked 31 Oct 2026
- 6Family ReunionOfficialGerman Embassy Accra · checked 31 Oct 2026
Official is the embassy or a German government page. Applicant reports are what applicants say happened at their appointment. Secondary is everything else we checked.
General information, not legal advice. VisaRoom isn't connected to any embassy or government, and only the embassy decides on your visa. Something out of date? Tell us.