Staff Reporter
THE German Embassy in Windhoek will from mid-January outsource the handling of Schengen visa applications to a private service provider, a move aimed at reducing waiting times and making the process more convenient for Namibian travellers to Germany and six other European countries.
In a media release, the embassy announced that from Monday, 19 January 2026, all Schengen visa applications will be handled exclusively by TLS Contact, the regional partner of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. The company already operates in several African countries and will run the German Visa Application Centre at Maerua Mall in Windhoek.
PICTURED: The team of TLS Contact. Photo: German Embassy Windhoek
The new centre, located at the Regus Office Tower in Maerua Mall, will receive visa application forms and supporting documents, collect biometric data and return passports to applicants. It will operate from Monday to Friday between 08:30 and 15:30 and is accessible to people with physical challenges.
According to the embassy, the outsourcing will make it easier and quicker to book appointments and should significantly reduce waiting times. While TLS Contact will handle the administrative process, the decision to issue or refuse a visa remains solely with the German Embassy in Windhoek, which continues to represent Germany as well as Belgium, Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Switzerland for Schengen visa purposes.
From 13 January 2026, applicants will only be able to book appointments for Schengen visas through the TLS Contact website (https://visas-de.tlscontact.com/en-us/country/na/vac/naWDH2de) for Namibia. A non-refundable service fee of 24.51 euros, about N$500, will be charged by TLS Contact in addition to the standard visa fee, which remains unchanged. The service fee must be paid by card at the application centre.
The embassy stressed that the new arrangement applies only to Schengen visas, which allow stays of up to 90 days. National visas, for those intending to stay in Germany longer for purposes such as study, work or family reunification, will continue to be processed directly by the embassy through its website or the Consular Services Portal.
Further information is available on the German Embassy Windhoek’s website.
Schengenvisa: Schengen visas – https://windhuk.diplo.de/na-en/service-en/05-visaeinreise/1892484-1892484
National visa: National visas – https://windhuk.diplo.de/na-en/service-en/05-visaeinreise/1892480-1892480
