German Embassy for the U.S.- Address / Phone Number

German Embassy in United States

Address: 2300 M Street NW Washington, DC 20037
City: Washington (Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -5 hours)
Tel.: (202) 298-4000
Working hours: Monday to Friday, 8.00 - 16.00
Consular hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 - 11.30 (by appointment only) 

German General Consulate in San Francisco

Address: 1960 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA  94109
City: San Francisco (Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -8 hours)
Tel.: (415) 775 1061
Fax: (415) 775 0187

The Ambassador and Departments section provides one with information about the Ambassador, as well as the work and services of the Embassy departments. In our Visa, Passport, Legal section one will find information on the numerous consular and legal services for US residents and German citizens within the Embassy's area of Consular Jurisdiction: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The Legal and Consular Department of the Embassy is open to the public Monday through Friday, except on selected German and American Holidays. Also, the Embassy follows the US Federal Government's decision whether to close.

Please note that you are required to schedule an appointment for visa and passport applications as well as for full notarizations (Beurkundungen). For all other consular services you do not need an appointment.

The Legal and Consular Department of the Embassy offers consular services and information for German citizens and visa applicants within the consular district of the Embassy (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Washington D.C.). The Legal and Consular Department of the Embassy follows current developments, especially in the area of international law, as well as civil- and criminal law. In addition the department also serves as an information provider on constitutional and other judicial questions to government institutions in the US.

The German passport for applicants under the age of 24 will be valid for six years; otherwise, it will be valid for 10 years. Passport applications must personally be filed at the foreign mission responsible for your consular district during visiting hours. Effective as of November 1, 2007, it is no longer possible to apply for a passport by mail. When applying, your fingerprints will be taken. Please keep in mind that, for reasons of data privacy, your fingerprints may be stored at the embassy only for a short interim and then promptly deleted after completion of the application process.

Please note that the fees mentioned above will be charged in US-Dollars and may change due to the daily exchange rate. The German Missions in the US accept payments made in cash, by money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard,). Checks cannot be accepted.

US citizens in possession of a valid US passport (on the planned date of departure from Germany, your passport should have at least another three months validity) do not need a visa for airport transit, tourist or business trips (for stays up to 90 days).

The Embassy is closed on the following holidays:

• January 1: New Years
• January 21: Martin Luther King Day
• March/April: Good Friday
• March/April: Easter Monday
• May 20: Pentecost Monday
• May 27: Memorial Day
• July 4: Independence Day
• September 2: Labor Day
• October 3: Day of German Unity
• November: Thanksgiving
• December 24: Christmas Eve
• December 25: Christmas
• December 26: Second day of Christmas
• December 31: New Year's Eve