German embassy tells Nigerians: no agent can secure your visa
- The German Embassy in Nigeria says it works with no visa agents and cannot be influenced by middlemen.
- It says appointments and visa information are free on its official website.
- The warning follows reports of Nigerians paying millions of naira to agents for jobs and visas that never came.
The German Embassy in Nigeria has a blunt message for visa applicants: nobody can sell you a visa, and no middleman can push your application through.
In advisories posted on its X account on Wednesday, the German Missions in Abuja and Lagos said they deal with no visa agents at all. Everything applicants need to know about requirements, appointments and procedures sits on the embassy's website, free of charge.
"We do not work with any 'Visa Agents'!" the mission said, adding that all information is freely available online.
The warning matters for anyone saving towards a trip, study place or job in Germany. The embassy said it has heard from Nigerians who handed over large sums, often running into millions of naira, to agents promising a visa and a job abroad. Those promises turned out to be false.
What the embassy says applicants should do
According to the mission, the decision on any visa rests with German authorities alone. It is based on whether the applicant qualifies and whether the documents are in order, not on who was paid along the way.
Booking an appointment through the official system costs nothing, the embassy stressed. It urged applicants not to pay anyone just to get a slot.
- Use only the official German government websites, nigeria.diplo.de and digital.diplo.de/visa.
- Book appointments through the official system, which is free.
- Check that you are applying in the right visa category for your reason for travel.
- Take questions straight to the embassy or consulate.
The mission also cautioned against emailing documents in the hope of getting an appointment, and against taking unofficial advice on the Consular Services Portal. That portal, it said, currently covers only some long-stay national visas.
The embassy described the advisories as part of a continuing push against misinformation and visa fraud.
What happens next
Nigerians planning to apply should treat anyone demanding money for a visa, a job offer or a faster appointment as a red flag and confirm every step on the embassy's own websites. Questions can go directly to the German mission in Abuja or Lagos.
