“Visa Issues for Business Travelers from China and India Threaten German Economy’s Competitiveness”

Berlin The German economy is sounding the alarm in view of the sluggish issue of visas for business travelers from China and India to Germany.

Specifically, according to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), Chinese and Indian citizens who want to travel to Germany for business reasons have great difficulty in obtaining the appropriate official permit from the Federal Foreign Office.

“A quick visa issuance plays a major role – for trade fair visits, training courses at the parent company or machine acceptance by Chinese customers in Germany,” DIHK foreign trade chief Volker Treier told the Handelsblatt.

The current situation threatens German companies with competitive disadvantages compared to companies from other countries that do not have this hurdle. The Chamber of Commerce has received worrying reports from both India and China regarding the visa situation.

Company representatives also addressed the problems with issuing visas during the visit of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) to China in mid-April. The Foreign Office promised improvements.