Holders of expired Schengen Visas who have been stranded in Germany due to COVID-19 have been asked to leave the country before 1 October.
Schengen Visa Info reports the decision has been taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), saying that international travel options have improved significantly, and currently no country has an entry ban for its own citizens.
The MIA says the regulation for legalising the stay of Schengen Visa holders who were unable to return to their home countries due to coronavirus-related restrictions on international travel will expire on 30 September.
“Germany is thus returning to the normal case stipulated by law that the requirements for issuing a residence permit are checked on a case-by-case basis,” it said in a press release.
As per the cases in which third-country citizens holding invalid Schengen visas cannot leave the country yet due to special circumstances, the MIA says it will find a satisfactory solution within the existing options of the Residence Act until departure is possible, Schengen Visa Info reports.
According to the World Health Organisation’s latest statistics, Germany has had 276,000 COVID-19 cases, with 9,481 deaths reported.
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