Winter 2026 Student Visa Approved - Complete Timeline, Costs, CSP Experience & Tips
Hey everyone!
Finally received my passport with the stamped German National Student Visa today! This community helped me a lot during the stressful wait times, so I wanted to share my complete end-to-end timeline, total costs, and key tips for anyone applying for the upcoming intakes.
Profile & Background:
Undergrad: B.Tech in Information Technology (CGPA: 9.25)
Target Program: M.Sc. Computer Science (Winter Semester 2026)
Admitted University: RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
Jurisdiction: Germany Consulate Mumbai (German Visa Application Centre)
Timeline:
(Kinda obvious but first, check if ur undergrad university has H+ status on anabin, only then can u apply to German Universities)
January: Applied for APS Certificate in the first week.
February: Received the APS Certificate in the first week.
April – June 2026: Shortlisted universities and submitted applications via uni-assist and direct portals.
June 2026: Received admission offer.
(Tip: Don't edit the APS certificate in any way or change it's name, since there's a signature validation in it)
Visa:
22 July: Submitted visa application on the new Consular Services Portal, and entered preliminary review.
23 July: Received a correction, and completed it the same day
24 July: Received another correction, and completed it in an hour. Afterwards received the notification to book an appointment
6 August: Attended VFS Mumbai appointment (document verification, biometric data, passport submission).
13 August: Passport dispatched
14 August: Passport delivered safely (with visa)! 🎉
(In total, it took only 3 weeks for the entire Visa process)
Total Expense Breakdown:
IELTS Certificate: 18,000/-
APS Certificate Fee: 18,000/-
Application Fees (Uniassist + Direct Portal Applications):
€165 ~ ₹18,000/-
German Blocked Account Deposit:
(Opted for Expatrio Value package which includes blocked account, free travel insurance, tk public health insurance, free expatrio bank account, digital isic card)
€12,153 ~ ₹13.5 lakhs (setup fee and all)
Visa Fees:
CSP service fee: 1093/-
Courier Service: 733/-
SMS Service: 156/-
Visa Fee: 8,100/- (€75)
Total: ₹10,082/-
Total Cost (From APS to Visa):
~₹14.2 lakhs OR ~€12,800
Key Takeaways & Tips
CSP (Consular Services Portal): Don't forget to upload the 2 declaration forms. And merge the health insurance and travel insurance confirmation for the insurance proof field.
APS Reference Number: When VFS or CSP asks for your APS Reference/Special Reference number, make sure to enter the Prüfnummer printed on your APS certificate.
Photos: 3 biometric photos of 35x45 mm, 80% face coverage, white/light colored background, no shadows, neutral expression
VFS Add-on Services: None of the premium lounge or value-added services are mandatory. Just opt for the standard Courier and sms services so you don't have to travel back to pick up your passport in person.
Funding Proof: The official 06 Blocked Account confirmation document (€11,904) is 100% sufficient as your Finanzierungsnachweis.
Blocked Account & Health Insurance (Expatrio):
I used the Expatrio Value Package (Blocked Account + TK Public Health Insurance + Free Incoming Travel Insurance). The digital setup was quick and the blocked account confirmation was issued almost immediately after transferring the funds.
If anyone is currently setting up their blocked account or health insurance package, you can use my referral link/code to get some cashback (€15) on your setup:
Referral Code: whuwgqliio1
Referral link: http://www.expatrio.com?f=whuwgqliio1
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments about CSP, VFS Mumbai, or the timeline. Happy to help out!