German Consulate Karachi changes visa appointment system

The German Consulate General in Karachi has changed its visa appointment booking system for Schengen and long-term visas.

According to the details, due to increasing demand, applicants will no longer be able to book appointments directly; instead, a waiting list has been introduced in which it has been made mandatory for citizens to register their names on the waiting list.

In the second phase, appointments will be allocated at a later date in chronological order of registration based on available capacity through the consulate. The German consulate said that all applicants (for the above categories) are obliged to register on the waiting list.

An appointment will be scheduled if the required data is entered correctly and completely. The consulate also warns that there is no need to use an agent to register on the waiting list, as there is no registration fee on the waiting list; it is completely free for citizens.

The consulate has emphasized that the new system is intended to ensure a fair and efficient distribution of visa slots. This policy does not apply to Chance Card/Chancecart applicants, who can still book appointments directly.

On the other hand, the Nomad Passport Index (NPI) has released details on the most powerful and weakest passports of 2025, classifying 190 countries.

Ireland, Switzerland, and Greece topped the list of the most powerful passports.

Pakistani passport remained weak due to various factors including political instability, and security concerns as economic challenges, and strained diplomatic relations.

Pakistan continues to rank among the weakest passports in the world.

Islamabad ranked at 195th position out of 199 countries and territories.

Nomad Capitalist assesses passports based on visa-free travel access, perception of the country’s development, taxation policies for citizens living abroad, the right to hold dual citizenship, and personal freedoms such as press freedom and government surveillance.

Pakistanis, despite power ranking of passport, can still access number of countries, along with visa requirements.