Congress of the European Society of
Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
To assist in travel to Munich, ESCMID Global can support attendees with letters of invitation and support in their application for travel visas. Travelers should consult the respective German or Schengen-Partner representations regarding the current status of travel. Travelers possessing a valid Schengen visa can travel freely within the Schengen zone (depending on the days given on your visa). Please inform yourself before traveling.
You can find more information on applying for visa here. (Courtesy of The Federal Foreign Office of Germany)
You can enter your Country and find the available German Missions their address and contact details.
ESCMID can only offer support to registrants, so it is necessary for applicants to have a valid and fully paid ESCMID Global 2026 registration before beginning the visa application process. You can register here.
An official letter of invitation can only be provided directly after completing the ESCMID Global registration. These are automated invitation letters that indicate you are a participant and traveling to join the event.
Invited speakers, faculty, grantees, and accepted abstract presenters can request a specialised visa letter indicating the additional information and their active involvement in the programme of the congress, with follow-up contact to the embassies. Please use the contact form at the bottom of this page to request a specialised visa letter.
Travelers who require a visa should consult the respective German or Schengen-Partner representations within their country to determine exactly what is needed to apply. Further information about visa regulations and Schengen visas can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.
The processing time of an admissible Schengen visa application should not exceed 15 calendar days. However, due to the influx of visa applications not only for ESCMID Global but also other travelers, please allow for a maximum processing time of up to 6 months prior to arrival, and at least 4 months before the congress. Any later submission may not be processed by the respective German or Schengen-Partner representations in time.
In case there is no German consulate/embassy near you, please check which country represents German visa services in your region.
To ensure a smooth visa application process:
Please note that ESCMID has no direct control over individual visa applications and cannot guarantee acceptance for the event.
Citizens of all countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Croatia, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, members of the Schengen treaty, and a number of other countries do not need a visa. You can see the official list of exempt countries here. A valid passport is required to enter Germany. In case of doubt, please contact the German Consulate or Embassy well in advance before departure.
Current member countries of the Schengen treaty are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria**, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland*, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway*, Poland, Portugal, Romania**, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland*.
* non-EU members
** Schengen Air & Sea agreement