The German government is keeping the number of rejected research visas for Chinese scientists under wraps. This secrecy emerged from the Foreign Office’s response to a parliamentary question raised by Green MP Marcel Emmerich, which was subsequently reported by the “Handelsblatt”. The data concerning rejected applications was officially categorized as confidential, marked “For official use only.”
The government justified this classification by referencing a previous 2023 reply. It stated that releasing specific figures could lead to “inappropriate conclusions” or fuel diplomatic tensions. As an example of potential complications, it cited accusations from Turkey that Germany had tightened visa requirements for political reasons. The government warned that similar claims from other nations could adversely affect bilateral relationships or Germany’s function as a mediator in international conflicts.
This deliberate withholding of information is part of a wider, ongoing debate centered on research security. Concerns fueling this discussion include investigations into research collaborations between the Helmholtz Centre for Information Security Cispa and Chinese institutions, as well as warnings from security experts regarding the risks associated with cooperation between German universities and military-aligned universities in China.
The Foreign Office has only released statistics on the total number of research visas processed. According to the government, 3,273 applications from Chinese nationals seeking research purposes were processed in 2024, compared to 2,147 in 2021. The number dropped to 2,627 in 2025, while 856 applications were finalized in the first half of 2026. However, the exact number of visas rejected due to security concerns remains unknown.
Emmerich sharply criticized this policy of secrecy. He told the newspaper that German universities lacked “binding protection standards, adequate consultation, and an effective security strategy against scientific espionage.” Despite raising these concerns, the Green politician also called for a nuanced approach to researchers from authoritarian states. He argued that anyone wishing to research freely should be welcomed, but those who operate as spies for authoritarian regimes must be decisively stopped. The German government, however, continued to remain silent regarding this specific differentiation.
