Based on investigations conducted by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, and WDR, Germany is rejecting a significantly higher proportion of visa applications from Chinese scientists and students compared to other nations. Last year alone, the Federal Foreign Office reportedly denied approximately 200 applications from young researchers (post-docs), and a similar number of regular students were denied visas in 2025. This rejection rate is reportedly not seen in applicants from any other country. Nonetheless, overall, around 2,100 scientists and researchers and 8,800 students from China successfully obtained visas for academic stays in Germany last year.
The Federal Foreign Office declined to comment on the rejection rates of specific countries, stating only that decisions are always made on a case-by-case basis, and that the rejection quotas are implemented “to protect international relations.”
Despite these restrictions, Germany remains a popular destination for post-doctoral researchers from China, with the number of post-docs nearly doubling in recent years, according to the reports. The focus of this interest lies in fields that the Chinese government has identified as strategically important in its latest five-year plan-areas where it sees a need for advancement. These include aerospace, automation technology, semiconductors, biotechnology, quantum research, precision mechanical engineering, and all forms of military technology. The most frequent denials from the Foreign Office are specifically related to applications in these research areas.
Furthermore, the investigations reveal that it is now standard practice to involve security agencies, such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), when reviewing Chinese applications. This increased scrutiny is partly attributed to China’s “National Intelligence Law,” which has been in effect since 2017. This law requires all Chinese citizens to cooperate with state intelligence services if requested. A government official noted that even if researchers are not directly sent to Germany to explore specific assignments, there is always a “danger” that they may be questioned by these services about the knowledge they gain upon their return.
