Last checked against the official source: 29 August 2026
The German Embassy in Sanaa has been closed since 2015 and operates from Amman and Riyadh, and it cannot provide consular services inside Yemen. Legal and consular matters relating to Yemen are handled by the German Embassy in Riyadh. And there is a practical fact the Sanaa page itself does not mention but another mission does: a person whose habitual residence is in Yemen may file a national visa application with the German Embassy in Kuwait.
The mission’s position today
- Status
- The Sanaa premises are closed since 2015 and until further notice; the mission conducts its work from Amman in Jordan and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
- Head of mission
- Ambassador Thomas Friedrich Schneider.
- Actual working address
- Abdullah Al Sahmi Street, 11693 Riyadh — Saudi Arabia.
- Postal address
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany (Sanaa), P.O. Box 183, 11118 Amman — Jordan.
- Jurisdiction
- The Republic of Yemen — legal and consular matters relating to Yemen are handled by the German Embassy in Riyadh.
- Alternative missions in the region
- Other missions such as Muscat or Cairo are used as alternatives.
- National visa
- The German Embassy in Kuwait states that a person habitually resident in Yemen may file a national visa application there.
Official travel warning: the German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to Yemen because of the current security situation, urges German nationals still there to leave Yemen, and asks them to register immediately in the ministry’s crisis preparedness list “Elefand“.
Where to actually go: a map of the four alternatives
“The German Embassy in Yemen” exists on paper, but the service is distributed across four places — and knowing which one is yours saves months.
Riyadh is the primary body for legal and consular matters and passport business relating to Yemen, and it is also the actual address from which the Sanaa mission works. Amman is the mission’s registered postal address and one of its two working seats. Kuwait accepts national visa applications from people habitually resident in Yemen. And Muscat and Cairo are alternative missions the Sanaa page points to for consular services.
That very distribution is the cause of the costliest mistakes here: writing to the wrong body, or travelling to a country where you hold no residence that would make it competent for you.
What to do, step by step
- Establish what you need first: consular or visaConsular services and passport business for German nationals are handled by Riyadh. A national visa application to enter Germany takes an entirely different route. Confusing the two means writing to the wrong body from the start.
- For a national visa: ask KuwaitThe official page of the German Embassy in Kuwait states that a person habitually resident in Yemen may file a national visa application there. Write to it with your specific case and ask for confirmation of competence before any step.
- Confirm competence in writing before paying or travellingThis is not general advice but the rule governing every case processed outside the country of residence. A written confirmation is far cheaper than a journey to a country where you discover the mission is not competent for you.
- If you live outside Yemen the rule changesThe general rule at German missions is that the competent mission is the one in your country of habitual residence if you hold a valid residence permit there of sufficient standing. A Yemeni national living in a third country should therefore start with that country’s mission, not with the Sanaa file.
- If you are a German national in Yemen: register in Elefand nowThe crisis preparedness list is how the ministry knows you are there and can reach you. The ministry urges immediate registration and departure from Yemen.
- Do not rely on old information about the Sanaa buildingIt has been closed since 2015 and until further notice. Any guidance directing you to premises in Sanaa is out of date.
The remonstration procedure has been abolished — this changes what you do after a refusal
The German Federal Foreign Office abolished the remonstration procedure against visa refusals worldwide with effect from 1 July 2025. If your application is refused after that date, do not send a remonstration to the mission — it will not be processed. The remaining legal route is an action before the Administrative Court in Berlin, which must be in German and involves court costs. And one door stays open always: submitting a fresh application. Which is why filing a complete file the first time now matters more than it ever did.
Official sources
Status, addresses and jurisdiction — German Embassy Sanaa · Acceptance of national visa applications from residents of Yemen — German Embassy Kuwait
Please note: this page is general guidance, not legal advice, and it is not an official page of the mission. Visa decisions are assessed individually, and the information here is taken from the official website on the verification date recorded above.
Frequently asked questions
Is the German Embassy in Sanaa open?
No. The official page states it has been closed since 2015 and until further notice, that it conducts its work from Amman in Jordan and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and that it cannot currently provide consular services inside Yemen.
Who handles consular matters relating to Yemen?
Primarily the legal and consular section of the German Embassy in Riyadh, with other missions in the region such as Muscat or Cairo used as alternatives.
Where do Yemenis file a national visa application?
The German Embassy in Kuwait states on its official page that a person habitually resident in Yemen may file a national visa application there. Confirm the mission’s competence for your case in writing before paying fees or booking travel.
What is the Sanaa mission’s address today?
The actual working address is Abdullah Al Sahmi Street, 11693 Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, while the registered postal address is P.O. Box 183, 11118 Amman in Jordan.
Can I travel to Yemen?
The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to Yemen because of the security situation, urges German nationals there to leave, and asks for immediate registration in the Elefand crisis preparedness list.
I am Yemeni but live in a third country — where do I apply?
The general rule at German missions is that the competent mission is the one in your country of habitual residence, provided you hold a valid residence permit there of sufficient standing. Start with that country’s mission and have its competence confirmed in writing.