This is a consequence of the so-called liberalization of visa issuance by order of the “green” minister Joschka Fischer. It was sent to German embassies on March 3, 2000. According to this order, for issuing a visitor visa (with a stay in the country of three months without a work permit), it was prescribed: “In case of doubt, if there are circumstances “for” and “against” issuing a visitor visa, the scales should tip in favor of in dubio pro libertate - freedom of movement.”
Soon after the liberalization, already in summer 2000, the number of visas issued by the embassy in Kyiv jumped to 200,000 (in 1999 it was 149,000).
In June 2001, the Foreign Ministry once again liberalized the visa process - the Reiseschutzpass was recognized as sufficient guarantee of the safety of the visit (primarily the return home and payment of insurance). Embassies received an order: if a foreigner provides a foreign insurance passport, no further checks may be conducted. That year, the number of visas reached about 300,000. Almost everyone who wanted could leave for Germany; only 3.6% of applications were rejected.
Despite numerous complaints about abuse of this rule, on January 29, 2002, another Foreign Ministry decree followed, which stated: the embassy's distrust of a foreigner presenting a Reiseschutzpass is insufficient reason to refuse a visa. In short: it does not matter how suspicious the subject is - it is necessary to turn a blind eye and issue the visa.
A little later, the Cologne prosecutor's office began proceedings against one Heinz Kübler, who profited from “miracle” passports and thus helped illegal immigrants enter Germany. When the Foreign Ministry finally learned of this in June 2002, the Kyiv embassy received an order not to issue visas based on discredited passports. In March 2003, all German embassies received this ban.
But to this day, the internet pages of Ukrainian travel agencies are full of tempting advertising: “Reiseschutzpass is the most popular and reliable way today to obtain a visa without an invitation. It is possible to get a single-entry visa for 15 to 90 days.”