Information for EU citizens If you are a citizen of an EU Member State, you can enter Germany without a visa, thanks to the freedom of movement. Find out here what you need to have to consider nonetheless. On this page On this page Entry and residence: this applies to EU citizens Access to the labour market and job search in Germany Requirements and funding for academic studies in Germany Entry and residence: this applies to EU citizens Are you a citizen of an EU member state planning to seek employment, study or complete vocational training in Germany? Thanks to the freedom of movement , you can travel to Germany without a visa or a residence permit and stay here for a period of three months. The only documents you will need for entering the country are either a valid passport or an ID card. There are no restrictions regarding access to employment and self-employment in Germany for you or your family. The same applies if you are a citizen of Switzerland or the European Economic Area – i.e. Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland. Right to permanent residency As an EU citizen, you automatically receive the right to permanent residence in another EU country after an uninterrupted legal residence of at least 5 years in that country. You can have this confirmed by requesting the issuance of a permanent residence card. This card can be useful when dealing with the authorities. Additional information on the subject of “permanent residence for EU nationals” can be found here (External

Academic qualifications Did you successfully graduate from university abroad? Find out whether your academic degree corresponds with the German standards. Do I have to have my foreign academic degree recognised? If you have a foreign academic degree and wish to work in a regulated profession (e.g. as a doctor or lawyer) in Germany, the recognition of your foreign academic degree is obligatory. In our sections “ Who needs recognition? ” and “ Recognition procedure ”, you will find detailed information on this matter. For non- regulated professions , such as computer specialist or mathematician, you do not need the recognition to work in Germany. However, if you are entering the country from a non-EU country and wish to apply for the EU Blue Card or the work visa for qualified professionals , you must provide proof of your foreign academic degree being comparable to a German one. To provide this evidence, you have the following options: anabin: proof of comparability via the online database With the information from the anabin database, you can prove that your foreign academic degree is comparable to a German degree. It is made up of two important entries: University : your university should be indicated as “H+” in anabin. This means that the university is recognised in Germany. If the university is evaluated as “H+/-”, the academic degree must additionally be indicated with the university. Academic degree: in addition, the degree itself must be evaluated as entspricht or gleichwertig

State recognition in the country of training For some residence titles, your qualifications must be state-recognized in the country of origin. Learn what types of evidence are possible down below. For some residence titles, like the visa for a recognition partnership , the visa for professionally experienced workers or the opportunity card “points system” option , it is required to provide evidence that the foreign qualification is recognised by the state in the country in which it was obtained . Depending on the type of qualification, the following options of providing evidence are available to you: Digital Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification (DAB) The Digital Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification (DAB) confirms that your professional qualification fulfils the following requirements: Your vocational training entails a full-time training period of at least two continuous years. You completed the vocational training successfully. Your professional qualification is recognised by the state in the country of training. The DAB is issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) . DAB is not a recognition procedure The Digital Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) is not to be confused with a recognition procedure. The Digital Statement on a Foreign Vocational Qualification solely serves as evidence by residence law for whether your foreign professional qualification is recognised by the state

Baden-Württemberg Welcome to the sunniest state in Germany: THE LÄND! Baden-Württemberg is one of the most modern industrial centres in the world. The region in south-west Germany combines excellent job prospects and a high quality of life for the perfect work-life balance. Skilled workers from all over the world will find world-famous companies in picturesque landscapes, an excellent research setting and the best educational opportunities here. Discover your new favourite place: THE LÄND. Keyfacts for Baden-Württemberg Capital Stuttgart Important industries Automotive engineering Information and communications technology Mechanical engineering Healthcare Electrical engineering Metal industry Chemicals and pharmaceuticals Population 11,339,260 Particularities With 14,648 patent applications in 2023, THE LÄND is the No. 1 innovation region in Europe. Additional contacts The official portal of Baden-Württemberg Get to know the multifaceted state and learn what makes it special. Points of contact for qualified professionals Here you can find service centres for immigrants in your federal state. Authority finder BAMF-NAvI Find contact details and other offers from important German authorities.