EU Blue Card, visa for qualified professionals, opportunity card or IT visa – Germany offers various options for qualified skilled workers from non-EU countries. Find the visa that suits your qualifications and your plans.
Applying for a visa for Germany involves several steps. First, check the eligibility criteria and the documents required, then submit your application to the relevant German mission abroad, and finally, make the necessary arrangements for your entry and stay.
Check whether you need a visa and what requirements apply depending on the purpose of your stay. Gather your passport, supporting documents, and any other necessary paperwork.
Once your visa has been granted, you should plan your arrival and make arrangements for your first steps in Germany. This includes, for example, finding accommodation, registering with the local authorities and taking out health insurance.
Once you have entered the country, apply for your residence title at the competent foreigners authority in Germany. Find out well in advance about appointment times and the documents you will need to provide.
The visa for vocational training allows you to undertake dual or school-based vocational training in Germany – a perfect start with long-term prospects on the German labour market.
A student visa allows you to stay in Germany for the purpose of studying. Once you have successfully completed your studies, you are permitted to remain in Germany for 18 months whilst looking for a job.
A language course in Germany could be the next step, whether you are planning to study, complete vocational training, or start a career. Check when a visa is required and what supporting documents are needed.
For students at foreign higher education institutions who wish to do a compulsory or subject-related internship in Germany. Whether a visa is required depends, amongst other things, on your nationality and the duration of the internship.
Use the infographics to get a quick overview of key aspects of your visa and your stay in Germany.
This infographic shows the visa and entry process for immigrants from third countries requiring a visa step by step, covering everything from the application to entry and taking up employment in the German labour market.
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Depending on the visa type, different requirements apply to your knowledge of German. This chart shows at a glance which language level you need for which visa.
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To obtain a visa, you must prove that you can support yourself in Germany. This infographic provides an overview of the possible forms of proof and the requirements.
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If you come from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, you can work in Germany without restriction and do not need a residence permit. Nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the USA can enter Germany without a visa, but must apply for a suitable residence permit from the relevant foreigners authority in Germany before taking up employment.
All other nationals also require a corresponding residence permit in order to live and work in Germany. Before entering Germany, you must apply for the appropriate visa (long-term stay – D visa) at the German mission in your country of residence. Upon arrival in Germany, you must apply for a corresponding residence permit at the competent foreigners authority.
Further information can be found in the “How do I apply for a visa?” section.
The appropriate visa for you depends on many different factors, for example, your qualifications, the job you wish to pursue in Germany or your future salary. Your individual situation and the requirements of your future employer in Germany also play a role. You can get some initial guidance with the help of the Quick-Check.
You can find out which visas are available for employment purposes and what requirements you must meet to apply for them in the “Types of visa” section.
You can apply for a visa at the German embassy or consulate in your country of residence. You can find the German missions abroad responsible for your country in the “Contacts worldwide” section. To learn what requirements you must meet for a visa and what documents you need to apply, please refer to the “Visa and entry process” section. In many countries, it is already possible to apply for a visa online.
Check the Consular Services Portal of Federal Foreign Office (External link) to see which visas can be applied for digitally in your country of residence.
Processing times vary depending on the diplomatic mission abroad and the individual case. Processing may range from several weeks to months. The process can be accelerated via the fast-track procedure for skilled workes.
You can find detailed information about the visa application process in the "How do I apply for a visa?" section.
Do you have any questions about visas, jobs or life in Germany? Here you will find the right advice and support services: a hotline, a live chat, an email contact form, webinars and events, as well as in-person advice centres in Germany and abroad.
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