National visa (entry in Germany)
Performance specification
The basic requirement for entry into Germany is a visa. There is no visa requirement for:
- EU nationals
- Nationals of the following states:
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Nationals of the States listed in Annex II to Article 4(1) of Regulation EU 2018/1806 (EU) for a stay not exceeding 90 days per period of 180 days.
Nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the United States of America may also enter without a visa for a longer stay. The same applies to nationals of Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino, unless a residence permit is applied for for the purpose of gainful employment.
Nationals of the states listed here must apply for the required residence title at the Aliens' Registration Office within 90 days of entering the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany. If nationals of the states listed in Annex II to Article 4(1) of Regulation EU 2018/1806 (EU) wish to stay in Germany for a longer period, i.e. for more than 90 days, they must enter Germany in possession of a national visa issued by a German mission abroad. It must be taken into account that no gainful employment may be pursued during the visa-free stay. Gainful employment is permitted if the Federal Employment Agency grants the necessary consent or the foreigners authority grants a residence title. Taking up gainful employment without being in possession of a permit from the Federal Employment Agency or a residence title is a violation of the law, which leads to the visa-free stay being illegal.
Process flow
In principle, the visa application must be submitted by the applicant in person to the German diplomatic mission or consular post responsible for his/her place of residence abroad.
In principle, the consent of the competent foreigners authority in Germany is required. The foreigners authority of the place where the foreigner will take up residence is responsible.
If the approval of the foreigners authority is required in the visa procedure, the procedure can take up to three months, occasionally longer, as other authorities (such as the Federal Employment Agency) are often involved in addition to the foreigners authority. The diplomatic mission or consular post may only issue the visa applied for once the foreigners authority has given its consent.
What are the fees?
The fees are based on the information on the websites of the German embassies and the Federal Foreign Office.
Legal basis
Appeal
You can appeal against a negative decision in the visa procedure in writing to the diplomatic mission or consular post within one month. In this case, the diplomatic mission or consular post will re-examine the visa application.
If it still cannot be established that you meet the requirements for the issuance of a visa, you will again be informed in detail in writing of the reasons for the rejection of your application in a remonstration decision. You can file a complaint against this decision with the Berlin Administrative Court within one month.
You can also take legal action (instead of remonstrating) against the original negative decision within one month.
Applications / Forms
Applicants can obtain the visa application form for a long-term stay (over 3 months) free of charge from the respective mission abroad.
Comments
You can find details on the website of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the competent German mission abroad.
List of countries with visa facilitation or visa exemption
Visa regulations on the website of the Federal Foreign Office
Short text
The basic requirement for entry into Germany is a visa. There is no visa requirement for:
- EU nationals
- Nationals of the following states:
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Nationals of the States listed in Annex II to Article 4(1) of Regulation EU 2018/1806 (EU) for a stay not exceeding 90 days per period of 180 days.
However, nationals of a small group of countries (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia) can also enter for a longer stay without a visa and apply for their residence title after entry.
For entry for a longer stay (beyond 3 months), you need a visa (national visa) as a national or citizen of another state. Only for short stays (up to 3 months) is there an exemption from the visa requirement for a number of states. A complete list can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. During a visa-free short stay, you are not permitted to take up gainful employment. Taking up gainful employment without being in possession of a permit from the Federal Employment Agency or a residence title is a violation of the law, which leads to the illegality of your visa-free stay.
Applications / Forms
Who do I need to contact?
The missions of the Federal Republic of Germany (embassies, consulates) designated by the Federal Foreign Office are responsible for passport matters abroad. You can find all the necessary information about and also from your competent German representation on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
Websites of the German missions abroad
Do you live in the northern district: municipality of Willingen (Upland), municipality of Diemelsee, town of Diemelstadt, town of Volkmarsen, town of Bad Arolsen, city of Lichtenfels, town of Bad Wildungen, municipality of Vöhl or in the town of Waldeck? Then you will find the right contact persons for your request here:
First letter Surname | Responsible processing |
A - Aln | Kilian Emde |
Aa - Aln | Pascal Kesper |
Alo - Az, H, I, S | Jenta Sesselmann |
B, E, D, U, V, W, X | Detlef Reimann |
B, E, L, Mj - Mz | Jörg Jordan |
Alo - Az, C, G | Eleni Bangert |
C,G | Judith Schlömer |
D,W | Elfi Schäfer |
EU | Gerlinde Plücker |
F, J, K, L, M, N | Larissa horse mackerel |
F, J, Kh - Kz, V, Y, U, X | Franziska Brücher |
H, I, S, Y, UMA | Schlüter, Sabine |
Ka-Kg, 0, P, Q, Z | Marie-Laureen Grabarz |
Ma-Mi, N, UMA | Claudia Jellen |
O, P,Q, R, T, Z | Beate Hocke |
R,T | Monika Plathe |
If you live in the southern district: Gemeinde Edertal, Stadt Frankenau, Stadt Frankenberg (Eder), Gemeinde Allendorf (Eder), Stadt Hatzfeld (Eder), Gemeinde Burgwald, Gemeinde Haina (Kloster), Stadt Gemünden (Wohra) or in the Stradt Rosenthal, you will find your contact persons here:
First letter Surname | Responsible processing |
A-K | Carolina Bergener |
A-K | Fatine Atas |
A-K | Gerlinde Schäfer-Vogel |
L-Z | Dominik Stenzel |
L-Z | Andreas Hartmann |
Do you live in the northern district: municipality of Willingen (Upland), municipality of Diemelsee, town of Diemelstadt, town of Volkmarsen, town of Bad Arolsen, city of Lichtenfels, town of Bad Wildungen, municipality of Vöhl or in the town of Waldeck? Then you will find the right contact persons for your request here:
First letter Surname |
| |
---|---|---|
Aa - Aln, H, I, S, Y, UMA | Sabine Schlüter | |
Aa - Aln | Claudia Schweinsberg | |
Alo - Az, H, I, S | Jenta Sesselmann | |
B, E, D, Mj - Mz, L, U, V, W, X | Detlef Reimann | |
B, E, L, Mj - Mz | Jörg Jordan | |
C, G, Alo - Az | Eleni Bangert | |
C,G | Judith Schlömer | |
D,W | Elfi Schäfer | |
F, J, K, Ma - Mi, N | Elke Geiseler-Matsuda | |
F, J, Kh - Kz, U, V, Y, X | Franziska Brücher | |
Ka-Kg, 0, P, Q, Z | Ruslan Kosjan | |
Ma-Mi, N, UMA | Claudia Jellen | |
O, P,Q, R, T, Z | Beate Hocke | |
R,T | Monika Plathe |
If you live in the southern district: Gemeinde Edertal, Stadt Frankenau, Stadt Frankenberg (Eder), Gemeinde Allendorf (Eder), Stadt Hatzfeld (Eder), Gemeinde Burgwald, Gemeinde Haina (Kloster), Stadt Gemünden (Wohra) or in the Stradt Rosenthal, you will find your contact persons here:
|
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|
A-K | Carolina Bergener | |||
A-K | Denise Klauke | |||
A-K | Gerlinde Schäfer-Vogel | |||
L-Z | Dominik Stenzel | |||
L-Z | Andreas Hartmann |