How To Get A Visa In Germany
Applying for a German visa isn’t as hard as you think. With the right documents and step by step process, you’ll be traveling to Germany in no time!
If you are planning to live in Germany, you must have a Schengen Visa. This type of visa will allow you to travel freely within the European Union and Switzerland. Germany is known as one of the countries that accept the most immigrants each year (considering its population), but getting your visa can be complicated if you don’t know what to do.
In this blog post, I’m going to be covering the different ways to be granted a visa in Germany. The German visa process, if you’re not from a visa-exempt country, is quite simple for students and researchers. But, for working visas things get a little more complicated.
How To Get A Visa In Germany
The Schengen Area is a group of countries in Europe who share open borders and allows free travel between its member states. The Schengen Countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece
Germany sees a number of visitors every year and plenty of people who want to live there long-term. However, most people need to have a valid visa in order to enter the country. In 2019, German consulates and embassies issued 1.959.401 short-term visas and 324.636 long-term visas to foreign nationals.
Who Needs a Visa for Germany?
If you are travelling to Germany for the purpose of tourism, then you will not need a short-stay visa to Germany if you are a national of the 62 visa-exempt countries. A German Tourist visa entitles its holder to stay in Germany for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Holders are permitted to travel to Germany and the other 25 Schengen countries while the visa is valid.
Types of Visas for Germany
Due to the several purposes under which one might wish to enter Germany, the German Immigration Authorities have established a few types of visa.
Here are the types of German visas that you can apply for:
- Germany Airport Transit visa – to transit through a German airport.
- Germany Schengen visa – to visit family and friends or for tourism, for medical treatment, for official, cultural or sports visits.
- Germany Business visa – to attend meetings and other business related events.
- Germany Student Visa for prospective students in Germany or those that have already been admitted in a German university.
- Germany Language Course Visa for prospective students in Germany may need to attend a langue course before being fully admitted to a university.
- Germany Student Internship Visa for students who want to participate in a training program or internship in Germany that lasts longer than 90 days.
- Germany Researcher visa for international scholars and researchers who will participate in a scientific event in Germany.
- Germany Employment Visa for persons that have a job offer in Germany and can be used to work on a paid job.
- Germany Job Seeker Visa for those seeking attractive job opportunities in Germany but do not have a job offer yet.
- Germany Freelancer Visa for foreign freelancers of different fields to enter Germany and work there as a Freelancer.
- Germany Family Reunion Visa for bringing specifically spouses and children of those who have already settled in Germany
- Medical Treatment Visa for every international with health issues to seek medical treatment in Germany.
What Should I do if I Have to Stay in Germany for Longer Than 90 Days?
If you will stay in Germany for longer than 90 days and are not a national of one the countries mentioned above, you should apply for one of the German long stay visas. The Germany long stay visas, contrary to short stay visas are issued for stays that exceed 90 days and under completely different purpose of travel than the purpose of short stay visas. You will not need to apply for a German long stay visa only if you are a national of:
- EU/EEA/EFTA countries
- Australia
- Israel
- Japan
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Republic of South Korea
- the United States of America
Then, if your visa is granted, upon arrival in Germany you will have to get a German residence permit. Here are the types of German residence permits based on the purpose of the visa that has been issued:
- Germany Student Residence Permit – issued to a student who participates in a training program, study at a university and is issued for the length of the course.
- German Employment Residence Permit – issued to those who get a job offer in Germany after actively seeking work under a Job Seeker visa.
- German Family Reunion Residence Permit – issued to family members of German residents for the purpose of family reunification.
- Germany EU Blue Card – residence permit for highly skilled workers and want to work in their area of expertise in Germany.
- EU Residence Permit – issued for these groups of people who want to reside in Germany on another EU country.
- Germany Humanitarian Residence Permit – issued to those who have escaped a situation in their home country.
- Permanent Residence Permit – issued to settle in Germany
How to Apply for a Germany Visa?
The first thing you need to do when applying for a German visa is to find the nearest German mission in your country, and then you can proceed with the following steps:
- Fill out the online visa application form.
- Prepare the required documents.
- Set up an interview date at the embassy/consulate.
- Attend the visa interview.
- Submit your fingerprints.
- Pay the visa application fee.
- Go to Germany.
Keep in mind that the application process for a German visa may be different depending on which country you apply from since each local German mission works differently.
Where to Apply for a Germany Visa?
For a short-stay Germany visa, you have to apply at a German mission in your home country or near you. However, if you are applying for a long-stay visa you have to apply at two different institutions:
- A German mission. For your entry visa (national D visa), you still have to apply in your home country at a German embassy or consulate so you can enter the country.
- Foreigner’s Office. When you enter Germany, you have to register at the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigner’s Office) to get your residence permit.
What If My Application Is Rejected?
If the German embassy rejects your visa application, you will receive the reason behind this decision. If you think this decision is unjust, you can always appeal by writing an appeal letter for visa refusal.
Here you can read about the 9 most common reasons for Germany visa denial.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Visa to Germany?
It takes up to 15 business days to process your Germany visa application. If you are applying for a long-term visa, your application’s processing time may take several months.
However, keep in mind that the time it takes to process your visa application is dependent on several factors such as the staff available at the visa office, the time when you apply for the visa (off-season or in-season), and whether you submit a completed application or not.