Visa and Entry Requirements

You will generally need a visa to enter Germany. Citizens of EU and EEA countries are not subject to this visa requirement, nor (in exceptional cases) are citizens of countries with which Germany has agreements to this effect.

You must apply for a visa from a German diplomatic representation in your home country before you plan to enter Germany. It normally takes 4 to 6 weeks for a visa application to be processed, and sometimes processing takes several months. This is why we recommend that you submit your visa application as early as possible.

You can apply for the following visas before entering Germany:

D visa (national visa)

You must apply for this visa if you plan to stay for more than 90 days.
A national visa is issued for different purposes (e.g. study, research etc.).
You must apply for this visa if you are planning to take up employment in Germany.
You should expect a processing time of up several months when applying for this visa (varies from country to country).
Any person in possession of a national visa and valid travel documents is permitted to move freely in the Schengen area for up to three months in any six-month period.
This visa can be converted into a longer-term residence permit once you are in Germany. However, you must still actively apply for your residence permit after entering the country.

C visa (Schengen visa)

This visa is only valid for a maximum stay of 90 days.
It does not allow you to take up employment or undertake (doctoral) studies.
This visa is not recommended, as it does not allow you to change the purpose of your stay or to extend the duration of your stay.
Important: This visa is not renewable, and you cannot follow up with an application for a residence permit. After your Schengen visa has expired, you will be required to leave Germany.

You must apply for the visa at the German diplomatic mission in your home country.

When is a visa not required?

There are exceptions to the requirement for a visa. Citizens of the countries listed below may enter Germany without a visa. They require only a valid travel document (such as a passport).

1. EU and EEA countries: Citizens of these countries may enter Germany without a visa. Furthermore, they are not required to apply for a residence permit for longer stays. The only requirement is that they register with the residents' registration office (Bürgeramt) in their new place of residence.

2. Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, the USA, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland: Citizens of these countries may enter without a visa, even if they plan to take up employment. However, they must apply for a residence permit if staying for an extended period (more than 90 days) and before commencing employment. Please note that the applying for a residence permit takes up to 12 weeks.

Important: If you plan to work from the first day after your arrival to Berlin, you might consider applying for a Type D entry visa (national visa) in your country of residence in advance. The application for a residence and work permit is then included in the visa application process what means that you can sign your contract and start working after your arrival directly.

3. Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino: Citizens of these countries may enter Germany without a visa, but are not permitted to take up employment. They will be required to apply for a residence permit if staying for an extended period (more than 90 days), this can also be applied for after the visa-free entry. Attention: if you intend to take up gainful employment, it is not possible to enter without a visa. You must apply for an appropriate visa before entering Germany. For Brazilian nationals, there are some special rules which could result in you having to apply for a visa. Please enquire about this directly at the German Embassy in Brazil. We recommend applying for the residence permit as early as possible. We would be happy to help with the application.

4. Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, Serbia, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela: Citizens of these countries may enter Germany without a visa, but are not permitted to take up employment. However, they cannot apply for a residence permit if they enter without a visa. Attention: At the end of 90 days, the citizens of these countries must leave Germany.

Citizens of all other countries will require a standard visa.

Please take a look at the overview of visa requirements/exemptions for entry into the Federal Republic of Germany.

Required documents for your visa application

It is advisable to contact the German Embassy or Consulate General in your country of residence to find out what documents are required. Lists of required documents can usually be found on their website. For a visa for research work, you usually will have to submit the following:

Antrag auf Erteilung eines Visums für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Application for a visa for the Federal Republic of Germany, available at your German agency abroad or on the website of the Federal Foreign Office)
Confirmation from HU Berlin on intended employment, including the commensurate salary (Einstellungszusage issued by the HR department)
Hosting Agreement (issued by your host institute or ISS)
CV and copies of your university degree(s)
The address of the residence where you will be staying upon arrival
Proof of health insurance
Valid passport and biometric picture

It is highly recommended that you provide German translations of all original foreign documents.

Information for families

If your partner or other family members are accompanying you or joining you at a later date, you will additionally require the following documents:

Proof of health insurance for all family members
Marriage certificate (with apostil)
Children’s birth certificates (with apostil)
Valid passport and biometric picture for all family members

It is highly recommended that you provide German translations of all original foreign documents.

On the following websites you will find some useful information about visa regulations:

Federal Foreign Office

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

EURAXESS

Tips and advice
Visas and residence permits are different documents! A visa only entitles the bearer to enter the country. If you wish to stay for an extended period (more than 90 days), you must apply for a residence permit after your arrival. You can find further information on this process on our website about the residence permit. You apply for a visa for a specific purpose, for example to take up employment or undertake studies. Approval is tied to the particular purpose given. If you will be working in Germany, you will generally require a visa permitting employment. If you are staying in Germany for less than 12 months you may ask the German visa department to issue a D-visa valid for all Schengen states for the entire period of your stay with reference to Article 18 Section 2 SDÜ. In that case, you do not have to apply for a residence permit at the Immigration Office in Berlin. Please make the relevant diplomatic mission (at which you apply for your visa), aware that you have an approval-free status as a researcher in accordance with § 34 Section (2) of the Residence Ordinance ("Aufenthaltsverordnung"). You do not need the authorisation from the Immigration Office in Berlin. In case you apply for a visa that allows you to sign a work contract in Germany, you can make the relevant diplomatic mission in your home country aware that you have an approval-free status as a researcher in accordance with § 5 of the Employment Regulation ("Beschäftigungsverordnung"). You do not need the authorisation from the Federal Employment Agency in Berlin.

Tips and advice

Visas and residence permits are different documents! A visa only entitles the bearer to enter the country. If you wish to stay for an extended period (more than 90 days), you must apply for a residence permit after your arrival. You can find further information on this process on our website about the residence permit.
You apply for a visa for a specific purpose, for example to take up employment or undertake studies. Approval is tied to the particular purpose given. If you will be working in Germany, you will generally require a visa permitting employment.
If you are staying in Germany for less than 12 months you may ask the German visa department to issue a D-visa valid for all Schengen states for the entire period of your stay with reference to Article 18 Section 2 SDÜ. In that case, you do not have to apply for a residence permit at the Immigration Office in Berlin.
Please make the relevant diplomatic mission (at which you apply for your visa), aware that you have an approval-free status as a researcher in accordance with § 34 Section (2) of the Residence Ordinance ("Aufenthaltsverordnung"). You do not need the authorisation from the Immigration Office in Berlin.
In case you apply for a visa that allows you to sign a work contract in Germany, you can make the relevant diplomatic mission in your home country aware that you have an approval-free status as a researcher in accordance with § 5 of the Employment Regulation ("Beschäftigungsverordnung"). You do not need the authorisation from the Federal Employment Agency in Berlin.

HU International

Visa and Entry Requirements