German visas: which one applies to you

1. Short stay, long stay, and no visa at all

A Schengen visa covers short visits. Anything involving work, study or settling is a national visa, applied for at a German mission in your country and later converted into a residence permit in Germany.

EU and EEA citizens need no visa or permit. Nationals of a handful of countries may enter visa-free and apply for the permit after arrival. Everyone else applies before travelling, and starting work or study on a tourist entry is a serious mistake rather than a shortcut.

2. Finding your category

The Federal Foreign Office publishes a Visa Navigator: you answer questions about nationality, purpose and duration, and it names the applicable route and the mission that handles it. It is the fastest reliable way to avoid applying under the wrong category.

Make it in Germany covers the same ground in plain English for skilled workers, students and trainees, including document lists.

3. What most applications have in common

Categories differ, but the recurring elements are proof of purpose, proof that you can support yourself, health insurance, a valid passport and, increasingly, appointment availability being the real bottleneck.

Appointment waiting times at some missions run to months. Book as early as you can, before your other paperwork is finished, because the appointment is usually the longest lead time in the whole process.

• Proof of purpose: admission letter, employment contract, training contract
• Proof of financial means for the period
• Health insurance valid from arrival
• Valid passport with sufficient remaining validity
• Biometric photographs and the mission’s own forms