You need different documents to get the permission to enter Germany. The most important on is the visa. You should apply for it way in advance, because the processing of your documents takes a while.
Scout Mai is really happy that she managed to go onto the web and book the Service Set for Foreign Students offered by student services at her
German university, even before she arrived in the country. Besides
health insurance, the set includes a room in a student hall of residence
and support and advice from hall of residence tutors. "It was good to
have a hall of residence tutor. He helped me with all the formalities at
the authorities that you need to complete at the beginning of your stay," reports Mai.
After entry immediately report to the registration authority and
foreigners authority: After arriving in Germany, Mai first had to go
straight to the registration authority (Einwohnermeldeamt) to give them her address in Germany and then to the foreigners authority(Ausländerbehörde). Mai is Vietnamese, which means that she comes from a so-called third country. So she needed to get a visa before she could enter Germany at all. The German Embassy in Hanoi issued it to her. The adress of a German embassy or consulate you can find on the website of the German Foreign Ministry.The foreigners authority at Mai's new place of residence has now converted her visa into a "residence permit for the purpose of studying" (Aufenthaltserlaubnis für Studienzwecke). The residence permit is initially valid for just two years. Since Mai's international degree programme is scheduled to last three years, she will have to have her residence permit extended before the two years are over. To get the extension she has to prove that she is progressing in her studies as expected – i.e. that she has gained all the required credits and passed all the required exams.Tip: Ask the responsible authorities way in advance which documents you will need to apply for a visa and also how long it will take until your visa is issued. It would be too bad, if a time delay would keep you from studying in Germany.
Visa and residence regulations in Germany
No visa, no residence permit
Students from EU countries, as well as Lichtenstein, Norway and Iceland don't need a visa or residence permit. read more...
No visa, maybe residence permit
Students from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland and the U.S. don't need a visa but maybe a residence permit. read more...
Visa only for a job before or after your studies
Students from Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino only need a visa, if they want to work in Germany before or after completing their studies. read more...
Visa for more than three month
Students from Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Croatia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Seychelles, Singapur, St. Kitts and Nevis, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela need a visa if they intend to stay longer than three month. read more...
More Info on Entry and Residence
International students from a third country must – with a few exceptions – obtain a visa for entry into Germany. They can get this visa from the relevant German mission abroad. Basically, the process differentiates between two types of visas.
The Schengen Visa is issued for a short stay (for example, tourism, participation in a summer language course) of up to three months per half-yearly period. Beware: Holders of a Schengen Visa must leave the country again after three months at the latest. This means the Schengen Visa is not a suitable instrument if you wish to study, do a doctorate or complete a research stay in Germany.
A national Visa is issued for stays lasting longer than three months (for example, to attend a preparatory course at a Studienkolleg or to study a full programme).
If you wish to study or do a doctorate, you must make sure right from the beginning that you apply for a national visa for the purpose of studying (student visa). As a rule, you will have to present the following papers and documents to the relevant German mission abroad (e.g. embassy or consulate in your country):
- letter of admission from the German university,- health insurance policy,
- proof of any academic credits gained or examinations passed,
- proof of any German language skills you may have or of your plans to take a language course in Germany,
- documents that prove how you intend to finance your living expenses while you are studying (proof of sufficient financial resources).
Tip: Student applicants who have not yet been admitted to a German university or Studienkolleg can apply for a Student Applicant Visa. It is valid for three months and can be converted into a residence permit for the purpose of studying once you have been admitted to a higher education institution.
Another type of visa is the Language Course Visa. But beware: This is only valid for the length of the language course. It cannot be converted into a student visa. If you plan to take a language course in connection with your academic studies, this must be stated when you apply for your visa. You have to apply for a student visa or a student applicant visa if the purpose of your stay is to study in Germany.
Another type of visa is the Language Course Visa. But beware: This is only valid for the length of the language course. It cannot be converted into a student visa. If you plan to take a language course in connection with your academic studies, this must be stated when you apply for your visa. You have to apply for a student visa or a student applicant visa if the purpose of your stay is to study in Germany.
Most foreign students – except nationals of EU and EEA countries – must, after arriving in Germany and having reported to the registration authority, go to the foreigners authority in their university town to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studying.
After arriving in Germany, most foreign students need a residence permit.
Most foreign students – except nationals of EU and EEA countries – must, after arriving in Germany and having reported to the registration authority, go to the foreigners authority in their university town to apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studying.
Please take the following documents with you to the foreigners authority:
- Your confirmation of registration issued by the registration authority
- Proof that you have private or statutory (public) health insurance
- Student ID-card from your university
- Possibly, proof of sufficient financial resources – if not already verified when the visa was issued
Valid passport - Money to pay the residence permit fee (please ask your foreigners authority in advance how much the rates are).
The residence permit is initially valid for two years and can be extended when it expires. The extension is subject to proper progress being made in your studies and must be applied for in good time before it expires.
German missions abroad: This database is run by Germany's Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) and tells you exactly who to contact with any questions regarding visas and entry. Visa regulations: The websites of the Federal Foreign Office also contain detailed information on the visa process and on entry to Germany as well as application forms in various languages for downloading.
From my personal experience
Manoni Kitsmarishvili from Georgia, studying German linguistics
Questions, questions and more questions
"In the first few weeks of my stay in Berlin, I spent more time at the foreigners authority than studying in my preparatory course. I was surprised about how many papers and documents I had to present. I had already informed myself back home in Georgia. But the information I had was inadequate, especially as far as the formal criteria were concerned. Today, I know that practically all the documents need to be authenticated and stamped. The rules on this are very precise, for example on which authority can issue and authenticate which papers. I had to have some papers sent from Tbilisi. This included proof that my parents were able to finance all my living expenses in Germany. That all took a lot of time and the foreigners authority slowly became impatient. What made it worse was that I had problems understanding things at first. So I had to pull myself together and keep on asking. That was good training. Because my experience in Germany is: No matter whether foreigners authority, residents authority or the university registration office: Don't let yourself be put off and be persistent and ask a hundred times. In the meantime, however, I know I could have saved a lot of time if I had first informed myself at the International office, the World University Service or the student council."
"In the first few weeks of my stay in Berlin, I spent more time at the foreigners authority than studying in my preparatory course. I was surprised about how many papers and documents I had to present. I had already informed myself back home in Georgia. But the information I had was inadequate, especially as far as the formal criteria were concerned. Today, I know that practically all the documents need to be authenticated and stamped. The rules on this are very precise, for example on which authority can issue and authenticate which papers. I had to have some papers sent from Tbilisi. This included proof that my parents were able to finance all my living expenses in Germany. That all took a lot of time and the foreigners authority slowly became impatient. What made it worse was that I had problems understanding things at first. So I had to pull myself together and keep on asking. That was good training. Because my experience in Germany is: No matter whether foreigners authority, residents authority or the university registration office: Don't let yourself be put off and be persistent and ask a hundred times. In the meantime, however, I know I could have saved a lot of time if I had first informed myself at the International office, the World University Service or the student council."
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