A residence visa is required if you intend to stay in Germany for more than 90 days for work or study or if you intend to move to Germany permanently.
National visas are issued for long-term stays for a particular purposes and may be issued for up to a year. After entering Germany, visa holders must apply for a residence permit as a general rule.
Persons holding a US passport may apply for their residence permit at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after arrival in Germany and without having obtained a visa prior to travelling to Germany.* Please note that you need to register your new residence (Anmeldung) with the authorities (Meldebehörde) within 2 weeks of having moved to Germany. You also need to apply for your residence permit at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) within the first 90 days of your stay in Germany. This privilege is also extended to citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. We strongly recommend contacting the local immigration office as soon as possible after your arrival in Germany in order to secure a timely appointment.
Please note that you may only take up employment once you have been issued a residence permit explicitly authorizing such employment. You may also choose to apply for a visa prior to travel, effectively permitting employment from the first day of visa validity.
*This does NOT apply to ICT transfers.
The Consular Services Portal provides an easy and secure online application procedure for visas to enter and stay in Germany. Complete your application online and have it checked in advance by the German mission to ensure that it is complete. This way you will be well prepared for the in-person appointment at the German mission where you will provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo).
Types of visas you can apply for online:
- Skilled Workers holding a university degree
- Skilled Workers with vocational training
- IT Specialists with professional experience
Please compile the documents you need to submit with your application. If documents or supporting documents are missing, your application may be rejected. We have prepared a checklist for each type of visa:
Please schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the competent German Mission in the U.S. Please make sure you have your documents prepared and in order as per the checklist.
Please fill out the application and bring a printout to the interview.
In addition, some German missions in the United States require that a stamped envelope for mailing your documents already be submitted at the time of application. The missions abroad that have this requirement will inform you of this in your appointment booking confirmation.
Except for rare instances, you have to submit your application in person. Upon submission of all required documents the application will be forwarded to the Aliens' Authority (Ausländerbehörde) competent for your intended place of residence in Germany. Applications take about 1-3 months to be processed.
After the application has been approved by the Aliens' Authority and – if applicable - by the Work Office (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), the German Mission in the U.S. will issue a residence permit in the form of a visa, which will include the authorization to work in Germany. The Aliens' Authority requires all residence permit holders to register upon their first arrival. A final residence permit will be granted in Germany after arrival.
Please consult our FAQs for any further questions.