National visas are issued for long-term stays for a particular purpose. Usually issued for 90 days, such visas may be issued for up to a year in certain cases. After entering Germany, visa holders must apply for a residence permit as a general rule.

Preparing your application

You should start preparing your application as soon as you have plans to stay long term in Germany. The entire visa application process can take several months.
Please prepare your application as follows:

• Please fill out and print the visa application form and bring a copy of it to your appointment. Application
• You may also use the online visa form which you can find here.
• 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 checklists for the most common type of application. If you still have specific questions after reading the information provided in the checklist, you may contact the Embassy via email.

• Au pair
  

  Family reunion to German spouse
  

  Family reunion to non-German/ EU spouse
  

  Family reunion to German minor
  

  Language course
  

  Research stay
  

  Study
  

  Voluntary service
  

  Work
  

                                                                                                                                           
• Please make an appointment to submit your application. Appointment

Important information 

Please do not send the Visa Section any documents unless requested to do so, particularly not before you have applied for a visa. If further documentation is required we will get in touch with you. Please always bring a complete set of documents with you to your appointment.

Submitting your application

In order to submit your application, please attend your appointment at the Embassy in person. Please hand in your complete documentation and pay the fee. The Embassy, will ask you questions about your planned trip and take your photograph and fingerprints. 

If only one parent is travelling with a minor child or the minor child is travelling alone, both parents need to be present at the time of the application. Furthermore you have to fill in the provided consent form and have the signatures confirmed accordingly prior to applying for the visa.

Declaration of Consent

What happens during processing?

The Embassy, Consulate General or Consulate will review your application and make a decision on whether or not to grant you a visa. To this end, it will check whether your application meets the legal requirements. Depending on the purpose of your trip, it can take up to eight weeks to check your application. The Embassy, Consulate General or Consulate will contact you as soon as it has made a decision on your application. We hope you will understand that we are not able to answer any questions on the status of your application during this processing period. After that, enquiries are only answered if they are made by the applicant, his/her legal representative or another person authorised in writing by the applicant.

Return of your passport

As soon as the Embassy, Consulate General or Consulate has reached a decision on your application,you will be informed by email that your passport is ready for pick up , you should collect your passport in person. If you are not able to collect it yourself, you can authorize another person to do so for you. In order to do so, please fill out the following power of attorney. Power of Attorney
There are various reasons why your visa application may be rejected. The reasons will be stated in the letter notifying you that your application has been rejected. These reasons are explained in the FAQ.
You are welcome to submit a new application at any time with complete, informative and verifiable documentation.

Have a good trip! Information for visa holders

If all the information on your visa label is correct, you are free to travel. Please check the information on the label as soon as your passport is returned to you. You should let us know immediately if there are any mistakes so that we can issue you a new visa. Depending of the error that requires a correction it might be necessary that your application is being put into the system once again. It than depends on the purpose of your trip and your nationality how long it takes to reissue the visa. However you will need to take at least 2-3 working days into consideration.
Your visa will state your full name and passport number and include your photo. It will also state the number of days you can stay and the period of validity, that is, the time by which you must have received your residence permit for Germany.
Therefore, please do not forget to register at the residents registration office shortly after you arrive in Germany and to make an appointment with the foreigner's authority. Your entry visa will allow you to travel within the Schengen area.

Skilled Labour migrating to Germany

 The Skilled Immigration Act, is a new law which expands the possibilities for qualified professionals to come to work in Germany. The new regulations will enters into force on 1 March 2020. In future, it will be easier for skilled workers with vocational, non-academic training from non-EU countries to migrate to Germany in order to work. You may find further information on the subject here: