Usually, citizens of other countries will need an entry visa to travel to Germany. Thus, please take care to apply for your visa at a German diplomatic mission as soon as possible - that is, at a German embassy or consulate in your current country of residence. Depending on the type of visa you need and the country, you will need to present different kinds of documentation to apply for a visa (Federal Foreign Office: visa regulations).
Please note: Depending on the embassy, it will take at least 6 weeks, sometimes significantly longer, to process your visa application. Please apply for your visa well in advance of your planned stay.
You will find more specific information about the documents required on your German diplomatic mission’s website. EURAXESS Deutschland provides a complete overview of all requirements.
If you are required to have a visa to travel to Germany, it is illegal to enter the country without one.
Please note: The process for obtaining visas for accompanying family members is different from the process for visiting scholars/scientists and may take longer.
Please check the 'Overview of visa requirements' to see whether you will need a visa for Germany. Only for a few countries visa requirements are simplified or altogether waived. If your citizenship is in one of the following regions, you do not need a visa, but can travel to Germany using a valid form of identification for travel abroad (e.g. passport):
- the European Union
- the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
- Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United States (If you stay longer than three months, you will need to apply for a German residence permit at the local “Ausländerbehörde” (immigration office).
- Andorra, Honduras, Monaco and San Marina (No visa necessary, as long as you will not be working.) (If you stay longer than three months, you will need to apply for a German residence permit at the local “Ausländerbehörde” (immigrationoffice).
- Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Serbia, Singapore, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela: You may travel to Germany without a visa, as long as the stay lasts less than three months and you will not be working. It is not possible, however, to extend these stays beyond the three month limit without a visa. You have to leave Germany at the end of the three month period. If you plan to stay longer or intend to get permission to work in Germany, you will need to enter the country with a national visa.
Category “D” visas are also valid for the Schengen area: This means, for example, that you can travel to Germany via Switzerland and do some sightseeing in Switzerland along the way.
Important: A Schengen visa is not valid in Great Britain.
This information is provided without guarantee of completeness or accuracy.