On the subject of entry and residence in Germany, different rules apply to citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland on the one hand and citizens of so-called third countries on the other.
Information for Citizens of the EU, EEA and/or Switzerland
Nationals of the European Union, as well as citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, do not need a visa for entry or a long stay permit.
Nationals of the European Union, the EEA and Switzerland only require a valid passport or identity card for entry (Section 2, Paragraph 5: Freedom of Movement Act/EU). After entering Germany, you (just like German citizens) have to register for residence at the registration office of the city you live in within three months. The obligation to register is regulated differently in the individual federal states and is linked to moving into an apartment or a room in Germany. Even if you also maintain residency abrad, you still must register your residency in Germany. In some cases, the obligation to register may also apply to shorter stays, which is why it is important to check the local authority responsible for your future place of residence in advance to know your obligations.
One exception concerns family members of EU and EEA citizens who are not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens themselves: they need a visa to enter Germany in accordance with the provisions applicable to foreigners to whom the Residence Act applies. In Germany, you will then need to apply to receive a so-called residence card from the Immigration Office (Section 2, Paragraph 4, Number 2: Freedom of Movement Act/EU).
Swiss nationals can apply for a special (purely declaratory) residence permit for Swiss citizens when staying in Germany for three months or longer.
Which local Immigration Office is responsible for you depends on your (future) place of residence in Germany.
Visa Information for Citizens of Other (Third) Countries
Those not holiding the citizenship of a country in the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland generally require a visa to enter Germany. For short stays of up to 90 days in a period of 180 days, nationals of third countries not requiring a visa to enter the Schengen area do not need a visa in order to simply travel to the Schengen area for a visit. An overview of visa requirements can be found here.
Many third-country nationals planning to stay longer than 90 days will be required to apply for a visa to enable a long-term stay before arriving in Germany.
If you apply for a Schengen visa for a long-term stay, you will generally be required to leave the country and apply for the correct type of visa in order to enable your stay, so make sure to apply for the correct visa before you come to Germany!
The law (Section 71, Paragraph 2: Residence Act) stipulates that the Federal Republic of Germany's embassies and consulates (foreign representations) are responsible for issuing visas. The Federal Foreign Office is not involved in deciding individual visa applications.
The diplomatic mission that should issue a visa is dependent on the location where the applicant is habitually resident. Diplomatic missions have districts they cover, meaning it is important to look up which diplomatic mission is responsible for the current place of residence in advance.
Long-term (national) visas need to be applied for at the country of destination's foreign representation responsible for the district where the applicant lives. Short-term (Schengen) visas generally also follow this rule.
Often, diplomatic missions require between two and ten working days to decide on a request for a short-stay visa. An application for a visa entitling to long-term residence or allowing employment can take several months to be submitted and be processed.
Longer waiting periods may occur during the main travel periods before an application can be made to the representative abroad. As it takes time to receive a visa, it is important to start the application process in a timely manner in order to accomodate the necessary processing times.
The visa application must generally be submitted by the applicant in person to the diplomatic mission responsible for the applicant's place of residence. The application should be submitted with all the necessary documents. Any documents that are requested at a later date generally will extend the processing time, meaning that applicants should inform themselves well in advance of their applications and departure on the responsible diplomatic mission's website about the visa procedure and the documents that must be submitted for the visa category being applied for.
The exact application process can vary between diplomatic missions, so it is important to look at the processes at the specific diplomatic mission where you will be submitting your application.
Applicants will receive the visa application form free of charge from the respective mission abroad (as a version including national local language). Application forms can also be downloaded free of charge from the responsible diplomatic mission's website.
Digitalisation
Currently the visa application process is being digitalised by the Federal Foreign Office. Though many visa categories have already been digitalised, the process is ongoing and not all categories can be applied for digitally. More information about the process for specific visa categories can be found on the website of the German diplomatic mission responsible for your visa application.
Since 5 April 2010,Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on visas (Visa Code) constitutes the European Community law directly applicable in all Schengen States for the granting of visas for transit through the Schengen area or for short-term stays in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days per 180 days.
The Visa Code standardises visa requirements, the existence of which must be examined by the mission abroad in the context of the visa procedure. The responsible foreign representation decides on the visa issuance in the context of a discretionary decision taking into account all circumstances of the respective individual case.
There is no entitlement to a Schengen visa.
The following visa requirements must successfully be demonstrated to the diplomatic mission by each visa applicant for a visa to be granted:
- Plausibility and traceability of travel purpose in Germany
- Financing for living and travel expenses from the applicant's own assets or income
- Status of the visa holder to leave the Schengen area before the validity of the visa expires
- Presentation of a travel health insurance valid for the entire Schengen area and for the entire length of stay with a minimum coverage of 30,000 euro.
If proof of an individual's independent financing is not able to be submitted, this can also be proven by submitting a formal declaration of commitment pursuant to Sections 66 and 68 of the Residence Act by a third person. These declarations are generally applied for and issued by the foreigners' authority responsible for the district where the person submitting the declaration of commitment application resides.
Persons whose entry into the Schengen area would endanger security or public policy in the Schengen states or who do not fulfill one or more of the above conditions for granting a visa cannot obtain a visa.
In the case of a refusal of a visa application, the applicant will be informed of the reasons for the refusal. Each claimant has the ability to take legal recourse against the decision made by the diplomatic mission if they so desire.
For stays of more than three months or stays leading to gainful employment, foreigners are generally required to apply for a visa in advance of their stay. This does not apply to EU citizens, EEA nationals or Swiss nationals.
Citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, the United States of America and the United Kingdom may also obtain a residence permit after entry. It is important to note, however, that these citizens are only able to take up research activities once a residence permit in Germany has been issued.
All other nationals must apply for a long-stay visas before entering the country. As applications generally need to be checked with various authorities before being approved, the procedure can take up to three months and, depending on the specific case, sometimes even longer. The diplomatic mission may not issue the requested visa until all necessary permissions have been obtained.
Visas that entitle to gainful employment sometimes do not require certain forms of pre-approval, meaning a decision in certain cases may be made more quickly.
Local immigration authorities are responsible for immigration law measures and decisions under the residence law for foreigners already resident in Germany. These local immigration authorities are not subordinate agencies of the Foreign Office. The Foreign Office cannot influence the decisions of immigration authorities. The local immigration authorities are instead supervised and regulated by the interior ministries and senates of state governments.
On the basis of Regulation 265/2010, it is possible to move freely in the Schengen area for up to three months with a national visa ("D visa") and a valid travel document within a six month period. This is also the case for holders of valid residence permits together with the valid travel document they were issued on the basis of.
The laws in the German Residence Law (Aufenthaltsgesetz) pertinent to researchers in Germany are, in most cases, based either on the REST Directive or were last restructured based on the Skilled Immigration Act.
REST Directive
On 1 August 2017, the EU Directive on students and researchers (REST Directive, Directive (EU) 2016/801) was implemented into German law. Among other things, the law regulates the residence of internationally mobile researchers from third countries in Germany.
Skilled Immigration Act
On 1 March 2020, the new Skilled Immigration Act came into force and was updated in 2023 and 2024. This act has kept many regulations regarding researchers in place, but relaxed the rules in certain cases.
Most Relevant Types of Visas and Residence Permits for Researchers from Third Countries
There are a number of residence permits that can be applied for in order to take up residence in Germany as a researcher. The difference between the types of visas/residence permits can be quite finite and depend on the documentation you receive from your future employer or host. Additionally, the category of visa/residence permit can also offer different benefits for your long-term plans, for example longer periods to look for a job following a research stay or faster access to applications for permanent residency.
Researchers coming to Germany often apply for a visa for the purposes of research according to Section 18d of the German Residence Act. Other types of visas or residence permits, for example a Blue Card EU, may also be applicable.
Section 18d: Researcher
Persons who fall under the definition of the researcher (see: Directive (EU) 2016/801 Article 3, Number 2) may apply for a residence permit according to Section 18d: Residence Act. The residence permit according to Section 18d: Residence Act is granted in principle for at least one year, in case of participation in a mobility programme for at least two years.
After completion of the research activity, the residence permit is extended by up to 18 months for job search ( Section 20, Paragraph 3: Residence Act.
Relevant Information for Understanding Processes and Requirements
Definition of the Term "Research"
"‘Research’ means creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications" (cf. Article 3, Number 9 of Directive (EU) 2016/801). Research in this sense involves basic research aimed at gaining fundamentally new scientific knowledge, without focusing on a particular application or use, applied research in which innovative work is carried out to acquire new knowledge, but primarily for a specific practical goal as well as experimental outcomes, a systematic work based on knowledge from research and practical experience, and generating additional knowledge aimed at the production of new products or processes or the improvement of existing products or processes.
Definition of the Term "Researcher"
"'Researcher' means a third-country national who holds a doctoral degree or an appropriate higher education qualification which gives that third-country national access to doctoral programmes, who is selected by a research organisation and admitted to the territory of a Member State for carrying out a research activity for which such qualification is normally required." (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 3, Number 2).
Recognised Research Organisations
State or state-recognised universities or predominantly publicly funded research institutions will no longer have to undergo a recognition procedure. These institutions may act as legally recognised research institutions (Section 38a, Paragraph 4a: Residence Act). A list of recognised research organisations is provided by the BAMF.
Research institutions that are not predominantly publicly funded may conclude a hosting agreement / contract with researchers in accordance with Section 18d, Paragraph 1, Number 2: Residence Act. It is also possible for these institutions to apply for recognition as a research institute with the BAMF.
Private Research Institutes and Companies
Research projects can in principle be carried out at any public or private institution. The decisive factor is whether the institution conducts research.
For companies working in the field of research and development, among other business areas, a decision is dependenton the area of responsibility assigned to the researcher. If the researcher carries out a research project, a residence permit under Section 18d Residence Act is possible.
Researchers from third countries already located in an EU Member State (other than Denmark and Ireland) may also be eligible to apply for short- and long-term mobility permits if their current residence permit as a researcher has been issued on the basis of the Directive (EU) 2016/801.
Section 18e: Residence Act: Short-Term Mobility (Up to 180 Days within 360 Days)
In cases of short-term mobility of researchers who already have a residence permit issued by another EU Member State for research purposes under the terms of Directive (EU) 2016/801, no German residence permit is required. This applies to stays of up to 180 days within a 360-day period. According to Section 18e Residence Act, only a notification procedure is required. Notification needs to be provided to the BAMF.
Section 18f: Residence Act: Long-Term Mobility (180 Days to One Year)
When the researcher already holds a residence permit for research purposes issued by another EU Member State within the scope of Directive (EU) 2016/801 and wants to conduct a part of his or her research project in Germany for more than 180 years days and up to a maximum of one year, a residence permit under Section 18f: Residence Act can be issued.
The application for a residence permit in accordance with Section 18f: Residence Act can be filed with the local Immigration Office or with the BAMF. In order for a residence permit in accordance with Section 18f: Residence Act to be granted, the researcher must conclude a hosting agreement or a corresponding contract with the research institution hosting them in Germany.
Researchers coming on the basis of this paragraph are also entitled to bring their families along to Germany with them for their research stay as described under the topic "Visas and Residence Permits for Family Members of Researchers".
If the research activity is part of a taught doctoral programme, Section 16b: Residence Act and not Section 18d: Residence Act would generally be applied for by a researcher. The reason for this exclusion is provided under Section 19f, Paragraph 3, Number 2: Residence Act.
Doctoral candidates fall within the scope of Section 18d: Residence Act only in cases in which the research is not carried out exclusively for the purpose of writing a dissertation, as is generally the case when the dissertation is written while the researcher is employed with an employment contract.
In cases where both paragraphs would apply to a researcher, the researcher will generally be given the opportunity to choose between both paragraphs. It is generally important to state which category is being applied for at the time of application as different documentation and requirements would apply.
Blue Card EUs are aimed at highly-qualified foreign professionals. The prerequisites for the issuing of the Blue Card EU is a university degree and an employment contract with a gross annual salary of 48,300 euro or 43,759.80 euro (as of January 2025) for highly skilled workers in certain occupational areas with shortages of qualified employees (generally including natural scientists, mathematicians, engineers, computer scientists and doctors). The implementation of the Blue Card EU into German national regulations can be found in Section 18g: Residence Act.
After 27 months, Blue Card EU holders can obtain a permanent residence permit if the employment relationship continues and the applicant has basic knowledge of the German language. If proof of German language skills at level B1 or better can be provided, the permanent residence permit may be issued after 21 months.
Applicants may have the possibility of deciding between a residence permit as a researcher in accordance with Section 18d: Residence Act or a Blue Card EU. The conditions and benefits of each differ slightly and it is important to understand these when making a decision.
The Blue Card EU offers, for example, the faster possibility of obtaining a permanent settlement permit and easier transitions between qualified jobs while advantages of a residence permit according to Section 18d: Residence Act include the possibility of obtaining a residence permit for job search purposes after the completion of the research project the residence permit was applied for.
Further information on the Blue Card EU is available from the BAMF.
In certain, rare cases, a permanent residence permit may be applied for immediately in the case of highly-qualified individuals. "Highly qualified" are "scientists with special expertise, academic and scientific staff in a prominent position". They are allowed to immigrate if they have a job offer and can immediately get a permanent residence permit according to Section 18c, Paragraph 3: Residence Act. This automatically entitles them to take up gainful employment. Spouses can usually receive a residence permit as well.
Applying for this type of permit generally requires acquiring a number of specific documents in order to demonstrate the highly qualified skills an individual would bring. In cases where this visa or residence permit is being applied for, it is generally advisable to make enquiries about the required documents well in advance.
For spouses and unmarried, under-age children of researchers (Section 18d: Residence Act) and long-term mobile researchers (Section 18f: Residence Act), the general rules of family reunification according to Sections 27, 30 and 32 of the Residence Act apply, meaning that residence permits for family members would generally be possible. Family members accompanying researchers will also generally be allowed to work in Germany.
This is also the case for researchers living in Germany on the basis of a Blue Card EU (Section 18g: Residence Act). Family members can often join researchers based in Germany on the basis of other residence categories as well.
It is important to note, however, that family members of short-term mobile researchers cannot receive a German residence permit - the relevant document for their stay for up to 90 days is their residence permit from the other Member State. This means that they are unable to be gainfully employed in Germany while visiting.
Please note that EURAXESS Germany is only able to provide general information and we therefore will not assume any liability for any information given. Information provided should not be seen as substituting that of an expert in pertinent fields.
Further Information
EURAXESS FAQ on Visa and Entry
On this page you will find some general FAQs of exemplary situations that may arise when applying for a visa or residence permit.
Customs Formalities
When moving abroad, it is also important to be aware of customs formalities to make sure that you and your things arrive safely.
EURAXESS FAQ on Working
On this page you will find some general FAQs regarding working in Germany.
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
Further information on residence permits and application procedures for researchers from third countries from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
Federal Foreign Office
Information on visas and regulations for entering Germany as well as the requisite application forms from the Federal Foreign Office
EU Immigration Portal
Information for non-EU citizens wishing to carry out research in Germany from the European Commission
Please note that EURAXESS Germany is only able to provide general information on topics and we therefore will not assume any liability for any information provided on this portal. Information provided should not be seen as substituting that of an expert in pertinent fields.