Visa Information

International students and pupils may require a visa depending on their home county and length of stay in Germany. Current information regarding visa requirements can be found on the Germany Embassy website or on the website of the German Consulate in your home country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also provides information regarding visa requirements for entry into Germany.

 

Which visa do I need in order to learn German in Germany?

No visa required

If you are a citizen of an European Union nation, you do not need a visa to enter Germany. For stays of up to 90 days you do not need a visa if the European community has lifted the visa requirement for your country.

Schengen Visa

If your country requires a visa for short stays of up to 90 days, you can apply for a Schengen Visa. The application can be made at the German Embassy, the German Consulate or at a special center for issuing visas.

National Visa

If you plan to stay longer than 90 days in Germany, for example, to attend a long-term German course and complete subsequent university study, you must apply for a national visa in your home country.

What is the did Visa Service?

In addition to your own documents (i.e., passport), the foreign office will normally require additional documents from the language school.

After your registration you will receive from us:

  1. a booking confirmation for the activities booked
  2. an invoice for the costs of the activities booked

After complete payment of the invoiced amount you will receive from us:

  1. an official invitation letter
  2. a payment confirmation

You will need these documents in order to apply for your visa.

Should the foreign office require originals, we can send the did visa documents via express mail to you. You must bear the additional costs of mailing these documents.

After receiving all did visa documents, you will submit these, along with the other required forms, to the German foreign office (embassy / consulate) in your home country to apply for a visa. Please let us know as soon as you have received your visa. You can find current visa requirements on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. 

Please give us plenty of warning should your visa application be delayed or denied. Should unforeseen problems arise during the application process, we will try to support you and provide help whenever possible. Should the application be denied, we will refund all fees submitted with the exception of any bank charges incurred and the did-visa-service-fee.

Blocked Account - Good to know
Financial proof

Blocked Account - Good to know

When applying for a long term visa, you must be able to prove you possess sufficient financial resources. Normally, you will need to open a blocked account in a German bank. Our partner service provider Fintiba can provide these services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa to enter Germany?

Do I need a visa to enter Germany?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a list of those countries that require visas and those that do not. If your country is marked "yes," you will need a visa to enter Germany.

What are the different types of visas?

What are the different types of visas?

Tourist Visa (Schengen, less than 90 day stay)

  • Apply for this visa if you would like to stay in Germany less than 90 days. The visa cannot be extended.

Language Course Visa

  • Apply for this visa if you would like to learn German in Germany. Changing a language course visa to a student visa (i.e., if you would like to study at a German university) is typically not possible.

Search for University Placement

  • Apply for this visa if you do not yet have a university placement, but already possess the required German language skills so that you will be able to find college or university placement within the 9-month duration of the visa.

Intention to Study / Student Visa

  • Apply for this visa if you have already received acceptance to study at a college or university in Germany. Please specify that you are participating in a college or university preparatory language course.

How long does the process take?

How long does the process take?

When you have all of the required documents completed properly, apply for your visa at the embassy or consulate. The processing time can vary depending on the type of visa. The embassy or consulate can provide information regarding current processing times.

Normally, the processing time for a less than 90 day visa is quicker, because the embassy or consulate can make the decision itself whether to issue the visa or not. Note that when applying for a national visa (i.e., Language Course visa longer than 3 months, Search for University Placement visa or Student visa) you should plan on processing times of up to 3 months from the date documents are submitted.

What is a German Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel)?

What is a German Residence Permit (Aufenthaltstitel)?

Within 2-4 weeks of your arrival in Germany, you must register at the Resident Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt). This applies to all students who would like to live in Germany longer than 3 months, no matter their home country. At the Resident Registration Office you will receive a registration letter that must be carefully protected for the rest of your stay in Germany. In Germany, there is a registration requirement. This means you must always register in the city in which you live. Should you move within Germany to another residence or city you must re-register and if you leave Germany all together for another country, you must "unregister."

Should you arrive with a national visa or come from a country requiring a visa for stays over 90 days (i.e., USA, Japan, Canada, Switzerland or Brazil), you must go to the Foreign Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) and receive a residence permit. This residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel), the length of which corresponds with the length of your language course or study term in Germany, can be extended later for the same purpose, as long as you have written proof of your activity. In you want to remain in Germany longer than originally planned, please be sure to apply for a residence permit before the visa printed in your passport is set to expire.

Please note, the document processing time in the Foreign Registration Office can be extremely long and it is important to have all documents with you when you go, so you won't need to go back again. The wait times are also very long. Our local staff will be happy to provide further information about the process.