Visa for Germany
Who needs a Visa?
If you are not a citizen of the European Union, of an EEA state or of Switzerland and you are planning to study in Germany, you must apply for a visa at the German Embassy in your home country BEFORE you come to Germany.
Please contact the German Embassy in your home country to find out whether you need a visa or not. Citizens of certain countries can enter Germany without a visa.
List of all German Embassies and Consulates from the Auswärtiges Amt (Foreign Office).
Information from the Alien’s Office (Ausländerbehörde) Berlin about Studying in Berlin.
How long does the visa process take?
Please do not underestimate the process and keep in mind that you will not be able to study in Germany without a valid visa.
Visa processing times can take several months so you should apply as early as possible. Please consider that there might be a considerable waiting period for an appointment (4 to 6 weeks) and a processing period of additional 4 to 8 weeks. We recommend that you contact your German Embassy at least 3 months before the semester starts.
For which visa must I apply?
Be sure to apply for a long-term national (D) visa for study purposes. The short-term (C) “Schengen” visa is only valid for up to 3 months and will not cover your study stay in Germany.
Which documents are required?
In order to be able to apply for a study visa, you need an acceptance letter from a Germany university. The other documents that are required to obtain such a study visa include a valid passport, a current photo, proof of financial support as well as some additional application documents. Bear in mind that visa rules and regulations can differ considerably from country to country. It is there crucial that you contact the German Embassy in your home country.
For how long has the visa been issued?
When you receive your visa, you will notice that it is only valid for 90 days. This is not a mistake and no reason to worry. This visa is an entry visa and has to be converted into a German residence permit at the Alien’s Office Berlin (Ausländerbehörde) after your arrival in Berlin. For more information about the German residence permit application, please click here.
Important Notice For Exchange Or ERASMUS Students
SRH University urges exchange or ERASMUS students to request a national (D) visa that is valid up to 12 months instead of a 90-day national (D) entry visa. According to §§ 6 Abs. 4, 16-18, 20 and 21 AufenthG and Art. 18 Abs. 2 SDÜ, non-EU citizens who will stay in Germany for less than one year may obtain such a visa. Since it should cover the entire period of your stay, you will not need to apply for a residence permit after your arrival in Germany, which will save you time and effort.
Information from the Ausländerbehörde (Alien’s Office) about the 12-month national (D) visa.
Important Notice For Master Students Enrolled In The Tripartite Master Program
The above named national (D) 12-month visa is not suitable for Master students who are enrolled in the Tripartite Master Program. Tripartite Master students who plan to spend their second or third semester outside of Germany, must obtain a German residence permit in order to complete the student visa application for the next host country.
Students enrolled in the Tripartite program with the 1st semester in Querétaro or Vilnius are urged to contact the Mexican/Lithuanian Embassy in their home country to find out whether or not they need a student visa for Mexico or Lithuania and to start the visa process, if necessary.