Visa, entry and residence issues

Nationals from the member states of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as Switzerland do not require a visa. They can enter Germany and stay in Germany. An identity card is sufficient for entry.

Member states of the European Union are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. The European Economic Area (EEA) comprises the member states of the European Union, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Nationals of these countries do not need a visa for entry. For longer stays than three months, however, you need a residence permit. You can apply for this after entering Germany at the responsible foreigners authority in Germany.

You need a visa for entry. Here you can find a list of countries for which a visa is required for entry into Germany: German Foreign Office - Overview Visa Requirement.

Where can I apply for a visa?
You apply for a visa at the German Embassy or a German Consulate in your home country or country of residence: List of German Embassies or Consulates abroad

Take care in time!
If possible, you should apply for a visa immediately after you have been accepted for a study place, have received proof of a research stay or similar.

With family
If you are accompanied by your spouse or children during your stay, it is advisable to submit the applications for you and family members at the same time - even if your family arrives a few weeks after you.

What documents do I need?

The documents required may vary from country to country. As a rule, you will need the following documents:

• Application form (available at the respective diplomatic mission or consular post abroad)
• Passport (valid for the entire duration of stay)
• Proof of subsistence (if applicable, blocked account, scholarship promise, declaration of commitment).

  Please find further information about proof of financial resources here.

• Proof of sufficient health insurance
• Proof of the intended purpose of stay (e.g. employment contract, admission agreement from the University of Kassel, certificate of a language course preparing for studies, admission to the Studienkolleg, conditional admission or admission to full-time studies)
• Biometric passport photo
• Details of planned accommodation in Germany
• For family members marriage and birth certificates

Please inquire at the German Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence about exactly which documents are required for a visa application. Only they can give you legally binding information.

Costs for a visa?
The issuance of a visa may be associated with costs. Please contact your German embassy or consulate for information on the exact costs.

Scholars of German funding organizations who receive a scholarship from public funds - for example, scholars of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation or the DAAD - do not have to pay fees for the visa or the residence permit.

If your research period in Germany is not scheduled to last longer than 90 days within a six-month period, a Schengen visa (“C” category) will usually be all you need to enter the country.  More Information about the different categorie for the Schengen Visa can be found here.
However, please bear in mind that Schengen Visas cannot be extended beyond the three-month period; it cannot be re-designated for other purposes either. At the end of the three-month period, you will be expected to leave Germany. If you plan to stay longer than three months, you will have to apply for a “D” category visa in your home country or country of residence.

Health insurance
As a general rule for a “C” category visa, you need travel health insurance for all Schengen states with a liability limit of at least EUR 30,000. You will find further information on this matter in our section on health insurance.

Visa exemptions for short visits
Nationals from some countries are allowed to enter Germany for visits up to three months without a visa. You can find a list of these countries (as well as a list of countries whose citizens (do not) require visas to enter Germany) on the website of the German Foreign Office.

If you want to stay longer than three months in Germany, you must already apply for a national visa for Germany in your home country or country of residence(D visa). After entering Germany, you must apply for a residence permit at the local foreigners authority:

• Residence permit application in Kassel. The residence permit can also be applied for online in German at the responsible foreigners authority
• Apply for a residence permit in Witzenhausen

Please note that this also applies if you are already residing in another state of the European Union.

Do not apply for a tourist visa!
Do not under any circumstances enter Germany with a "visitor or tourist visa" (Schengen visa). It cannot be extended and only allows a maximum three-month visit stay. You must then travel back to your country of origin at your own expense and apply for the applicable visa there. The same applies to your family members.

Third-country nationals who are holders of a national long-stay visa category "D" may, on the basis of this document and a valid travel document, in principle move freely within the Schengen area for up to 90 days per period of 180 days. You can find more information here.

Health insurance

Health insurance is already requested for your visa application. In most cases, however, travel health insurance for the visa application in your home country is not sufficient for your stay in Germany. Therefore, you usually have to take out a German health insurance in Germany.

Please check with the foreign mission in your country for the period for which the travel health insurance must be taken out so that you can apply for the visa in the home country.

Further information: Prerequisite for the issuance of visas for longer-term stays or for stays that entitle the holder to gainful employment.