Entry for the purpose of vocational training

You are very welcome on the German training market. You will need a visa to enter Germany. To start training, apply for a visa for gainful employment in accordance with § 18 at German embassies or consulates in your country of origin.

The visa will be issued if you can already present a training offer from a German company. Your working conditions must not differ from those of German trainees.

For your visa, you must also prove that you will be able to support yourself during your training. In the case of school-based vocational training, you will also need a letter of invitation from the school or a host family confirming that accommodation and meals will be provided for you.

In addition to your school-based or company-based vocational training, you are also allowed to work 10 hours a week in a job that is not related to your training.

The granting of a residence permit in Germany then depends in most cases on whether the Federal Employment Agency approves your employment.

Exceptions

Special entry regulations apply to you as a citizen of

• Australia
• the Cook Islands
• Guam
• Israel
• Japan
• Canada
• the Cocos Islands
• the Republic of Korea
• New Zealand
• Niue
• the Norfolk Islands
• Puerto Rico
• Tokelau
• the Christmas Islands
• the United States of America and
• the U.S. Virgin Islands and
• American Samoa.

You can enter Germany without a visa as long as you have a travel document that is valid for at least 6 months. You will then also need a residence permit in Germany.

Entry under other conditions

Whether you can enter Germany under other conditions depends on the type of residence permit you have in the EU or EEA country in which you are currently staying.

1. If you are a family member of an EU or EEA citizen, but are neither an EU, EEA nor Swiss citizen yourself, you will need a visa to enter Germany. You will then receive a residence card from the immigration authorities in Germany.
2. If you have a right of residence that entitles you to EU-wide mobility, you do not need a visa to visit Germany. If you intend to stay longer than 90 out of 180 days per year, you should check whether an appropriate visa is required and can be issued in the country where you are currently staying. You must then apply for a residence permit in Germany after entering the country.
3. However, if you have a permanent right of residence in another EU member state, you can generally enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit from the local immigration authority.