Entry requirements
As a citizen of a privileged third country, you may enter the country without a visa, but must then apply for a residence permit at the local immigration office. Your national passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry.
If you actually enter Germany without a visa, you may not stay in Germany for longer than 90 out of 180 days. In addition, you may not take up gainful employment during this period.
If you are planning a longer stay or gainful employment in Germany, you must present a corresponding visa.
Exceptions
Exceptions apply to citizens 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, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa.
You can also enter Germany without a visa as long as you have a travel document that is valid for at least 6 months. You do not need to apply for a residence permit for a shorter stay.
If you want to stay longer than 90 out of 180 days, apply for your residence permit immediately after entering the country. Your residence permit entitles you to take up employment.
There are further exceptions for citizens from the following countries
- Andorra
- Brazil
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Monaco and
- San Marino.
Immediately after your visa-free entry, you must also apply for a residence permit at the local immigration authority if you wish to stay longer than 90 out of 180 days. No residence permit is required for shorter stays.
However, a residence permit does not entitle you to gainful employment. If you wish to work in Germany, you must enter the country with a work visa.
If you are a non-EU citizen wishing to enter Germany from a country in the European Economic Area, the entry requirements apply according to your nationality.
Entry from an EU or EEA country
If you are a non-EU citizen wishing to enter Germany from a country in the European Economic Area, the entry requirements apply according to your nationality.
Whether you can enter Germany under different conditions depends on the type of residence permit you hold in the EU or EEA country in question.
If you are a family member of an EU or EEA citizen, but are neither an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen yourself, you will need a visa to enter Germany. You will then receive a residence card from the immigration authorities in Germany. A valid residence card from another member state of the European Union exempts you from the visa requirement.
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.
However, if you have a permanent right of residence in another EU member state, you can usually enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit at the local immigration authority.