Fristfrei

Before you come to Germany

Who it's for

Anyone planning a move to Germany who is still abroad. The first sections apply from any country. The India section uses the published rules of the German missions in India. If you live elsewhere, your own German mission's website is the one to follow. Already in Germany? Start with the Anmeldung guide instead.

Do you need a visa?

It depends on your nationality and why you're coming. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)

  • EU and EFTA citizens (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland): no visa or residence permit. You only need a valid ID card or passport.
  • Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the UK and the USA: you can enter without a visa, but you need a residence permit before you start work, study or training. If you want to start work soon after arriving, an entry visa may still be worth it, because foreigners authorities can have waiting times.
  • Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino: you can enter without a visa for anything except paid work. For work, you need a visa first.
  • Everyone else, including Indian citizens: in principle you need a visa before entering to work, study or train.

If you have more than one nationality, check each one first. The Visa Navigator shows which visa fits your purpose.

Steps in order

  1. Check the requirements for your purpose. These include proof you can support yourself, a valid passport and no grounds for expulsion, plus the specific rules for your visa type. See all visa types. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)
  2. Find your German mission. You apply in your country of residence, not your country of citizenship. The Consulate Finder shows which mission is responsible for you. (Consular Services Portal, checked 2026-11-04)
  3. Prepare your documents using your mission's checklist, and allow plenty of time. Appointment waiting times vary by location. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)
  4. Apply through the Consular Services Portal where it's available. Your mission reviews the application online, then you attend in person to give your fingerprints and photo and pay the fee. (Consular Services Portal, checked 2026-11-04)
  5. Arrange health insurance. You need it from day one in Germany, and proof is required at the latest when you collect your visa. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)
  6. Pack your documents. Bring originals and digital copies, such as your birth certificate, school and qualification certificates and, if you have them, your driving licence and marriage certificate. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)
  7. After you arrive, register your address (Anmeldung) and contact the foreigners authority straight away. You must apply for your residence permit before your visa expires. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)

Fees

The entry visa for a long stay costs €75, and it isn't refunded if your application is refused. Spouses and children of German citizens, and people with publicly funded scholarships, are among those who may pay less or nothing. (Make it in Germany, checked 2026-11-04)

If you live in India: how applying works

These points come from the German Missions in India (checked 2026-11-04).

  • You don't need an agent. The missions say an agent isn't necessary and that all necessary forms and information are free.
  • False information has serious consequences. Your application will be refused and you might be banned from entering Germany.
  • Fee: ₹8,300 / €75 if you're over 18, and ₹4,200 / €37.50 if you're under 18. You pay in rupees at that day's exchange rate at your appointment. It isn't refunded if your visa is refused. The service provider charges an additional service fee.
  • Use the portal if your visa type is listed there. That's compulsory for most national visas, including the Blue Card, skilled work, Opportunity Card, study and family reunion. You only get the appointment link at the end of the online process.
  • Pick the right mission. Choose the one responsible for the state or district where you live. If you pick the wrong one, your application won't be processed.
  • Some visa types still use paper applications, with an appointment through VFS Global. These include self-employment and freelancing, researchers, seconded staff, au pair and voluntary service. Each has its own checklist.
  • If your application is refused, read the rejection letter, which names the legal remedy. See what the missions say about rejected applications.

If you're coming to study (from India)

See the missions' full student checklist (checked 2026-11-04) and the student guide.

  • APS certificate: get it before you apply to universities. uni-assist lists the APS certificate as a document you upload with your application, so it's needed for your university applications, not only for the visa (uni-assist: India, checked 2026-11-06). It's generally required if your academic documents come from Indian institutions; your nationality isn't what decides this. Start early: there's no fixed processing time, and the fee (₹18,000) isn't refunded. (APS India, checked 2026-11-04; APS India checklist for graduates, checked 2026-11-05)
  • dMAT (Digital Master Test): from the summer semester 2027 intake, Master's applicants with a B.Tech or B.Eng, or a degree in commerce, accounting, finance, economics, business administration or management, need the dMAT as part of APS. It costs €150 and you register through g.a.s.t.; listed sessions are 16 January and 13 March 2027. You can send your APS documents first, but the APS certificate is only issued after your dMAT certificate is in, and you can't add academic documents later. Exemptions include an APS certificate you already have, APS registration or documents sent before 29 June 2026, and official exchange or double-degree programmes. (APS India: dMAT, checked 2026-11-06)
  • Application deadlines: for the winter semester, applications usually run from early May to 15 July; for the summer semester, from early December to 15 January. Many programmes close earlier, so check each programme's page. Admission letters usually arrive in August–September and February–March. (DAAD: application process, checked 2026-11-05)
  • Applying through uni-assist: send your application ideally at least 8 weeks before the deadline; processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. The same applies when you request a VPD. The handling fee is €75 for the first programme and €30 for each further one in the same semester. (uni-assist: standard procedure, uni-assist: VPD, uni-assist: fees, checked 2026-11-06)
  • You may not need APS in some cases, such as some PhD projects, an international school qualification like the IB, or certain publicly funded scholarships. Check the APS quiz before assuming you're exempt. (APS India, checked 2026-11-04)
  • Keep the APS PDF unchanged. Don't rename, edit or merge it, or its digital signature can't be verified. (APS India, checked 2026-11-04)
  • Language proof: generally C1 if you're going straight into a Bachelor's or Master's, in German or English. For a preparatory course, at least B1 German or B2 English. (German missions in India, checked 2026-11-05)
  • Certificates not accepted for applications in India: Duolingo, Pearson PTE and TOEFL home edition.
  • Proof of funds: one of these: a blocked account (Sperrkonto) with €11,904 for the first year and a limit of €992 a month, a formal declaration of commitment from a sponsor in Germany, or proof of a German or EU scholarship. If you have an education loan, provide proof of that too. See how blocked accounts work.
  • Also needed: your admission letter, a motivation letter, a CV in table form, and health insurance from your arrival date.

If you're coming to work (from India)

See the missions' checklist for degree holders (checked 2026-11-04), which covers the Blue Card and work as a skilled graduate, and the checklist for professional training or work experience.

  • Passport: issued within the last 10 years, with at least 2 empty pages.
  • Your degree, with mark sheets for every semester. For an Indian degree, also get your university's confirmation that you studied on-site or in "regular mode". Distance learning has its own rules, explained in the checklist.
  • Check recognition on anabin. Your degree must be rated "entspricht" or "gleichwertig", and your university generally "H+". Otherwise, get a Statement of Comparability from ZAB.
  • From your employer: the Employment Declaration (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis), which replaces the work contract in the application, plus proof of health insurance from your start date. If that doesn't cover you from arrival, you need travel health insurance for the gap.
  • Blue Card salary from 1 January 2026: €45,934.20 a year for MINT and other shortage professions, and €50,700 for all others.
  • If you're 45 or older and earn under €55,770 a year, you also need proof of adequate pension provision.
  • Regulated professions, such as doctors, may need a licence to practise.
  • Your employer may be able to speed things up using the fast-track procedure for skilled workers. Ask them before you book your appointment.

If you're joining family (from India)

The missions publish separate checklists for joining a spouse, a child joining parents and a parent joining a child (checked 2026-11-04). See also the family reunification guide.

Sources

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