Depending on the country you come from, a visa may be required for entry into Germany. You can find out to which countries this applies with the help of the "Staatenliste zur Visumpflicht" (list of countries whose citizens require visas) of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Visas are issued for two distinctive use cases:

Transit and short stays

If you are only passing through the Schengen area by air or land, i.e. you are on your way to a so-called third country (which is not itself a Schengen country), you must apply for a Schengen visa of category "A" (air transit) or "C", respectively.

For a short stay of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days, you may apply for a Schengen visa of category "C", if you do not intend to take up gainful employment. This visa also entitles the holder to short stays in the other member states of the Schengen Agreement.

Long-term stays

Long-term stays (e.g. for the purpose of gainful employment or for the purpose of family reunion) require a national visa if you are a foreigner subject to visa requirements.

The issuance is governed by the regulations for the

• residence permit,
• the EU Blue Card,
• the ICT card,
• the Mobile ICT Card,
• the settlement permit and
• the permit for permanent residence - EU

and generally requires the consent of the immigration office at the intended place of residence.

After entering the country with a national visa, the corresponding permit is issued upon application for a specific legal purpose of stay. In special cases (e.g. for highly qualified professionals), a (permanent) settlement permit can also be issued immediately.

It is mandatory to apply for the issuance of a new visa at the immigration office before the current visa expires.