Do you need a visa to enter Germany?
Before arranging travel to Germany, please check if you will need a visa to enter the country. If you do need a visa, you will have to apply for it at the German diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate general) in your home country.
All relevant information is available on the website of the Federal Foreign Office, including a list of states and whether their citizens require a visa or not as well as a Visa Navigator, which you can use to quickly and easily determine the type of visa you will need for the intended purpose and duration of your visit.
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/visa-service
We have summarised the most important information to provide a brief overview:
No visa required to enter Germany
Are you a citizen of a member state of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, or Switzerland? Then you do not need a visa to enter Germany with a valid passport or national ID card.
You can stay in Germany for up to three months (90 days) with no additional paperwork required. If you plan to stay in Germany for more than three months, however, you will need to register with your local “residents’ registration office” (called the Einwohnermeldeamt, Meldebehörde, Bürgeramt, Bürgerservice, etc., depending on where you live) within three months of moving into accommodation.
Are you a citizen of Australia, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United States of America? Then you do not need a visa to enter Germany. Upon your arrival, however, you will have to apply for a residence permit for any stay exceeding three months (90 days). Your application may take up to three months to process, however, and you will not be able to take up work until your residence permit has been granted, which is why we recommend that you look into and apply for an appropriate visa before travelling to Germany if you want to take up work immediately upon arrival.
Visa required to enter Germany
If you need a visa to enter Germany, you have to submit a hosting agreement, contract or letter of invitation from the hosting department or institution along with your application for a visa at the German embassy or consulate in your home country.
You will also have to provide proof of sufficient funds and health insurance.
Depending on the duration and purpose of your visit, you will need either a Schengen visa for a research stay of up to three months or a National visa for a research stay of more than three months.
Schengen-Visa
Please note that a Schengen visa cannot be extended under any circumstances. Once your three-month visa expires, you will have to leave the country and re-apply.
If you are planning to exit and re-enter the Schengen area during the period that your Schengen visa is valid for, please make sure to apply for a multiple-entry visa.
National Visa
A national visa is usually issued for a period of one year and includes a work permit.
If your national visa does not cover the entire period of your intended stay in Germany, you must apply for a residence permit at your local “foreigners’ authority” (Ausländerbehörde or Ausländeramt) while your national visa is still valid. If you live in Hamburg, you can use the dedicated online portal of the City of Hamburg to make an appointment to apply.
For more information on how to apply for a residence permit, please visit our “Arriving and Living in Hamburg” page.
Bringing your family with you to Hamburg
Would you like your family to join you in Hamburg?
If your family members are citizens of a member state of the EU or the EEA or of Australia, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea or the United States, they do not need a visa or a residence permit.
If they are from any other country, however, they will need a visa. Please contact your local German diplomatic mission abroad for information, including which documents and records you will have to provide. In most cases, a family reunification visa is your best option.
Further information below :
- Federal Foreign Office – General Information
- Federal Foreign Office – Visa Navigator
- Federal Foreign Office – Schengen Visa
- Federal Foreign Office – National Visa
- European Commission – Schengen Visa
- Hamburg Welcome Center – Entry
- EURAXESS – Entry Conditions and Visas
- Federal Government “Make it in Germany” – Do I need a Visa?
Letzte Änderung: 15. July 2025