German Visa and Residence Permit Requirements for US Citizens

Der Aufenthaltserlaubnis – Residence Permit
The United States of America is one of the nations for which the Federal Republic of Germany has special regulations concerning entry visas and residence permits.

ALSO SEE: How to Immigrate to Germany – with residence permit categories and guidelines.

US citizens in possession of a valid US passport do not need a visa for tourist or business trips to Germany for stays of up to 90 days. (This also applies to citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand.) The passport must not expire before the end of the scheduled trip, usually no less than three months before the return date. For stays lasting 91 days or longer, you need an “electronic residence title” (eAT, elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel), a permit in the form of a biometric chip card that resembles a credit card (since September 2011). The residence permit is also a work permit for people who wish to be employed in Germany. (A separate work permit is no longer issued, but you must meet the requirements for employment in order to work in Germany.) This combination residence and work permit indicates/contains the following:

1. The length of time you are permitted to stay in Germany (indefinite or a limited time, “valid until”),
2. any conditions or restrictions on your stay, including whether you are permitted to work or not,
3. a photo of the bearer,
4. two (digital) finger prints of the bearer, and
5. the Aliens Office city of issue.

This is what the new German residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) looks like:

Aufenthaltstitel: Unlike the previous permit that was attached to a passport page, the new eAT chip-card residence permit, issued since 2011, is a credit-card-sized plastic card with biometric data. PHOTO: bamf.de

When and Where to Apply

You have the choice of applying for the residence/work permit (1) before traveling to Germany or (2) after arriving in Germany. The issuance fee (in Germany) for stays of less than a year is 50 euros; 60 euros for stays of more than a year (cash only). For minor children, the fee is reduced by half. (Note: Fees subject to change. Check with the German consulate or embassy for current fees in the US or other countries.)

See below for links related to Residence in Germany from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration and Flüchtlinge) and other websites.

ALSO SEE: How to Immigrate to Germany (Residence permit categories)

1. Before You Leave
If you want to get your German residence permit in the US before traveling to Germany, you must do so in person at the German Embassy in Washington, DC or at one of the German consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, or San Francisco. (Note: Each consulate serves specific states, counties, or regions of the US. See the Consulate Finder.) You must allow adequate time for your application to be processed. This can take from one to three months, because your application must be sent to the Aliens Office (Ausländeramt) in Germany that is responsible for your intended place of residence. See below for a list of the required documents and photos you need to present as part of your application.

2. After Arrival in Germany
In most cases it is easier to apply after you are in Germany, but you must obtain your residence permit before your 90-day, no-visa stay ends. You have to apply in person at the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners Authority, known as the Landesamt für Einwanderung in Berlin, the Immigration Office) for the German city or town where you reside. In Berlin and other larger cities it is possible (and a good idea) to get an appointment via email for a specific day and time.

Make Your Appointment (Termin) for the Interview
You have to set up an appointment (usually online) with the Foreigners Authority (Ausländerbehörde) in the large city closest to you. (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, etc.) You have to appear in person and convince an official (Beamter/Beamte) to grant you the permit you want, for the length of time you want.

Plan ahead! Don’t wait until the end of your 90-day visa-free period. You don’t want to have your 90-day stay expire before you obtain your residence permit. That would not only be awkward, it would be expensive.

Download the Application Forms (PDF)
Fill it out before you go to your appointment. If you wait until you arrive, you’ll look unprepared and may not get what you want.

Whether you apply in the US or in Germany, you must present certain documents and forms (some of which can be printed out in advance from PDF files online). For US citizens, the following items are required:

• A completed application form (two if applying in the US)
• Two passport photographs*
• A valid US passport issued in the last ten years (and a copy if applying in the US)
• An Anmeldebestätigung from the local authorities confirming that you have registered your German address (if applying in Germany; see the Anmeldung section below for more)
• Employment contract or letter of intent from your future employer (for a work permit) and a completed work permit application
• Tax returns, bank statements, and other documents proving that you have sufficient funds or income to live in Germany
• Proof of health insurance coverage valid in Germany (See more below.)
• The visa application fee (Cash only! No checks or credit cards.)
• Any other documents that the Aliens Office may require. They will list what you need to bring in the email setting up your appointment (in Germany).
• (See the PDF link to the actual application form below, under Web links.)

*Your visa photo must be a full frontal view looking directly into the camera with a neutral expression (no smiling!). Very specific dimensions are required. (Most German photo studios know the requirements.) See the website of your German Foreigners Authority for specifics, or the Visa, Passport, Legal page from Germany.info.

Anmeldung – Abmeldung
Before you can apply for your residence permit in Germany you have to register your address with the local authorities, usually at the city hall (Bezirksamt or Rathaus). As noted above, an Anmeldebestätigung is one of the documents required by the Foreigners Authority. Anyone residing in Germany is required to register (anmelden) his or her address within one week of moving into a house or apartment. When you move out, you’re required to deregister (abmelden). This applies to all German citizens as well, even if they are just moving across the street.

Unbefristeter Aufenthaltstitel (Settlement Permit)
In order to obtain a permanent, unlimited residence permit (“settlement permit”) for Germany, you usually need to have had a limited, renewable permit (befristeter Aufenthaltstitel) for at least five years. With a settlement permit, you are allowed to remain outside of Germany in most EU countries for a maximum of six years before your settlement permit becomes invalid. Prior to any long-term stay abroad (in a country outside of Germany), it is wise to clarify the conditions of any residence permit (permanent or otherwise) with your nearest Foreigners Authority office and/or the Bundesamt für Migration and Flüchtlinge (www.bamf.de).

Health Insurance
Another requirement for a residence permit is proof of health insurance. Very few German doctors and hospitals accept US health insurance. Even if your US insurance covers you in Germany, usually you will be required to pay any medical fees yourself and get reimbursed later. Therefore, it is best to have a health insurance policy that is accepted by German healthcare providers. For shorter stays of up to a year or two, you can take out a special policy with a German insurance company for that period. If you’re lucky, your employer will provide health coverage. Note: It does not matter in which country your health insurance company is located, as long as the insurance is accepted in Germany.

More | How to Immigrate to Germany

Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY

• GW Expat Blog: German Residence Permit Day – A true story – Or how not to get your Aufenthaltstitel
• How to Immigrate to Germany – Residence permit caletgories
• Electrical Facts – 220 volts and all that
• The identity card – der Personalausweis
• GW Expat Blog – For expats by expats

ON THE WEB

• Germany Residence Permits Guides – A series of guides to applying for different residence permits in Germany, from Settle in Berlin, the galaxy’s most comprehensive and simple guide to getting settled in Berlin and Germany
• Germany.info – The website of the German Embassy in Washington, DC has a lot of good information for Americans in Germany.
• Federal Foreign Office: Entry & Residence – An overview menu for information and forms related to residing in Germany
• PDF: Application for a National Visa – The actual application form in German and English (in downloadable PDF format) from the Auswärtiges Amt (German Foreign Office).
• Berlin Foreigners Registration Office – The website for the Foreigners Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Berlin – in English.
• Ausländerbehörde Berlin – The German-language website of the Foreigners Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Berlin has PDFs of forms, helpful information, links, and appointment forms.
• Foreigners Office – Munich – in English
• International Resources – Munich – Munich support for expats, foreign professionals and families
• Federal Foreign Office – Auswärtiges Amt – The website of the German Federal Foreign Office also has useful information in English and Deutsch about working or studying in Germany.

Legal Notice: We are not responsible for the content of external links.

NOTE: The information on this page and on this website is not intended as legal advice. You are advised to consult a lawyer concerning any specific legal concerns regarding a German residence permit or working in Germany.