How to Move to Berlin If You Need to Apply for a Visa
Even if you have got your heart set on moving to Berlin, you still have the small issue of landing an appropriate visa to allow you to live and work in Germany. In this post, we will highlight the different options that are available to you if you do not hold an EU/EEA passport, key visa facts for Germany and important things you should know.
As this is quite a complex topic, we have included some key terminology at the bottom of this article which should help you better understand some of the ins and outs of moving to Berlin.
Visas that allow you to live, work, study and travel in Germany
So, let us talk about some of your different options for living in Germany. In order to make your dream a reality, you need to figure out exactly which visa you need to apply for.
To live in Germany for an extended period, you can apply for the below visas either at an immigration office (Auslanderbehörde) after your arriving in Germany OR at a Germany embassy or consulate before arriving in Germany. Where you can apply is determined by your nationality – further details can be found here.
Visa guides for applying at immigration
office in Berlin
Visa guides for applying at German embassy or consulate
While this is not an exhaustive list of all your options in Germany, these are the most popular and common visas for expats moving to Germany. Our free visa guides include all our expertise and know-how built up over the last 6 years, which we constantly build on through regular contact with local immigration authorities, German embassies abroad and the Federal Employment Agency.
Below, we have provided a brief overview of some of the requirements for each visa.
1. How to apply for a Work Visa for Germany?
The main requirement for applying for a Work Visa for Germany is that you have a concrete job offer from a German-based company. The job must be paid on par with what a German citizen would be paid for the same job and the salary must be considered enough to live off in Berlin. Therefore, a full-time job is usually required, but high paid part-time positions can also be accepted.
Stipulations: You can only work for the employer stated on your visa. Your visa will state whether you are able to freelance on top of your work for your regular employer.
Renewable? Yes, the Work Visa will initially be issued for the length of your contract or for four years if you hold an unlimited contract.
Relevant resources:
2. How to apply for a Freelance Visa for Germany
In order to apply for a Freelance Visa for Germany, you must have at least two letters of intent to hire from freelance clients (but a minimum of three is recommended). We also recommend that at least two of your clients are based in Germany.
If you already have some freelance contracts, then you can also use these. The letters of intent to hire should state why your client wishes to hire you as a freelancer along with your hourly rate, job title and approximately how many hours per month you will work for that client. The sum of your salary in your letters of intent to hire/freelancer contracts should total what is considered a decent wage in Berlin.
Stipulations: With a Freelance Visa, you can work as a freelancer for multiple clients in the field specified on your visa and you can work for both German and overseas clients.
Renewable? Yes, your freelance visa will initially be issued for 1–2 years.
Related resources:
3. How to apply for a German Working Holiday or Youth-Mobility Visa
You can apply for the Working Holiday Visa if you are from Uruguay, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Hong Kong, Israel, Taiwan, South Korea or Chile and between the ages of 18 and 30 (35 for Canada). You must apply before your 31st birthday unless you are from Canada in which case you must apply before your 36th birthday.
If you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel or Japan, you also have the option to apply for the Working Holiday Visa at the immigration office after you arrive in Berlin. Citizens from all other countries must either apply in their home countries or at German embassies/consulates abroad before entering Germany. We have put together a blog post on where you can apply as well as an FAQ on everything you should know about the German Working Holiday Visa.
To apply for the Working Holiday or Youth-Mobility Visa, you need proof of funds of between €1200 and €4000 (depending on where you apply) and suitable travel or expat insurance for the duration of the visa.
Stipulations: The main purpose of the visa is to experience living in Germany. You are permitted to pick up work during your time in Germany in order to help fund your stay.
Renewable? No, the visa is issued for one year. However, citizens of Canada may apply twice under different categories. Before your Working Holiday Visa expires, you can apply for another of the visas listed on this page.
Related resources:
4. How to apply for a German Job Seekers Visa
A Job Seekers Visa allows you to come to Germany to search for work for up to 6 months. In order to apply, you must have a university-level degree which is deemed to be on par with a German degree and sufficient proof of funds to support yourself during your job hunt. To check whether your degree is recognised in Germany, see our guide on how to use the Anabin database.
If you land a job while on a Job Seekers Visa in Germany, you may then apply for a Work Visa or EU Blue Card directly at the immigration office in Germany.
Stipulations: You can attend language school and apply for jobs while on a Job Seekers Visa. You cannot work on this visa until you have successfully received a work contract and applied for and been issued a Work Visa or EU Blue Card
Renewable? No, the visa is issued once for 6 months.
Related resources:
5. How to apply for an EU Blue Card for Germany?
An EU Blue Card is for non-EU/EEA workers with a university degree who earn above a certain minimum threshold. In order to apply, your degree must be deemed to be on par with a German degree or you must have at least 5 years of relevant experience.
You also must have a German employment offer with a minimum gross salary of €58,400 per annum or, in shortage occupations, a gross salary of €45,552.
Stipulations: You can apply for permanent residence in Germany after working on an EU Blue Card for 33 months or after 21 months if your German is at a B1 level.
Renewable? Yes, the Blue Card is initially issued for 4 years if you have an unlimited contract.
Relevant resources:
6. How to apply for an Au Pair Visa for Germany?
The Au Pair Visa is for those between the ages of 18 and 26 looking to work as a live-in nanny for a German-speaking family. To apply, you need an au pair contract from a German (or German-speaking) family.
Stipulations: You can only work as an Au Pair. The standard salary is €260–€300 per month for 30 hours per week of Au Pair work. In addition to your salary, you will receive free accommodation, board, health insurance and discounted German courses.
Renewable? No, the Au Pair Visa is issued once for up to one year.
Related resources:
7. How to apply for a Student Visa for Germany?
In order to apply for a German Student Visa, you must have already been enrolled or received conditional approval for a place at a German university and generally have at least €11,208 in a German escrow account.
Stipulations: You can work for 120 full days or 240 half days per year while living in Germany on Student Visa.
Renewable? Yes.
Related resources
8. How to apply for a German Language Visa
A German Language Visa allows you to live in Germany and attend a language school for up to one year. This is a fantastic way to learn German and experience German culture.
Stipulations: You must be enrolled in an intensive German language course. By intensive, we mean at least 18 teaching hours per week. You are required to have travel insurance for the duration of your visa, proof of funds as well as a language school contract.
Renewable: Yes.
Related resources:
Important information if you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom or Israel
If you are from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom or Israel, you are permitted to enter Germany for 90 days without a visa and then apply for a visa at an immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany during this period.
The only exception to this is the Working Holiday Visa for South Korean citizens, which must be applied for in South Korea.
Alternatively, citizens from these countries are also permitted to apply for a visa at their local German embassy or consulate before moving to Germany.
Important information if you are NOT from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom or Israel
If you are not from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom or Israel, you must apply for a visa at your local German embassy or consulate before you enter Germany.
One exception to this is that Brazilian citizens can also apply for non-work related visas in Germany, e.g. German Language Visa or Student Visa.
Useful terminology related to German visas
Ausländerbehörde (Immigration office)
Ausländerbehörde is the German name for an immigration office in Germany. There are two immigration offices in Berlin which process different types of visas. For further details about applying for visas at the immigration offices in Berlin, see here.
Sperrkonto (Escrow account)
An escrow account is a blocked account where you can only withdraw a certain amount of money each month and is a requirement for certain visas (e.g. Student Visa). If you are needing to set up an escrow account for a visa application, our favourite option is a Fintiba account.
Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)
When applying for a Work Visa for Germany, the immigration office in Berlin/German embassy or consulate will actually send off your application to the German Federal Employment Agency. It is the Federal Employment Agency that will assess your application and decide whether you can be granted access to the German labour market, before reporting back to the immigration office/embassy/consulate.
Degree recognition
In order to apply for certain visas, you must have your overseas qualification recognised as being comparable to an equivalent German qualification. To find out if your degree is already deemed on par with a German qualification or whether you need to apply to have it assessed, check out our blog on using the Anabin database.
Visa-free period
Citizens of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom and Israel are able to enter Germany on a 90-day visa-free period. During this 90-day period they are then permitted to apply for a visa at their local immigration office in Germany.
I hope you have found this post helpful and that it has helped clarify your visa options in Germany. If you are thinking about moving to Berlin, check out our free relocation guides and resources on our homepage.