The German Working Visa: How to Apply at Your Local German Embassy/Consulate
This page lays out the process for applying for the German Working Visa at a German embassy or consulate before entering Germany.
❗ Note: We endeavour to keep our visa information up to date. However, before applying, we recommend always cross-referencing our information with the official application information from the German embassy or consulate where you will be applying for the visa.
A priority for many non-EU/EEA expats moving to Germany is securing their Germany Working Visa. While EU/EEA citizens do not require any form of visa to live and work in Germany, citizens from all other countries must secure an appropriate working visa before they are able to work in Germany.
Note: The Germany Working Visa can only be applied for once you have secured suitable employment with a company in Germany. If you have not secured a job in Germany yet, we recommend you first check out our free job-hunting resources:
✔️ How to find a job in Berlin
✔️ Top 300+ business and startup employers in Berlin
✔️ Best board job boards in Germany
✔️ Our job board of English-speaking opportunities in Berlin
Who is this page for?
🌍 For clarity, we have split the information related to the Working Visa for Germany into two pages – this page is for applying for the Working Visa at a German embassy or consulate before entering Germany.
If you are from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United States, or the United Kingdom, you can also apply for a Working Visa after entering Germany. Citizens of these countries can enter Germany for 90 days without a visa and apply for a Working Visa directly at an immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany. We have provided instructions on how to do this in our guide on applying for the German Working Visa at the immigration office in Berlin.
Citizens from all other countries must first apply for a temporary Working Visa at a German embassy/consulate before entering Germany and then upgrade to a full Working Visa once in Germany.
What are the general requirements for the German Working Visa?
When you submit your Working Visa application at the German embassy or consulate, your application will be assessed on a range of criteria. In general, you need to meet the following criteria to be approved for a Working Visa for Germany:
✔️ You have received a specific job offer and been issued an employment contract.
✔️ You are employed on terms that are comparable to a German worker in the same role (assessed via a priority check with the German Federal Employment Agency).
✔️ You hold a university degree that is comparable to a German degree or you have a substantial amount of valid work experience.
The requirements for the German Working Visa differ depending on the job title, the industry and the nationality of the applicant. Therefore, it is important that you research into your personal situation to ensure that you fulfill the requirements for securing the Working Visa at your local German embassy/consulate.
How to apply for a Germany Working Visa at your local German embassy/consulate
1️⃣ Check if your degree is listed on Anabin and, if not, apply for it to be assessed by the Central Office for Foreign Education Affairs (ZAB)
2️⃣ Apply for temporary Working Visa at your local German embassy or consulate
3️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address (Anmeldung) and start work on temporary Working Visa
4️⃣ Upgrade temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa at an immigration office in Germany
1️⃣ Having your university qualifications recognised in Germany
In general, you must have a university-level qualification that is recognised in Germany to apply for the German Working Visa. To prove that your qualification is recognised in Germany, you have two options:
Find your qualification on the Anabin database
Apply for a Statement of Comparability from the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
We have laid out the two options below.
Finding your qualification on the Anabin database
The Anabin database lists foreign degrees and higher education qualifications in relation to German diplomas and degrees. To help you find if your institution, degree type or specific degree is recognised on Anabin, we have put together a comprehensive guide on how to search the Anabin database.
When applying for the Working Visa at a German embassy or consulate (step 2 below), you should submit your original degree certificate together with screenshots from the Anabin database which show that your university institution (e.g. National University of Singapore) is recognised in Germany and that your degree type (e.g. Bachelor’s of Engineering) is equivalent to a German one.
❗ Note: If your university institution is not listed on Anabin or is classified as ‘H+/-’, or if your degree type is not listed, you need to have your degree assessed via the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) prior to your Working Visa appointment at the German embassy or consulate. For instructions on how to do this, see the Statement of Comparability section below.
Applying for a Statement of Comparability
The Statement of Comparability is a document issued by the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) that describes your foreign higher education qualification. It is a comparative assessment which specifies the German qualification that your foreign qualification is comparable to.
For full details, see our guide on how to apply for the Statement of Comparability.
Below is a quick overview of the Statement of Comparability process:
The cost for this evaluation is €200 and can take up to three months.
The documentation requirements for your Statement of Comparability application depend on which country you are from. Please find the requirements for your country here. Note that certain documents need to be translated and certified so make sure you read the documentation requirements for your country carefully. Incomplete applications will not be accepted by ZAB.
Once you have gathered all the relevant documentation, complete ZAB’s online application form.
When you hit 'Send' at the bottom of the online application form, a hard copy will be generated, which you are required to sign and send by post to the address given on the application form along with all your documentation.
Following the receipt of your application, ZAB will send you an email regarding payment for the assessment. Processing of your application will only begin once the payment has been received.
Once the assessment is completed by ZAB, a long and a short version of the Statement of Comparability is issued. The short version should be included in your German Working Visa application at the German embassy or consulate.
2️⃣ Apply for a temporary Working Visa at German Embassy/Consulate overseas
What does your new German employer need to do?
In many countries, companies are put off employing international employees by expensive fees associated with 'sponsoring' an employee. Fortunately, in Germany, there is zero cost to your employer when hiring an overseas worker. Upon offering you a job, the process for your employer is extremely simple:
✅ Issue you an employment contract which clearly states the role you will be working in, the number of hours a week you will be working and the salary you will receive.
✅ Provide a completed declaration of employment form (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis)
What do you need to do?
📅 As soon as you receive confirmation from a company in Germany that they wish to hire you and that they will offer you an employment contract, book an appointment at your local German embassy/consulate for a national/long-term visa. You can find your local German embassy on this link.
Once on the website of your local German embassy or consulate, you should navigate to the section for national visas – this section is usually called 'National Visas', 'Long-term Visas' or 'Visas for more than 90-day stays'.
Once you have navigated to the national visas section, there will be a link to the embassy or consulate appointment booking platform. On this platform, you can book a national visa appointment at which you will be able to submit your German Working Visa application.
Essential documents for your German Working Visa application at Germany embassy/consulate
As each German embassy/consulate requests slightly different documents for the Working Visa, it is not possible to provide a definitive list of what you are required to bring with you. You can find your local German Embassy/Consulate using this link. Before attending your appointment, you should also look up the specific requirements on the embassy/consulate website you will be applying at.
However, in general, you will be required to submit the following at your embassy/consulate appointment:
✅ A valid passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay, have at least 2 free pages, and not be older than 10 years old. You must also provide a photocopy of your passport data page.
✅ Two current biometric passport photos
Guidelines recommend a 35 mm x 45 mm frontal shot with neutral facial expression, closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, with a light background.
✅ Confirmation of German health insurance
Once you have received an employment contract, you are eligible to sign up for German public health insurance.
For this, our favourite public health insurer in Germany is:
TK meets the requirements for your Working Visa application and is one of the most expat-friendly insurance providers in Germany offering great customer support and suitable healthcare coverage. They can get you registered and provide the necessary documentation for your German Working Visa application via email within 48 hours of signing up. To sign up for TK right away, follow this link. For further details of why TK insurance is a good choice, see here.
We always like to suggest alternatives, so we also recommend checking out the health insurance offerings from two other leading health insurance providers in Germany:
However, your German public health insurance policy (TK) will only start on your first day of work (start date in your contract) in Germany. If you are arriving in Germany prior to your employment start date, you must also take out a travel insurance policy that covers you between the date you arrive in Germany and the date you start working. For this, our favourite travel insurance policy is with World Nomads.
✅ Your original signed employment contract and a photocopy.
Your employer should send a hard copy of your employment contract to you in the mail.
✅ Your C.V.
Written in English or German.
✅ Declaration of employment form (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis)
This should be completed and signed by your employer.
✅ Degree certificate plus a photocopy of your certificate
✅ Screenshots from Anabin or a Statement of Comparability from ZAB (see step 1 above)
This serves as proof that your university degree or qualification is recognised in Germany.
✅ Visa application form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines nationalen Visums)
You can download a blank copy of the form here.
You should submit the original documents as well as two copies of each document.
Processing of the German Working Visa by the German embassy or consulate
📄 Once you submit your Working Visa application at the German embassy or consulate, your application will be sent to the Federal Employment Agency in Germany for assessment.
The approval process by the Federal Employment Agency usually takes around 4 to 6 weeks and it can take another 2 to 4 weeks for the Working Visa to be issued by the German embassy/consulate. Therefore, do not book flights to Germany until you have received notification of approval from the embassy or consulate.
Once approved, you will be invited back to the German embassy or consulate to collect your Working Visa. The German Working Visa costs between €50 and €100 (payable in local currency) depending on the processing time and length of the employment contract.
🎉 If approved, you will receive a 90-day temporary Working Visa (or a 180-day temporary Working Visa). This temporary Working Visa permits you to move to Germany and start working. Once in Germany, you will then need to
officially register at an address (step 3 below).
upgrade your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa at an immigration office in Germany (step 4 below).
3️⃣ Move to Germany. Register at an address (Anmeldung) and start work on a temporary Working Visa
As mentioned above, if your Germany Working Visa is approved at the embassy/consulate, this will be a temporary Working Visa that entitles you to move to Germany and to start working.
During this 90/180-day period, it is essential that you complete the following step in order to stay longer-term in Germany:
🏠 Complete your Anmeldung
To upgrade your temporary Working Visa at an immigration office in Germany, you must first have officially registered at an address in Germany, a process that is known as Anmeldung. Without an Anmeldung certificate, you won’t be able to upgrade to a full Working Visa (see step 4 below).
If you need to quickly register at an address in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.
Once you have completed your Anmeldung, you are ready to move on to step 4 and upgrade your temporary 90/180-day Working Visa to a full German Working Visa at an immigration office in Germany.
4️⃣ Upgrade temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa at an immigration office in Germany
As Nomaden Berlin operates solely in Berlin, we have provided the details for upgrading your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa at the immigration office in Berlin. If you are living and working elsewhere in Germany, you should contact your local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) to see if they have any additional requirements (although the process is likely to be similar to the one laid out below.
How to book a Working Visa appointment at the immigration office in Berlin
📅 As you have a 90/180-day period in which to upgrade to a full Working Visa once in Germany, it is important to book a visa appointment at the immigration office in this period. The immigration office recommends that you schedule an appointment 6 to 8 weeks before your temporary Working Visa expires.
Follow the link to book a Working Visa appointment on the immigration office's online booking platform.
Once on the booking platform, click on the ‘Book Appointment’ button to start the process.
Select the visa you wish to apply for. You will then be shown a calendar with available appointments:
Available appointments show up in blue. Select an available appointment from the calendar and enter your personal details in the appointment booking form to complete the booking.
If there are no appointments currently available, you will be shown the following message:
If you are shown this message, you need to wait for the next batch of appointments to be released by the immigration office. Visa appointments are released sporadically throughout the week so we recommend checking the appointment booking platform multiple times a day from around 7 a.m.
Once you have booked your appointment, you will be sent a booking confirmation confirming the time and date for your appointment. The confirmation will also include details of where you need to go for your appointment.
For more detailed instructions, see our guide on how and when to book a Working Visa appointment at the immigration office in Berlin.
Where to upgrade your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa in Berlin
🧭 Once you have booked your appointment, you will receive a visa appointment confirmation in your inbox laying out when and where to upgrade to a full German Working Visa. Working Visa applications are processed at the following immigration office: Keplerstraße 2, 10589 Berlin.
Here is a picture of the immigration office. When arriving at the address, go down the short driveway and the entrance will be on the left. There will also be a security guard present to point you in the right direction.
Essential documents for upgrading your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa at the immigration office in Berlin
At your appointment at the immigration office in Berlin, you should submit the following:
✅ A valid passport
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay, have at least 2 free pages, and not be older than 10 years old.
✅ One current biometric passport photo
Guidelines recommend a 35mm x 45mm frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera with a light background. You can obtain a biometric photo from the silver photo booths at the main train stations in Berlin. There are three photo booths located at Alexanderplatz train station.
Here is a useful map of all places you can obtain passport photos in Berlin.
✅ Completed 'Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit' form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels)
You can download the form here
✅ Employment contract
The original contract and a copy
✅ Confirmation of German health insurance (Mitgliedsbescheinigung)
If you opted to sign up for German public health insurance when applying for your temporary German Working Visa at your local embassy or consulate (as described in step 2 above), then you can use the same health insurance confirmation document at your Working Visa appointment in Berlin.
If you are yet to sign up for German public health insurance, it is a good idea to sign up for the following policy prior to your visa appointment:
TK meets all the legal requirements for your full Working Visa application and is one of the most expat-friendly insurance providers in Germany offering great customer support and suitable healthcare coverage. They can get you signed up and provide the necessary documentation for your Working Visa application via email within 48 hours of signing up. To sign up for TK right away, follow this link.
✅ Address registration in Berlin (Anmeldung)
To upgrade any visa in Germany, including the Working Visa, you first need to be officially registered at an address, a process that is known as Anmeldung. Without address registration, you cannot upgrade your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa in Germany.
If you need to quickly register at an address in Berlin, then you may be interested in booking a furnished apartment with Smartments. Smartments provide well-located, studio accommodation and offer Anmeldung so long as you book for at least 14 nights. By opting for Smartments, you can get registered within days of arriving in Berlin.
✅ Rental agreement + proof of rental payment
The immigration office may also require you to show a rental agreement as well as a bank statement showing payment of your monthly rent.
✅ Confirmation of employment (Arbeitgeberbescheinigung)
This is a confirmation of employment that can be provided by your employer. It must not be more than 14 days old. It is not always requested at appointments.
Processing of your full Working Visa at the immigration office in Berlin
On the day of your appointment, your full Working Visa will either be:
issued on the spot at the immigration office
or
ordered by the immigration office and you will be requested to collect your Working Visa card from the immigration office after approximately 6 weeks. In certain circumstances, this card may be mailed to your registered address.
The full Working Visa is always issued for the length of your employment contract or for 4 years if your contract is permanent.
The fee for the full Working Visa is €100. You must pay by cash or German EC card – credit cards or foreign cards are not accepted.
🎉 Congratulations! You’ve now successfully upgraded your temporary Working Visa to a full Working Visa in Germany :-)