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National Visa / Long-term stay in Germany
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If you want to stay longer than three months in Germany, you need to apply for a National Visa. The requirements for a National Visa are different from those for Schengen Visa.
To find out which visa you will need to relocate to Germany and settle there, please go to the VISA-NAVIGATOR. Here as well as from the information sheets below you will find information on the application procedure and on the documents required.
In some cases long-term visa cannot be issued without the approval of the competent Aliens’ Office in Germany (§31 AufenthVO); the visa can therefore only be issued when the Embassy has received the approval. In these cases a processing time of several months must be expected.
Please note: The Embassy generally issues residence titles for specific purposes in the form of a visa with a maximum validity of 90 days, allowing multiple entries. Shortly after entering Germany, the visa holder must contact the competent Alien's Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany which then issues the final residence permit.
To apply for a visa you need an appointment. Please use our online booking system: BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT
For further questions please contact us: Contact the Visa Section
