Information on the visa procedure for a long-term stay in Germany

Checklist visa application

• Fill in the application form here and bring two printouts with you to your appointment.
• Information sheet on data protection here
• Put together the application documents listed below. Missing documents can lead to the rejection of the application. All documents must be submitted as originals with 2 photocopies each. Originals and the passport are not withheld.
• To apply for a visa, you have to come to the embassy in person.

• Foreign-language documents must be submitted with a translation into German. At www.justiz-dolmetscher.de you will find a translator database from the ‚Landesjustizverwaltungen‘.

• All copies must be presented in A4 format
  

• Book an appointment here

Important information

• The decision to issue a visa may require the submission of further documents in individual cases.
• Your visa application will be processed as quickly as possible. The embassy will contact you if there are any further questions or after completing the visa procedure. Please refrain from inquiring about the processing status.
• You can finally pick up the issued visa by presenting your passport at the embassy.

The following documents must always be submitted when applying for a visa:

• 2 recent biometric passport photos
• passport that is valid for at least 6 more months, has at least 2 blank pages and does not exceed a total validity period of 10 years (photocopies of all pages with entries are required);
• valid Finnish residence permit
• Your up-to-date Finnish residence certificate (original document) : asuinpaikkatodistus obtainable at the Digi- ja väestötietovirasto (DVV)
• proof of valid health insurance / travel health insurance, for all Schengen countries, which covers the costs of any repatriation in the event of illness or death as well as the costs for emergency medical assistance and /or an emergency room in the hospital. The validity period of the visa (maximum 6 months) depends, among other things, on the validity period of the health insurance
• the visa fee (€ 75) can be paid in cash or by credit card (Visa or MasterCard)

Additional documents required for university studies

• letter of admission from the German university
• proof of knowledge of the language of instruction in Germany
• evidence of previous studies in Finland;
• If you have already studied in your home country, a certificate of completion of these studies with a translation into German. Under www.justiz-dolmetscher.de you will find a translator database of the ‘Landesjustizverwaltungen’;
  Not all foreign university degrees are directly recognized in Germany. To determine whether your university degree can be recognized in Germany, please visit the anabin website. Both printouts of the results from the anabin database for your university and your university degree must be attached to the application documents;
• proof of financing the stay, this means.: Proof of a blocked account set up with a German bank with a blocked balance of € 11,208 for the first year of study (in the case of shorter studies: € 934/month) or a ‘Verpflichtungserklärung’ of a person living in Germany (the corresponding form can only be received at the responsible authority in Germany, the local ‘Ausländerbehörde’) or proof of a scholarship in the appropriate amount.

The purpose of this checklist only is to check and prepare the documents for the application. Please print the list three times. Please sort all of your application documents in the order given into three complete sets (one set of originals and two sets of copies). The originals will be returned to you immediately after they have been checked by the visa department.

You will find information on EU mobility here.

 Additional documents required for an internship that is part of your studies

• internship contract with details of the type and duration of the internship and the amount of the monthly salary;
• prior approval by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), which your employer can apply for (not for internships which are part of Erasmus programs);
• evidence of previous studies in Finland;
• confirmation from the Finnish university that the internship is part of the studies;
• proof of sufficient financial resources for the duration of the internship, this means salary of at least
  € 934/month or proof of a blocked account set up with a German bank with a blocked balance of
  € 934/month)

The purpose of this checklist only is to check and prepare the documents for the application. Please print the list three times. Please sort all of your application documents in the order given into three complete sets (one set of originals and two sets of copies). The originals will be returned to you immediately after they have been checked by the visa department.

Additional documents required for working in Germany

• Employer’s declaration/Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis (to be completed by your employer);
• Proof of professional qualifications (e.g. evidence of previous studies in Finland);
• If you have already studied in your home country, a certificate of completion of these studies with a translation into German. Under www.justiz-dolmetscher.de  you will find a translator database of the ‘Landesjustizverwaltungen’;
  Not all foreign university degrees are directly recognized in Germany. To determine whether your university degree can be recognized in Germany, please visit the anabin website. Both printouts of the results from the anabin database for your university and your university degree must be attached to the application documents;
• If available: previous employment contracts in Finland or Germany.

The purpose of this checklist only is to check and prepare the documents for the application. Please print the list three times. Please sort all of your application documents in the order given into three complete sets (one set of originals and two sets of copies). The originals will be returned to you immediately after they have been checked by the visa Department.

Additional documents required for family reunification with foreign family members

• Relevant civil status certificate(s) (e.g. marriage certificate, birth certificate) with a translation into the German language. Here you will find a translator database of the Landesjustizverwaltungen;
• if the civil status certificate was not issued in an EU country: legalization/ apostille;
• passport copy of the family member in Germany (reference person);
• photocopy of the family member's German residence permit;
• registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) of the family member (not older than 6 months)
• Proof of basic knowledge of German, e.g. by submitting one of the following language certificates: “Start Deutsch 1” from the Goethe-Institut or telc GmbH, “Grundstufe 1” from the Austrian Language Diploma (ÖSD), “TestDaF” from the TestDaF-Institut eV. You can find information on exceptions from the proof of basic knowledge of  German here 
• Proof of sufficient financial resources, e.g. by presenting your spouse's employment contract;

The purpose of this checklist only is to check and prepare the documents for the application. Please print the list three times. Please sort all of your application documents in the order given into three complete sets (one set of originals and two sets of copies). The originals will be returned to you immediately after they have been checked by the visa department.

You can find information on the entry of skilled workers here.

If you would like to apply for a visa as part of the accelerated skilled worker program and if you have already received your prior consent in accordance with Section 81a (3) No. 6 AufenthG, please, contact us here.

Bild in großer Ansicht anzeigen

Schließen

Visa-Navigator

Which visa do I need for Germany?
I want to travel to Germany as a tourist, on business, for my studies, to work, or to join family members who live there.
Which visa should I apply for?

Visa Navigator