Very important information on German visas, temporary and permanent residence permits

If you’d like to come to Germany for any purpose, you must first of all apply for a visa in your home country.

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) encourages you to make sure that you apply for the visa that corresponds to the actual purpose of your stay. It is very important to do this because it will ensure trouble-free extension or conversion of your visa by the foreign nationals’ registration authority of your place of residence in Germany.

For example, it is impossible to stay permanently on a visa that was issued only for a temporary stay.

Since visa requirements do change, it is advisable to contact the German Embassy in your country to inquire about the documents you need for your application.

There is a fee to be paid while applying for a visa or a temporary or permanent residence permit. The amount depends on the place, duration and purpose of your stay in Germany.

The fee for visa of any category is 60 euros which you can pay to the German mission abroad in your local currency.

The maximum fee for a first application for a residence permit and EU Blue Card is 140 euros. The fee for a settlement permit is 260 euros.

Please note that under certain circumstances you can get a reduction or even be exempted from the fee altogether.

The following people are exempt from visa fees
– the spouses and children of German nationals
– if your stay in Germany is funded by a public scholarship, you do not have to pay any visa fees.

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