Passport and visa

Schild an Hauswand des BAMF © Gina Bolle

To enter Germany, you need a valid passport or another document that confirms your identity. You will also need identification when you visit a government office. Non-European citizens also need a visa.
You can apply for a visa at the German embassy (or a German consulate) in your own country. Do you already have an employment contract in Germany, or are members of your family already living here? Do you have vocational training or professional experience? If this is the case, it will be easier for you to get a visa. You can obtain information from the Federal Foreign Office and on the German government portal “Make it in Germany” for skilled workers from abroad.

Residents’ registration office and residence title

The first thing you have to do in Germany is register at the  in the town where you live. The waiting times are often long, so be sure to make an appointment as soon as possible. You can also make an appointment online. Search for “Einwohnermeldeamt” and the name of your town. You must then go to the , where you will be given a residence title. This is a card that indicates your residence status. It says how long you’re allowed to stay in Germany and whether you’re allowed to work.

Checklist for your first steps in Germany

  • Integration course: If you can’t speak German very well, you can take an integration course. In some cases, you are required to take a course. For more details, read the section Integration course.
  • Finding work and vocational training: The Federal Employment Agency will help you find a job and provide you with information about vocational training programmes and courses. For more details, go to the sections Finding work and Studying and Vocational Training.
  • Children and school: In Germany, school is compulsory for all children. You can find out more in the sections Early education and School system.
  • Insurance: Some types of insurance are very important, for example health insurance, pension insurance and long-time care insurance. More information is available in the sections Healthand Insurance.

Frequently asked questions

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