German Visa Advisory

GERMAN EMPLOYMENT VISA

Germany is an ideal place to work in, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, a variety of job opportunities, and numerous advantages to develop career wise as well as experience-wise.

To be eligible to work in Germany, you must either have work visa or residence permit. However, not everyone is subject to the visa requirement. Residents from EU/EEA, Canada, Israel, Japan, The Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, and USA do not need work visa or resident permit. To apply for a work visa in Germany you should already have a job offer /contract in order to be issued with a work visa.
German Embassy usually takes about one to three months to process a work visa German work visa is valid for one year. However it depend with the duration of one’s employment contract, with the possibility of extension for as long as the employment status doesn’t change

Residence Permit

Nationals of countries outside of the European Union or the European Economic Area need a residence tittle to work in Germany in order to gain access to the German labour market. They need approval from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) granted internally from the German Embassy/Consulate in your home country or the local immigration authorities in Germany.

Types of German Residence Permit

i. Temporary Residence Permit for employment purposes
When you find a job in Germany one is entitled to a temporary residence permit for employment purposes from the Federal Employment Agency (BA). The duration of the residence permit is determined by the employment contract.
ii. The EU Blue Card
This is same as the temporary permit, however, it is only available for a specific group of people such as foreign nationals from non EU countries who are highly skilled i.e. higher education degrees such as a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. This individuals must meet a minimum yearly income of 56,800 to 44,304 EUROS to get the EU Blue Card if the applicant will be working in a shortage occupation, such as jobs in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences, informatics, technology or medicine. The EU Blue card is valid for four years and those who have it can get their permanent residence after 33 months if they maintain their jobs. If they prove their German proficiency, they can obtain permanent residence permits after 21 months.
iii. Permanent Residence Permit
Also known as the settlement permit allow one to stay in Germany for as long as you want. However, to be able to get this type of permit you need to prove you have worked for at least 5 years in a job approved by the Federal Employment Agency (BA), and prove you advanced –level German.

Work Visa Requirements

There are standard German visa application documents which include;
employment contract, current bank statement of the latest 6 months, leave permission from the employer and an Income Tax Return (ITRI).

The following are additional documents;

A signed contract from your future employer

Certificate about compulsory health insurance from German employer valid from the date of employment.

VISA TO STUDY IN GERMANY

Germany is attracting students from all corners of the world towards it excellent universities and institutions and just like any other country, Germany also has its requirements when it comes to deciding who enters their country.

All Africans who wish to study in Germany need the Germany National visa (D Visa), which is long term. It is important to note that there are three types of German student Visa;

• Language course Visa – German Language lasting from 3 months to 1 year.
• Student applicant Visa - If you have not acquired a formal admission letter from the university you applied to or you need to enter entrance examination offered by the university, it is valid for 3 months with possibility of extending to 6 months.
• Student visa - this is a long-term visa if you have been accepted to a German university.

GERMAN STUDENT VISA REQUIREMENTS

• Two filled out and signed national visa forms • Valid national passport • Two photocopies of your passport • Birth certificate • Marriage certificate ( if married) • Child’s certificate (if married) • Two recently taken biometric portrait photographs • Photocopies of previous German residence titles ( if you have been to Germany before) • Previous Schengen visa • Previous Resident permit • Proof of Financial Resources i.e. (  blocked bank account, you can open a blocked bank account online through Fintiba,accepted by German Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.  Letter of commitment from a person living in Germany who shows they will be covering your accommodation or other living costs.  Scholarship certificate if you have a scholarship award, the certificate should show what scholarship will cover and that you are the receiver of that financial coverage.) • Proof of admission it can either be; university admission letter or letter of admission in foundation/propaedeutic/German language course. • Original certificates of previous education. • Curriculum Vitae (CV). • Motivational letter explaining why you have chosen the (degree programme) as well as your future plans. • Travel health insurance • Proof you have paid the visa application fee. • Proof of German language proficiency. • Proof of English proficiency.

The processing time for a German student visa can usually take up to 25 days depending on the country from which you making the application however, it may also take up to 6-12 weeks with the longest processing time being three (3) months.
The German student visa fee is 75 EUROS paid by a bank transfer, the money order must be in the name of the German Embassy /consulate in your home country and not older than two hours. Once you arrive in Germany on a student visa it is essential to get your Student Residence Permit
A Temporary Student Residence Permit has a number of advantages:
• German Authorities usually give students residence permits for the duration of their study programme however, if you find it necessary to extend it due to your study programme taking longer, you can apply for an extension before the permit expires usually at lower fee.
• Students are allowed to work full time for 120 days or part time for 240 days for the duration of the programme. It is important to note that students are not allowed to sign long term contracts.
• Students can extend their permits upon finishing the study programme for up to 18 months. This should be done if you want to find a job in Germany during that period. If you find a job, you must apply for a German Employment Residence Permit.

GERMAN JOB SEEKER VISA

This is a type of long-term visa which entitles you to stay in Germany for up to six months and search for job. However, not everyone is eligible for this type of visa, and to be granted certain requirements must be met.

German job seeker visa is considered a long term visa. It is important to note that the job seeker visa cannot be extended, if you are unable to find work during the time your visa is valid fir (six months) you will have to return to your home country.

Eligibility criteria for Germany job seeker visa.

• Be an adult at least 18 years of age
• Have an adequate qualification i.e. Bachelor or Master’s degree from a German University or other equivalent foreign degrees.
• Experience requirement, a minimum five years of work experience.
• Proof of financial stability.

GERMANY FAMILY REUNION VISA

The Immigration Authorities in Germany have established a visa for the purposes of family reunion, but not everyone is subject to this visa requirement as different requirements apply to different categories of people, depending on where you’re from and who you want to join in Germany. This permit is valid for as long as your family member, partner, or spouse is living in Germany.

Requirements for Family Reunion Visa

Initially, your relative, spouse, or partner residing in Germany, must have the following in order to entitle you to a Germany family reunion visa;

• Residence permit
• Proof of financial stability sufficient for a family reunion visa is calculated after accounting for rent or loans ,and it must not below the limit at which the family would have access to state benefits.
• Sufficient space for you to stay i.e. sufficient space for each family member over the age of six, ,there must be atleast 12 square meters available and for children below the age of six,10 square meters must be available.

If your spouse /civil partner belongs in one of the following categories, there is no age nor language requirement they include; EU cardholder, self-employed, has a research status in Germany and has a highly qualified status in Germany.
If your partner was issued a residence permit while you were married, then you can get the permit as well. On the other hand, if your spouse was awarded the permit after you were married, then you might have to wait for two years until you can apply.

Children Family Reunion Requirement

This largely depends on the age and status of the child.

If the parent is a Blue Cardholder, has a settlement permit, or residence permit for humanitarian reasons, they can easily bring their child to Germany without having to fulfil any requirement. If both parents are residents of Germany, they may apply to bring over the child. If a single parent wants to bring their child to Germany, they must have custody of the child. In case both parents share the right of care but only one of them is a resident of Germany, then the parent who is not in German resident must grant the German resident the right of custody so he/she will be able to able to apply for a family reunion visa. Children who are under the age of 16 can join their parents without the need to fulfil any requirement. Those aged 16-18 must not be married and must speak fluent German in order to be granted a family reunion visa.

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