NEW:

Online application for work visas

New regulations for skilled workers and their families

Who needs a visa?

Depending on the duration of your stay, your nationality and your residence status in Spain you may need a short-term or a long-term visa:

Short-term visas are also called „Schengen-Visa“ as they allow a stay up to 90 days in a 180-day timeframe in the Schengen area.

If you intend to stay longer than 90 days, you would need a long-term visa (also called „national visa“).

For short stays (up to 90 days), you do not need a visa if

• You are a citizen of an EU member state
• You hold a valid Spanish residence permit. Note: a „autorización de regreso“ is not sufficient
• You do not want to work

For stays of more than 90 days, you do not need a visa if

• You are a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the USA or the UK
• You are a citizen of Andorra, Brazil, Honduras, Monaco or San Marino and do not want to work
• You are in possession of the Spanish residence permit „residencia de larga duración UE“ / „RE larga DU UE“ (autorización de residencia de larga duración UE de conformidad con la Directiva 2003/109/CE de 25 de noviembre 2003)

You are allowed to enter Germany without a visa and apply for the residence and/or work permit at the local Alien Authority. We suggest, you contact them previously to consult all requirements and necessary documents. In any case you are not allowed to initiate any professional activity until you are in possession of the corresponding working permit.

Additional general information can be found here.

How do I apply for a visa?

You need an appoitment to submit your visa application. Appointments can only be arranged through our online appointment system.

At the moment the German Embassy in Spain does only provide information on the visa procedure and the required documents in German and Spanish. You may also consult the website of the German mission in your home country as the visa process is similar at all German missions abroad.

For any additional question, please contact us via the contact form.

What are the requirements for a health insurance for a national visa (type D)?

Please see the information provided here.

Where can I find information about working in Germany?

Answers to frequently asked questions you will find here.The official site of the German government for migration to Germany offers in-depth information and useful links.

Can I study in Germany with my Spanish residence permit?

The EU's mobility arrangements enable you to also study in other Member States (with the exception of Ireland and Denmark) for up to 360 days if you hold a residence title for study purposes. Find out more about the necessary steps to benefit from the mobility arrangements here.

Can I apply for a jobseeker visa or a Chancenkarte?

An opportunity card (Chancenkarte) is to be introduced from the 1st of June to enable jobseekers to stay in Germany to look for employment. This card can be obtained in two ways: Third-country nationals who receive full recognition of their foreign qualifications and are therefore considered „skilled workers“ under Section 18 para. 3 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) can obtain an opportunity card without any further special requirements. All other applicants must provide evidence of a foreign university degree, a vocational qualification of at least two years’ duration (in each case recognised by the state in the country of training) or a vocational qualification issued by a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad. In addition, a basic knowledge of German (level A1 CEFR) or English (level B2 CEFR) is required.

If these requirements are met, points are awarded for criteria such as recognition of qualifications in Germany, language skills, professional experience, age, links to Germany, and the potential of accompanying partners or spouses. Applicants must score a minimum of six points to receive an opportunity card.

Opportunity cards are issued for a maximum of one year, provided that the holder is able to support themselves for that period. It allows the holder to do work trials or take up secondary employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week during their stay in Germany. If an applicant is subsequently unable to obtain another residence title for employment purposes under Part 4 (Sections 18 to 21 of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) but nevertheless has an offer of qualified employment, the opportunity card can be extended for a further two years.

Soon the application for a „Chancenkarte“ is possible through our online system.

What can I do in case my visa application has been rejected?

Find out more