Visa and residence permit requirements
Before Travelling:
On the website of the German Federal Foreign Office you can find detailed information on visa requirements and the issuing of visas to enter Germany. This list of countries indicates whose citizens require a visa.
- Citizens of non-EU countries require a visa to enter Germany. The German Federal Foreign Office provides information on the requirements for the issue of visas for longer stays and/or stays entitling the holder to take up gainful employment. The decision to accept the application may take several weeks or months. The form to apply for a visa is available on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office.
On Arrival in Hamburg:
Registration
Registering your new residence at the city authorities should be one of the first things you do after relocating to Hamburg. You have to register your new address within two weeks after moving into your new home. This can be done at one of the customer service centres (Kundenzentrum) in Hamburg. After the registration, you will receive a confirmation of the registration (Meldebescheinigung) which you need for example to open a bank account and to apply for a residence permit.
Registration is possible at any customer service center without appointment. Further information can be found on the pages at the Hamburg Welcome Portal: Registration in Hamburg. Please refer to this website for detailed information about the required documents you need to bring.
Residence permit
For long-term stays in Germany, you need a residence permit. To obtain or renew your residence document you need to contact your local district immigration authority. Here you will find all forms and helpful checklists for applying for a residence permit.
Good to know
- Enrolled doctoral researchers of Hamburg’s higher education institutions can register and apply for a residence permit directly at the Hamburg Welcome Center.
- Researchers with an employment contract at one of Hamburg’s research institutions and an annual income of at least 40560 Euro (§ 2 section 2 sentence 1 of the Employment Regulation) benefit from the wide range of services of the Hamburg Welcome Center. These include: Registration, issuing residence permits, visa extensions, application for certificates of good conduct, etc.
Please arrange an appointment and check the detailed information on the website of the Hamburg Welcome Center.