Germany is one of the largest economies in the world and the largest national economy in Europe. The country offers many employment positions and opportunities for growth in regards to business. Good working conditions along with fair pay is what attracts foreign workers to apply for German employment visas. In this article, the full process of a German long stay employment visa will be explained to you briefly so keep reading!
Who needs to apply for German Employment Visa?
All non-german citizens who want to move to Germany for the purpose of employment – require a work visa. Yet, there are also countries that are waived from needing a work visa.
Citizens from the following countries do not require a visa to work in Germany:
- citizens form one of the European Union member states, European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association
- Citizens from Canada, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the US or South Korea may not need a work visa as they can apply for a residence permit when entering Germany.
Note – In both cases, to enter Germany only a valid passport is required. Other nationals that do not fit in the categories mentioned above, will need to apply for a work visa. It is important to note that there are many different types of German work visas that depend on the type of work a person will do. The following paragraph will explain precise fields of expertise and visas that match it.
Types of German Long-Stay Employment Visas
There are three general types of long-stay employment visas, which depend on:
- field of expertise
- and economic needs of the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany Standard Employment Visa
When applying under this type of visa, the following conditions need to be fulfilled: vocational qualification and concrete offer of a contract of employment.
Germany Special Employment Visa
A special employment visa known as a visa for specialists and professionals that takes into consideration graduates with special abilities, university teachers with high career profiles and highly skilled managers. The condition for this type of visa is the ability to cover their stay financially for the contract of employment. It is also required, according to European Commission information, that applicants for German work visas must provide evidence (financial statements, deposit statements, sponsor confirmation letter) of having at least 45 euros per day for their stay. This information must be presented to the German Embassy or Consulate for a period of the entire stay in Germany.
German Self-Employed Visa
A self-employed visa was designed for those who want to work as freelancers, or those who want to start up their own business in Germany (and have enough finance to do so). Requirements, in terms of documents, are similar to other types of visas with the addition of some kind of proof that your work will bring financial and economic gain to the country.
Standard German Visa Requirements
Like for any other visa, candidates must be able to provide standard supporting documents so their visa application is approved. These general requirements for German work visas include:
- Letter of employment or contract from a German company
- For German Standard employment visa – proof of qualification required by a job
- For German Special employment visa – documents confirming profession, knowledge and experience (including Cv, recommendation letter, educational diplomas, or any certificates)
- Visa photo
- Lastly, health insurance coverage is essential.
Note – sometimes original copies are required. In most cases, photocopies are accepted.
Guide to German Visa Photo
The following points will provide applicant with information about the correct format of a German visa photo:
- the photo should measure 35×45 mm in size
- it should have a white background
- be recent (no older than 6 months)
- be printed on high-quality paper (if application is made in person)
- you should keep a neutral facial expression (no smiling, frowning)
- candidates must be 40 cm away from camera lens keeping a straight posture
- you cannot wear hats or glasses (unless exemption applies)
German Long-Stay Employment Visa Application Process
German long-stay employment visa application process is the same as an application for any long-term stay visa. There are six major steps that the applicant needs to complete:
- Gather all required documents for a visa and fill out the application available online. Once the application is filled out, the form must be printed out and signed using a black or blue pen.
- Then, the applicant needs to make an appointment. This can be also done online, by accessing German mission in your country. If an appointment is not booked prior to going to the application centre, the application will not be accepted.
- On the day of the interview, applicants need to arrive on time (as latecomers may not be seen). Once the appointment letter is verified a token will be issued.
- After application approval, the information provided by the applicant will be entered into the computer system of the German consulate. The procedure process takes up to 15 minutes. Then a printed copy of the application will be given for signature purposes. Make sure all details are correct before signing.
- This is followed by fee payment (which is usually 75 euro for a German employment visa). The receipt must be kept for the collection of processed application letter purposes.
- Next, biometric data will be collected from the candidate. This is a quick and easy process of capturing a 10 digit fingerprint scan. The whole process lasts a maximum of 8 minutes.
After completing all six steps, the application is fully completed, and the Embassy or Consulate where the application was made will process the application. Sometimes additional documents are required to be submitted. During the entire process, candidates’ passports will be kept at the Embassy or Consulate. If a passport is needed for any reason and is taken from the embassy before the process is fully completed, the applicant will need to start the application again.
Arriving in Germany With an Employment Visa
When the applicant arrives the first thing they need to do is to register their address within the first two weeks of their entry. This must be done at the closest registration office in Germany. Applicants will need to go to the registration office, show their visa and documents proving long-term stay address (rental contract, bills). Then, individuals are also able to apply for German Employment Residence Permit.
Bringing Dependents on German Employment Visa
Citizens from European Union countries are able to bring their family members (spouse, children under the age of 21, parents or grandparents) unless they are able to prove they can financially support their dependents.
For those applicants who are outside of the European Union, family members may be also brought if the following conditions apply; persons have enough room for their family members (this is set by the German embassy), sufficient funds are available to cover family members stay and that family members know the basic knowledge of German language.
