Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Important documents

Its time to buck up and get started with the VISA process. It can quiet tedious at times and depending on your country of origin and stay, the visa process can take between 2 days and over a month. Its best to be safe, and apply early.

Do you need a Visa?

As an international student coming from outside the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand or USA, it is necessary to get a German student visa from a German Embassy PRIOR to entering Germany.

Important Documents

You generally need the following documents:
  • Visa Application
  • A Valid passport

Visa Process


The Visa process differs from country to country. In some, you might need to go through an official interview. In others, you’ll just need to submit your application with necessary documents. It can be fast or slow, depending on your consulate. A list of German embassies can be found here. Contact the respective consulate for more information.

Visa and Residence Permit

The initial Student Visa which is granted by the German Embassy is valid upto 3 months from the time of issue (it permits you to enter Germany). Soon after coming here, you’ll have to apply for a Residence Permit ("Aufenthaltsbewillingung") at the Foreigners' Registration Office ("Ausländerbehörde") on campus. You will be given more information about how to apply during your O-week.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact the registrar or click here for more information.

3 comments:

  1. What if while we in Germany and we want to travel around in Europe? Can we do that on the visa we would have?

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  2. For everyone who is wondering about the above question, yes you can. You will have a residence permit soon after your arrival in Germany. With that you are allowed to travel freely within the Schengen Countries.

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