Visas to Germany

When will you be able to get a passport if you move tomorrow: not earlier than 2031.

The German passport entitles you to visa-free entry: to 190 countries.

The first condition: you need to live in the country for at least eight years (but not everyone).

With a passport, unlike from a permanent residence permit, you can participate in elections and travel to many countries without visas. Eight years of living in the country is one of the criteria that must be met in order to qualify for German citizenship. However, in some cases, the period may be shorter.

If the applicant is applying for citizenship together with his wife or children, shorter periods of residence are allowed for them: four years for spouses and three for children.

Contact the migration office for advice:

The German authorities recommend everyone who is interested in obtaining citizenship to sign up for a consultation at the migration office.

Confirm knowledge of the German language and your own financial security:

When applying, you will also need to confirm “sufficient” knowledge of the language. It is necessary to speak German at a level not lower than B1. But there are exceptions: they may not be asked to confirm their knowledge of the language because of studying at a German university and having a job in the country.

The application processing fee is 255 euros. In addition, you must be provided with money: as a rule, it is considered sufficient if, after paying for housing and medical insurance, you have approximately 350 euros per month left for each family member.

Study the history and social and political life of Germany:

An applicant for citizenship must pass a naturalization test in which he can demonstrate knowledge of German politics and history. You need to sign up for it in advance, and in person. A few months later, the test itself is scheduled, and a month later its results are sent. The test is quite easy - you can prepare for it online.

Applicants for citizenship may also be interviewed and will be asked questions, the answers to which should characterize the candidate's attitude to the foundations and laws of Germany.

Citizenship of other countries will have to be renounced:

In Germany, citizens of countries outside the European Union cannot have dual citizenship.

The process of obtaining German citizenship takes, on average, three years.

Also, you can get German citizenship through the repatriation program.

Germany is a country located in the heart of Europe, known for its rich cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes, and thriving economy. The country has a number of options for those looking to visit or live there, including tourist visas, immigrant visas, and permanent residence permits. In this essay, we will delve into the immigration rules and visa options in Germany.

One of the first things to consider when looking to visit or live in Germany is the type of visa that you need. Tourists can apply for a single-entry or multiple-entry visa, which allows them to stay in the country for up to 90 days. For those looking to live in Germany, there are several options for immigrant visas, including work visas, student visas, and family visas.

Work visas are available for those who have a job offer from a German employer. To apply for a work visa, you will need to provide proof of your employment offer, as well as other documents such as a passport, birth certificate, and police clearance certificate.

Student visas are available for those who are looking to study in Germany. To apply for a student visa, you will need to provide proof of your enrollment in a German university or other educational institution, as well as other documents such as a passport, birth certificate, and police clearance certificate.

Family visas are available for those who are married to a German citizen or have a close family member who is a citizen. To apply for a family visa, you will need to provide proof of your relationship to your German family member, as well as other documents such as a passport, birth certificate, and police clearance certificate.

Once you have obtained a visa, the next step is to apply for a permanent residence permit. Foreigners who have lived in Germany for at least five consecutive years and have a clean criminal record are eligible to apply. The application process involves submitting various documents, such as a passport, birth certificate, and police clearance certificate, and undergoing a medical examination.

In conclusion, Germany has a number of options for those looking to visit or live in the country. Whether you are looking to work, study, or be with your family, there is a visa option that is right for you. With its rich cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes, and thriving economy, Germany is a great place to call home.

Germany has resettlement programs for citizens of other countries with German and Jewish roots.

German roots:

For those who have German roots, the program for "late settlers" is suitable. It is designed only for people who were born before January 1, 1993 and permanently live in the countries of the former USSR.

Children, grandchildren and spouses of the applicant can also apply for resettlement. By the time the application is submitted, the marriage must have been concluded for at least three years.

Process:

send an application in German to the Federal Administrative Office (BVA) along with all documents (you can issue a power of attorney for a person living in Germany - this will speed up the process: at least letters will arrive faster, including if the BVA wants to clarify something).

Consider the application can be 1.5-3 years. You need to wait for notification - it will be required when applying for a visa to enter the country. A tourist visa may not be suitable for entry, as there have been cases when border guards did not allow people who had it to pass. Moving expenses can be partially compensated, the amount of the payment is 102 euros; after entering Germany, you need to go to the BVA office in Friedland (this is in the very center of the country, about three hours by train from Berlin) and register. You will have to spend several days there (BVA will provide a bed and food in the transit camp): you will need to do a fluorography and register with the employment service. You won’t be able to take a lot of luggage and a pet to the camp: only the most necessary things will be allowed to be taken to Friedland, and the pet will need to be settled in some other place; in Friedland, the applicant will find out where he will be sent to live according to distribution - federal land will be determined by results of the interview. A late migrant can express his reasoned wishes on this matter; upon arrival at a new place of residence, you will need to register and provide your BVA address. In response, the department will send a certificate with which you can obtain citizenship.

List of documents:

statement (in German)

employment records (for those born before January 1, 1974);

certificate of non-conviction (for all over 16 years old).

In addition, you will need one of the following documents confirming German origin:

internal passport with a mark of nationality;

military ID (if there is a mark of nationality);

birth certificate indicating the nationality of the parents

(whether parents plan to emigrate does not matter);

court decisions on changing nationality (if any).

All adults will also need to prove their knowledge of the German language. Moreover, if at the time of filing the application the child was not 18 years old, but turned by the time of entry, he will also need to pass a language test. The applicant needs to confirm language proficiency at a level not lower than B1, spouses, children and grandchildren will need to show basic knowledge at level A1. You can take the test for free at the German diplomatic mission (you can retake as many times as needed) or for money at the Goethe Institute.

Jewish roots:

Another resettlement option is suitable for people with Jewish roots (you need to confirm the nationality of one of the parents, and those born after January 1, 1990 - the nationality of their grandparents). The program is designed for those who do not profess any religion other than Judaism, at least since January 1, 2005, have a passport of one of the countries of the former USSR or live in these territories without citizenship (since 2004, this option has ceased to be valid for the Baltic countries).

Spouses (marriage must last longer than three years) and children can file a petition with the applicant, but they must either be minors or live with their parents and not be married. After entering Germany, the applicant receives a permanent residence permit, and family members receive a temporary one. In the event of the applicant's death before leaving Russia, the family will not receive the right to resettlement. Moreover, if family members have Jewish roots, they must submit a separate application.

In addition, after some time, the applicant should be able to provide for himself without benefits. In order to assess, as far as possible, the German Migration Office will prepare an integration forecast based on data from the application, education and work documents.

An application for resettlement will be considered only with a positive forecast.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is also waiting for confirmation from the applicant of the possibility of admission to the Jewish community in Germany. However, you will not need to contact the communities on your own: BAMF will deal with this.

This program also requires confirmation of language proficiency, but only at level A1 (for everyone except children under 14).

The application may be rejected, including if the applicant permanently resided in another country, for example, in Israel or the United States; during the Soviet era, he worked in government agencies that defended the political regime; was tried for crimes that Germany considers intentional criminal offenses (deleted ee - sentences of Soviet courts for political reasons).

Process:

fill out an application (in German) and submit it to the German diplomatic mission along with all documents. There is a note on the application form to help you fill it out. Family members without Jewish roots fill out their questionnaire. An employee of the diplomatic mission will check the documents and may ask to leave some of them for some time, for example, a passport or birth certificate. If everything is in order with the documents and applications, the application will be sent to BAMF, which will make an integration forecast and make a decision on distribution. The agency tries to take into account the wishes of the applicant, but the final decision depends on the resources of the federal lands and the Jewish communities; the decision is sent to the diplomatic mission. You can also specify a trusted person in Germany who can receive a decision. In case of a positive answer, the applicant can apply for a visa to enter Germany within a year (it will be valid for 90 days). When applying for a visa, you will need to provide a copy of the positive decision on resettlement - the authorized person does not need to send the original.

The visa decision is valid for a year, and it can be extended only in exceptional cases; even in the previous page, the applicant must contact the receiving agency to prepare temporary accommodation; family members who do not have a self-resettlement permit can only enter the country with the main applicant. Their entry permit is revoked if the main applicant dies or files for divorce before leaving;

Advice for immigrants on various issues can be obtained from the offices of the Central Benevolent Organization of the Jews of Germany (ZWST).

List of documents:

primary birth certificate of the applicant, his birth certificate

children, spouses, parents;

internal passport;

military ID;

documents on graduation from educational institutions;

employment history.

The full list of documents is listed in the appendix to the applicant's application form.

They are accepted only in the original, but their copies with translation into German will also be required.