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Visa procedure

In order to be allowed to live in Germany for study purposes, a special visa is required (“Visum zu Studienzwecken”). You can apply for it at the German embassy or another consulate in your home country.

If you are already in Germany and would like to apply for or extend your residence title, please refer to the information on our website available here: Residence Permit

Entry regulations

An overview of the countries whose citizens can enter Germany without a visa and apply for a “residence permit for study purposes” after entering Germany can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office: Overview of visa requirements

Below, depending on your nationality, you will find more information about what you need to apply for a residence permit.

General information on this topic is also provided by the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst).

No visa necessary, entry with national identification document.

  • No visa required, entry with passport.
  • If you are planning to stay for more than three months you'll need to apply for a residence permit once you arrive in Germany.
  • Non EU Students or students without a visa will get a letter from the Foreigners Office with an appointment for your residence permit application about 1-2 weeks after registering at the city hall.
  • Visa required.
  • You have to apply for a visa at the responsible German mission (for example a German embassy) in your home country or current residence. If you are currently studying and living in a different country you will have to apply for your visa in your current city of residence.
  • Do not under any circumstances enter Germany with a “Schengen visa” if you intend to stay longer than three months. This visa cannot be extended and you will have to travel back to your home country to apply for a visa.
  • Please note that you need a suitable residence permit to start working. Without this you are not allowed to start working. If you want to work immediately after entering the country, you need a visa with the remark „Visum zur Arbeitsaufnahme“.

Applying for a Visa

The following is a step-by-step explanation of the visa process. Please make sure to follow this guide when applying for a visa.

Unfortunately, we have no authority in processing visa applications or approving visa appointments with the German Embassy in other countries. We usually advise our students to apply for a visa appointment as soon as they apply for admission to the university – rather than when they receive their admission letter. For many students it can take several months for appointments to be made and it is easier to cancel appointments if admission is denied, rather than waiting and having to apply for a visa appointment at a later date.

In order to apply for the “Visum zu Studienzwecken” (visa for study purposes) or your appointment at the German Embassy, you will need a letter of admission from TU Darmstadt. If you do not receive this letter of admission in time to apply for a visa, please contact International Admission.

The DAAD provides in the last section on its website a list of documents that are usually required to apply for a visa. Please note that there may be variations depending on the country where you are applying for your visa and additional documents may be required. Make sure you get all documents in time so that the visa appointment can go as smoothly as possible.

If you need to provide a contact person of TU Darmstadt, please use the following address:

Alissa Reinach

Karolinenplatz 5

64289 Darmstadt

Before you start your studies and usually also in order to be able to apply for a visa, you need proof of your financial means. This must be submitted at the latest when you apply for a residence permit. In our information sheet (opens in new tab), we have provided you with a list of the various options for providing proof of financial means.

For the visa appointment, please pay attention to the information that the German Embassy will communicate to you.

After you have applied for your visa, it can take up to 25 days until you receive a response from the embassy. If you have not been contacted or have no news after these 25 days, you can contact us . As mentioned above, we have no authority with the German embassy in other countries. However, we will try to contact the Foreigners Office here in Darmstadt and ask if there were any problems with the visa application.

We, the International Student Services of TU Darmstadt, can accompany you on your way to apply for a visa and provide information. Once you have arrived in Germany and Darmstadt, we will be happy to assist you with all matters regarding registration with the authorities or applying for a residence permit.