What German residence permit do you need?

Some people need a residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) to live and work in Germany. This guide explains how German residence permit works.

Who needs a German residence permit?

Most people need a residence permit to live in Germany for more than 3 months.

It depends on your citizenship:

European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
You don’t need a residence permit. You can already live, work and study in Germany.¹ If you work in Germany, you still need to register your address, get a tax ID, and get German health insurance.
Switzerland
You need a residence permit. It’s easier to get.² More information here.
Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States³
You need a residence permit to work, study, or freelance in Germany. You can visit in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa.⁴ You can apply for a residence permit in Germany, or in your home country.
Any other country
You need a residence permit to work, study, or freelance in Germany. You need a job seeker visa look for work in Germany.⁴ You might need a Schengen visa to visit Germany as a tourist. You can’t convert a tourist visa to a residence permit.⁵

If you are a German permanent resident, you can already live and work in Germany. You do not need another residence permit.

If you want to visit Germany as a tourist, you don’t need a residence permit. You might need a Schengen visa. Use this list to know if you need a Schengen visa to visit Germany.

Use this tool to know which residence permit you need to stay in Germany.

Types of residence permits

Work visa – How to apply
For skilled workers who live and work in Germany. You need a job offer from a German company to apply for this visa.⁶
Blue Card – How to apply
For skilled workers who live and work in Germany. It’s like a work visa, but better. You need a job offer and a university degree. There is a minimum income requirement.
Working holiday visa
For citizens of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan and Uruguay. You must be between 18 and 30 years old. This residence permit lets you work and travel in Germany. It’s valid for up to 1 year. It’s easier to get than the work visa or Blue Card.
Youth mobility visa
For Canadian citizens between 18 and 35 years old. This residence permit lets you work and travel in Germany. It’s valid for up to 1 year. It’s easier to get than the work visa or Blue Card.
Freelance visa – How to apply
For freelancers and self-employed people who want to live in Germany. You must have clients in Germany. The Artist visa is a type of freelance visa.
Student visa
For people who want to study in Germany. You must be enrolled in a German university. You can work during your studies.
Internship visa
For university students.⁷ This residence permit lets you do an internship in Germany. It’s valid for 6 to 12 months.⁸
Job seeker visa
For people who want to look for work in Germany. It gives you 6 months to find a job. When you find a job, you must apply for a work visa or a Blue Card before you start working. More information about the job seeker visa.
Au pair visa
For people who want to be a helper (au pair) for a host family in Germany. You need an au pair contract to apply for the visa.
Family reunion visa
For spouses and family members of German residents. This is how you can bring your family to Germany. With a family reunion visa, your spouse and your children can work or study in Germany.
And many others…

Residence permits to work

These residence permits allow you to work in Germany:

Residence permits to start a business

These residence permits allow you to be self-employed in Germany:

Freelance visa – More information
For people who want to start a business in Germany. You must have clients in Germany.
Permanent residence

How to start a business in Germany ➞

These residence permits sometimes allow you to freelance:

Work visa or a Blue Card
Look on your residence permit, and on the Zusatzblatt. If it says Selbständige Tätigkeit gestattet or Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt, you can be self-employed in addition to your job. You must keep your job, and it must be your main source of income.
Student visa
By default, the student visa does not allow self-employment. You must ask the Ausländerbehörde first. They will update your student visa, and let you study and run a business at the same time. – More information

How to get a residence permit

You can apply for a residence permit in your home country, or in Germany.

At the Ausländerbehörde in Germany
If you apply in Germany, you get a residence permit. Usually, it takes 2 to 3 months, but it can take longer.⁹ During that time, you can’t work or study, so you must have enough savings to survive. You can only apply in Germany if…
- You are a citizen of of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States³
- or you already have a German residence permit, and you want to renew or change it.
At the German embassy or consulate in your country
If you apply in your country, you get a National Visa. As soon as you get the visa, you can move to Germany and start working or studying. When you arrive in Germany, you must convert your National Visa to a residence at the Ausländerbehörde. You must do this before your visa expires (in 3 to 12 months).¹⁰

It’s better if you apply in your home country. You can start working as soon as you arrive in Germany, instead of living in Germany without any income.

How to apply for a work visa or Blue Card ➞

How to apply for a freelance visa ➞

Renewing your residence permit

Your residence permit expires in 6 months to 4 years. You must go to the Ausländerbehörde to renew it. They will check if you still meet all the conditions of your residence permit. Some residence permits (like the freelance visa) are really annoying to renew, because you need a lot of documents.

How to renew a freelance visa ➞

After a few years, you can apply for permanent residence. You don’t need to renew your permanent residence. It lets you do anything you want: work, study, freelance, etc.

Need help?

Where to ask immigration questions ➞

Sources and footnotes