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Header image for the Visa and Entry page with illustrations of the earth, a passport and an airplane

Who needs a visa to enter Germany?

  1. Citizens of EU and EFTA Member States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland) do NOT need a visa and have unrestricted access to the German labor market.
  2. Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and the US
    Nationals of these countries do not require an entry visa. They do, however, require a residence permit for stays of more than 90 days and need a work permit from the day they start working in Germany.
  3. Nationals of all other non-EU countries
    You probably need a visa and have to apply for the entry visa at the German embassy or consulate in your home country or current country of residence. Whether you need a visa you can check here.

Hint:

Albeit citizens from the above mentioned counties legally are entitled to apply for the residence and work permit after arriving in Germany it sometimes has disadvantages to enter without a visa. The Leipzig Foreigners’ Office takes a long time at the moment to settle those cases. Quite often it takes longer than the 90 days (out of 180 days) those nationals have for touristic purposes. That means they cannot travel anymore once those 90 days are spent. And it means they cannot work until the residence and work permits are issued. Therefore, if you want to work from day one and be able to travel in the first months without any restrictions, we strongly recommend to come with a visa that includes the work permit even if the embassy or consulate tries to pass that duty on to the Foreigners’ Authorities inside Germany. Just be persistent!

What type of visa do I need?

The type of visa depends on the duration and purpose of your stay

1. Duration:

You are planning a research stay of

For a long term stay you need a long-term German national Visa (type D) that allows your stay and also work in Germany. Never try to enter on a Schengen visa if you are planning to stay longer than three months because that visa type cannot be extended and converted into a normal long-term residence permit. Even if it is possible to enter as a tourist, never enter with a residency card of a different EU state if you want to work in Germany (except you are a citizen or relative of a EU national or come from one of the seven states mentioned above under (2)).  If in doubt please contact our International Office.

2. Purpose:

Most scientist doing research at a Max Planck Institute can choose between two different purposes of stay:

This is the quickest visa application process since embassies in most cases do not have to ask permission from local authorities in Germany (Foreigners’ Authorities, Federal Employment Office, Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) etc.) Plus, you don’t have to prove the comparability of your foreign degree. You just need a research facility which pledges to host you during your stay. And, of course, you need to prove the financial means to sustain yourself during that time (that can be for instance a salary or a scholarship paid by us or a scholarship paid by a different entity like DAAd or Fulbright or your university at home to name but a few). The third necessity to prove is medical insurance. Please contact our HR department to discuss your options and get the necessary documentation.

Research visa are applicable to PhD students and Post docs or visiting scholars. Whether you receive a salary or have a scholarship is not relevant in that context.

Please indicate to your secretary whether you want to apply for a researcher visa so we can send you the correct documentation from our side to do so (the hosting agreement and an invitation letter stating that our institute is intending to employ you and under which conditions as well as proof of medical insurance after you picked one)

After your arrival in Germany you will have to swap that entry visa into a proper residency card. At that point you still have the option to switch to a Blue Card EU if you are entitled to do so. Please consult with our International Office about your options after your arrival in Leipzig.

All people having a higher education and an employment contract which pays a certain minimum salary are entitled to get the visa/residence permit for that purpose of stay.

Most Post Docs fall into that category, some of the PhD students depending on their salary (in 2025 you need to have 43.759,80 Euro p.a. as a mathematician).  Unfortunately, Blue Cards are always tied to an actual employment contract so scholarship holders or people with other forms of income are not entitled to a Blue Card.

For a Blue Card EU you not only have to prove a certain salary level and medical insurance. You also need to prove the comparability of your Foreign degree.

In order to do so please check whether both your university AND your actual degree are mentioned in a database called ANABIN. Out HR department can also do that check if you provide your degrees to them. (Hint: sometimes the PhD isn’t listed but the Bachelor or Master is.)

If you can’t find your degree in ANABIN you can get it checked on an individual basis via an authority called Central Office for Foreign Education (Zentralstelle für Ausländisches Bildungswesen, ZAB).

Hint: This is only done by application and costs 208€ for each degree. So please decide whether it’s worth it for you. You don’t need it if you opt for a research visa/residence permit.

The Blue Card EU has various advantages if you intend to stay and work in Germany for a longer time since it gives a faster access to a permanent residency (as quickly as 21 months provided you speak German on B1 level). It also allows you to leave the country for 12 months without expiring. 

So please check whether that’s worth the effort. If you just come for a year and have no intention to stay in Germany after that it’s probably not. In that case also a residence and work permit for the purpose of research is absolutely fine.

If both are possible for you please indicate which one you want to apply for so we can send you the right documents. There are of course also other purposes of stay which might be suitable for you or your relatives (family reunion, study, internship etc.)

Further information on those you will find via the Visa Navigator of the Federal Foreign Office.

Blue Card

Where to apply for the visa?

In general, the German embassy or consulate in your home country OR the country of your main residence is responsible to receive your visa application.
Please check their local webpages for the procedure and duration of this process.

For certain kinds of visa you can also use a new online Visa Portal (for instance you can apply for a Blue Card EU via that portal but NOT the research visa currently. They are working on it).

Hint:

Check which country has shorter lines. Sometimes there is a huge difference.

Hint 1: Formal declaration of commitment ("Verpflichtungserklärung")

When applying for a visa online you will be asked at a certain point whether a formal declaration of commitment ("Verpflichtungserklärung") has been issued (and if the answer is “yes” you can choose institutions that might have issued it from a pull-down menu). In your case this is not likely since you support yourself by your Max Planck salary. Otherwise you would not ask for a Blue card or a researcher visa. Please answer NO to this question. 

(A formal declaration of commitment or Verpflichtungserklärung is normally signed by somebody already living in Germany who wants to invite friends/family/guests for a short term visit up to 90 days. This is usually done when the person invited can't provide for his/her own livelihood (like students and children, nonworking spouses, or relatives). Then you can go to the local Foreigners Office, prove that you are able to pay for the expenses of the invited person and officially vouch to take over all costs that might occur during the stay of your visitor.)

Hint 2: Accelerated procedure for skilled workers ("Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren")

You will also be asked at a certain point whether an accelerated procedure for skilled workers ("Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren") has been initiated by your employer. Since we did not do it, the answer is NO again.

(The accelerated procedure for skilled workers has to be started by the employer and is quite expensive. We as a public employer are not allowed to cover any fees for visa or residence permits as these costs are considered private. So, we did not start one. But be assured, it is not really necessary for your purpose of a Blue Card application (and it is also not really faster despite the promising title). So, when asked on the online form just cross “No, a fast-track procedure for skilled workers has not been started”.)

If your spouse and/or children will be accompanying you during your stay, we advise you to submit all applications at the same time, even if your family is arriving later. Please also make sure you have all your documents (marriage documents, birth certificates) certified in the right form so they can be used abroad. How this works you can find here.

This is really important because it has to be done in the country those documents have been issued (for apostilles) or at the German embassy you are applying for the visa (for legalization). The relevant authorities in Leipzig won’t accept foreign marriage or birth certificates without apostille or legalization. They also need to be translated by an official translator sworn in by a German court of law (we can help you finding one).

Hint:

Since those documents have to be presented in Original, please, don’t forget to pack them in your hand luggage.

You have received your visa. What next?

All national visa are only issued for a certain period of time (three to 12 months in most cases) to allow entry to Germany. If your intended stay is longer than the duration of your visa, you must swap it for a proper residence/work permit after arriving in Germany. Please contact the International Office shortly after your arrival to discuss the next steps like getting registered at city hall and contacting the Leipzig Foreigners’ Office.

Important documents to bring to Germany:

  • valid passport and entry visa, also for accompanying family members
  • if travelling with spouse: marriage certificate with apostille/legalisation and certified translation
  • if travelling with children: birth certificates with apostille/legalisation and certified translation
  • original of your university degree and/or doctoral degree

Our office is happy to advise you on translation and recognition of your marriage/birth certificates and can help you to initiate the process.

Hint:

We suggest to pack them in your hand luggage so you don’t lose important originals if your suitcase wants to travel to a different destination.

Good to know

  • Under no circumstance enter with a tourist or Schengen-Visa if you want to stay longer than 3 months - it cannot be extended or converted into a long-term residence permit
  • Keep in mind that applying for a visa can take up to three months, at some embassies even longer.
  • If you are unsure which documents you need for your specific visa application, please check with our office. Different visa types require different documents from our side. So please communicate your choices to your secretary in charge or HR or the International Office.
  • If you need proof of health insurance for your visa please get in touch with our HR office beforehand. They can also help you navigate the ANABIN database if you want to go for a Blue Card EU. For that purpose please provide them will all degrees you hold (for instance Bachelor, Master, PhD)
  • Leipzig Residents Services Offices (Bürgerbüros) only acknowledge foreign documents such as marriage and birth certificates of researchers' spouses and children if their authenticity has been certified by an apostille or legalisation. Make sure to get those before heading for Germany.
  • Once you hold a national visa (Type D visa) and a valid travel document you can move freely within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Any questions?

Get in touch with us. We will figure out what is the most suitable application in your individual case.

International Office
HR Department
Passport stamps from different countries

FAQ for Visa Issues

US citizens in possession of a valid US passport do not need a visa to enter Germany and can stay up to 90 days for touristic purposes (meaning without being allowed to work!).

If you want stay in Germany for more than 90 days you are required to obtain a residence permit. If you want to take up any employment you need a work permit from day one of your employment.

You are legally allowed to apply for a residence as well as a work permit after entering Germany without a visa. However, to process this application may take some time. At the moment often more than the first 90 days.

As long as you do not have a residence permit you are not allowed to work and also have a hard time proving the legality of your stay which might prevent you to integrate properly (like open a bank account, signing a lease, enrolling your kids at school… things like that). Therefore, we strongly recommend to apply for a visa prior to entry at the German Embassy in Washington or at a German Consulate (currently located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York or San Francisco) in order to start working immediately and be able to travel after the initial 90 days are spent. Also, if you bring family members you’ll notice while still in your home country if your documents lack an apostille or legalization. Once you have arrived in Germany to arrange for things like that gets really complicated and expansive.

The embassy will probably tell you to apply for the right paperwork in Germany. Which, again, is legally possible, but takes an awfully long time in Leipzig at the moment.

Please consider that.

A visa allows you to cross the state border and enter Germany. It is issued by a German Embassy or Consulate in the form of a sticker in your passport. It also allows you to stay in Germany for a specific period of time (in most cases three to twelve months).
After you arrive in Germany and take residence in a certain city or region the local Foreigners’ Authority takes over to issue a proper residence/work permit. Such a permit is mandatory for all those staying for longer than three months. So, the visa is a special kind of residence permit to enter and stay until the local Foreigners’ Office issues a long term residency card. Before you receive your residency card the visa serves the same purpose namely detailing that your stay in Germany is legal, your purpose of stay, giving permission to take up a certain employment. The visa also allows you to travel within the specified duration if it is made out for multiple entries.

Usually your spouse must proof basic proficiency of the German language which also helps for the first steps in Germany.
However, there are certain exceptions:

  • If your spouse is a citizen of member state of the European Union or citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United States of America, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco or San Marino
  • If your spouse holds a university degree
  • you do not wish to remain permanently in Germany and hold a EU Blue Card or a residence permit as a researcher

Yes. If you are a third-country national and married to a German citizen, you are required to obtain a residence permit and need to prove German language skills, at least A1 level.

No. If you are a third-country national and your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or EEA, they are entitled to freedom of movement and can therefore live and work in Germany without restrictions. All they need to enter the country is a national identity card. You can apply for a residence card after entering Germany. German language skills do not need to be proved.

No. If you are not married your spouse is permitted to enter Germany for the purpose of short-term visits of only max. 90 days within 180 days. You can apply for a dependent visa only if you have a marriage registration certificate. Please check whether your partner can come on his/her own merits for instance for study or with an opportunity card or for own employment. It’s just the family reunion purpose that needs to be proven with a marriage certificate.

(Hint: Certain exemptions apply if your partner is an EU citizen and you can prove in a proper way that your partnership is de facto like a marriage. However, what is “proper proof” in such a case is hard to tell so please consult with the International Office before entering and preferably insist on a visa to make sure this documentation is already checked in your home country. Any document that shows the de facto partnership like owning a property together, having kids, being in a registry etc. can be helpful. Still, this is not an easy process. Very hard to predict. German laws are very strict here.)

No. As a researcher you don’t need that accelerated procedure for skilled workers. This process has to be started by the employer and is quite expensive. We as a public employer are not allowed to cover any fees for visa or residence permits. These costs are considered private.

Thus, when asked on the online form just cross “No, a fast-track procedure for skilled workers has not been started”. 

But rest assured, it is not really necessary for your purpose of a Blue Card application (and it is also not really faster despite the promising title).

Unfortunately, the visa for the purpose of research cannot be applied for online, yet. They are working on it. If you are eligible (a certain income, a university degree comparable to a German one) you could already apply for a Blue Card EU online.

Otherwise please apply for the research visa in the traditional way at the embassy of your country of residence or your home country. That is still possible and should be very fast as well.

A formal declaration of commitment or Verpflichtungserklärung is normally signed by somebody already living in Germany who wants to invite friends/family/guests for a short term visit up to 90 days.

This is usually done when the person invited can't provide for his/her own livelihood (like students and children, nonworking spouses, or relatives).

Then you can go to the local Foreigners Office, prove that you are able to pay for the expenses of the invited person and officially vouch to take over all costs that might occur during the stay of your visitor.

In your case this is unlikely. Therefore, the answer is probably NO.

If no person already living in Germany officially vouched to cover all your expenses during your stay in Germany please answer NO.

If indeed somebody has given that formal declaration please pick the issuing Foreigners’ Authority from the pull-down menu and give the issuing date

The accelerated procedure for skilled workers has to be started by the employer inside Germany at the local Foreigners’ Authority and is quite expensive. It is geared at private companies wanting to bring people to Germany who’s training or professional experience differs from German standards. Cases that are complicated or applicants coming from countries that have long embassy lines. That is not the case in the field of research. Cases are pretty clear here. So, we did not start one. 

Besides, as a public employer we are not allowed to cover any fees for visa or residence permits as these costs are considered private. 

But be assured, it is not really necessary for your purpose of an application for a Blue card or research visa …and it is also not really faster despite the promising title.

So, when asked on the online form just confirm: “No, a fast-track procedure for skilled workers has not been started”.