GERMANY · CHAPTER 10
The German student visa,step by step.
Apply for a national (D) student visa at the German mission's visa centre with your admission letter, APS certificate, blocked account and insurance. The visa fee is €75. After arrival you register your address and apply for a residence permit at the foreigners' office.
Published by Althéa Consulting · Adviser: Harshita Kohli
Source review: · How to use our guides
Documents
- Passport
- Admission letter
- APS certificate
- Blocked account confirmation
- Health/travel insurance
- Language certificates
- Academic documents
- Motivation letter and CV
- Visa fee of €75
After arrival
- 01
Register your address
Anmeldung at the citizens' office within 14 days.
- 02
Health insurance
Enrol in statutory or eligible private insurance.
- 03
Residence permit
Apply at the Ausländerbehörde before your visa expires.
IN DEPTH · TAP A TOPIC TO OPEN
National student visa checklist
- Valid passport and application form
- Admission letter
- APS certificate
- Blocked account confirmation
- Health insurance for entry
- Proof of language level for the programme
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- CV and motivation letter
- Visa fee
After arrival
- 01
Anmeldung
Register your address at the Bürgeramt, usually within 14 days.
- 02
Residence permit
Apply at the foreigners' office (Ausländerbehörde) before your entry visa expires.
- 03
Tax ID
Arrives by post after registration; needed for jobs.
QUICK ANSWERS
Your questions, answered.
Appointment waiting times can be long in peak months; book as soon as you have admission, APS and the blocked account. Processing after the appointment usually takes several weeks.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
Keep going: the pages that help next.
Each card says what you will find there. Looking for something else? See every page on the site.
GERMANY GUIDE
Blocked account & loans
Germany blocked account €11,904 for 2026, how it works, alternatives like a declaration of commitment, education loans and TCS.
GERMANY GUIDE
Pre-departure checklist
Documents, money, housing, winter clothing and first-week plan before flying to Germany as a student.
FROM INDIA
Documents & attestation
Indian documents for study abroad: transcripts, degree certificates, MOI letters, gap explanations, MEA apostille, notarisation, WES/ECA and sworn translations.
FROM INDIA
Scams & emergencies abroad
Study abroad fraud warnings for Indian students: fake agents, offer letters and visas, forex and job scams, plus lost passports and emergencies abroad.
TOOL
Compare countries
Compare countries on fees, living costs, visa rules and post-study work, in one table.
FRANCE
Study in France
The full France guide: degrees, fees, Campus France, visa, housing and work, chapter by chapter.
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