TH-Wildau
Entry and visa
Passport

Entry and visa

Should you require a visa, make sure you apply for it as early as possible, as visa processing usually take several weeks or even months.

  1. You are here:
  2. Study
  4. Prepare your stay
  6. Entry and visa

Who needs visa?Open areaClose area

In order to study in Germany (longer than 90 days), non-EU-citizens have to apply for student visa.

European Union (EU) citizens and those from the Schengen Area do not need any visa in order to enter and study in Germany.

Applying for an entry visaOpen areaClose area

As exchange or full time degree seeking student from a country that is not a Member State of the European Union, you will usually need a visa for travelling to Germany.

You will need to apply for a student visa or a visa for study applicants, as in Germany every visa is linked to a specific purpose of stay.

Please do not travel to Germany with a tourist visa, as this visa cannot be converted to a residence permit.

In order to apply for a visa, you will need the following documents:

  • Your passport
  • The invitation letter of the university or the confirmation of application
  • A financial statement confirming that you have sufficient funds to finance your studies

Note: the issuing of a visa can take several months. Please get in touch with the German consulate or embassy in your home country to get an overview of the other formalities, and apply for a visa as soon as you can!

If you already have an admission letter for your studies in Germany, you can apply for a student visa. At TH Wildau, we usually issue the admission letters at the beginning of August.

You can also apply for a visa for study applicants. Here, you will have to prove that you have already applied at TH Wildau to the German consulate embassy.

The validity of a visa is usually three months. After the visa expires, it will be converted into a residence permit for study purposes. In order to get the residence permit, you will have to apply to the Immigration Office responsible for the town in which you are currently living. For students at TH Wildau, you will usually have to get in touch with the Immigration Office of Königs Wusterhausen or Berlin. The International Office of TH Wildau will support you to apply for the residence permit.

Financial statementOpen areaClose area

In order to get a visa or residence permit, you will need a financial statement. The financial statement confirms that you are able to finance the costs of living of at least the first year of your stay in Germany.

Generally spoken, the German authorities will ask you to prove that you have at least 700 EUR per month for the duration of your stay.

Proving sufficient finances for your stay in Germany can be done in different ways:

  • Blocked account: The amount required for your stay in Germany ([6 or 12 months] * [700 EUR]) shall be paid into the account. Every month, you will be able to withdraw 700 EUR to pay for the month's living costs.
  • Declaration of Commitment: A Declaration of Commitment is a written guarantee, in which for example your parents commit themselves to pay for your monthly expenses in Germany. Please contact the German embassy in your home country in order to get more information on this type of financial statement.
  • Scholarship: You receive a scholarship and are able to pay for your living expenses in Germany - be it partially or completely.

We recommend you to get in touch with the German consulate or embassy in your home country in order to get in-depth advice on the most suitable form of financial statement for your stay in Germany.

Extend your visa = get a residence permitOpen areaClose area

Upon your arrival in Germany, your visa will be converted into a residence permit (long-term visa). In order to apply for a visa, you'll need the following documents:

  • Application for a residence permit form

  • Enrollment certificate of the university

  • Confirmation of registration at the local registration office

  • Rental contract

  • Financial statement (see above)

  • Valid health insurance

  • Biometric passport picture

Students with citizenship of an EU Member State, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a residence permit. However, they have to confirm to the Immigration Office that they have sufficient health insurance coverage and financial means for their studies in Germany.

Like the visa, the residence permit is issued for a specific purpose. International Students apply for a residence permit for studies, study applications or language courses. The purpose of the residence permit determines to which extent you can work during your stay in Germany. Students in preparatory language courses can only work during the holidays.

A residence permit for study purposes is always issued for a period up to two years and has to be prolonged before it expires.

Please do not forget to hand in a copy of your residence permit at the university.

Immigration OfficesOpen areaClose area

Immigration Office in Königs Wusterhausen

Landkreis Dahme-Spreewald
Ordnungsamt
Schulweg 1b
15711 Königs Wusterhausen
Tel: +49 (0) 3375 / 262 106

Consultation hours:
Tuesdays 08:00h - 18:00h
Thursdays 08:00h - 16:00h
and by appointment

Immigration Office in Berlin

Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten
Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24
13353 Berlin
Tel: +49 (0) 30 / 908 690
Booking an appointment at the Berlin Immigration Office.