Immigration

As an exchange or full-time student from a country that is not a member of the European Union, you will need a visa to enter Germany.

You must apply for a student visa or a student applicant visa, as every German visa is tied to a specific purpose of stay.

Please do not enter Germany with a tourist visa, as this cannot be converted into a residence permit in Germany!

Note: Nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, the United States of America, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino do not need a visa to enter Germany for study purposes and can obtain the necessary residence permit for study purposes after entry in Germany.

Visa application_{Open area}_{Close area}

To apply for a visa you need:

your passport
your admission letter from the university or a confirmation of application
proof of finance for your stay in Germany

Attention: the issuance of the visa can take several months. Please inquire about further formalities at the German consulate / embassy in your home country in advance and apply for your visa as early as possible!

If you have been admitted, you can apply for a student visa. At TH Wildau, admission letters are usually issued at the beginning of August.

It is also possible to apply for a student applicant visa. To do this, you must present a confirmation that you have already applied at our university.

Your visa will usually be valid for three months, after which it is converted into a residence permit for study purposes. This is the responsibility of the Immigration Office of your place of residence (see below).

After your arrival in Germany, your visa will be converted into a residence permit (= long-term visa) by the local immigration authorities (see below).

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After your arrival in Germany, your visa will be converted into a residence permit (= long-term visa) by the local immigration authorities. You will need the following documents to apply for this:

Application for a residence permit
Certificate of matriculation from the university
Registration with the registration authority
Rental agreement
Proof of finance
Valid health insurance
Biometric passport photo
The Immigration Office may ask you to also submit a study prognosis ('Studienerfolgsprognose'). Please ask your study programme director to fill out and sign this template.

Students from the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a residence permit. However, they must also prove to the Immigration Office that they have health insurance and can finance their studies.

Both the residence permit and the visa are earmarked for a specific purpose. International students apply for a residence permit for their studies or for a language course or for study preparation. The purpose of your stay determines the extent to which you may take up employment! Students in preparatory language courses may only work during the holidays.

A residence permit for study purposes is issued for up to two years and must always be extended before this period expires.

Please remember to submit a copy of your current residence permit to the university.

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In order to obtain a visa or residence permit, you need proof that you are able to finance at least the living expenses of the first year of your studies.

The minimum amount required to cover your monthly living expenses is currently set by German law at 992 EUR/month.

You can prove the financing of your living expenses in various ways:

Blocked account: The amount required for your entire stay (6-12 months) is paid into an account. From this, a maximum monthly amount can be withdrawn, which ensures that your living expenses are covered.
Declaration of commitment: A declaration of commitment is a written guarantee in which e.g. your parents decolare to cover your monthly expenses in Germany. Please contact the German embassies in your home country for further information.
Scholarship: If you receive a scholarship, you can use it to cover all or part of your living expenses in Germany.

We strongly recommend that you ask the German embassy / consulate in your home country which proof you need!

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Please note that you must apply at the immigration office of the region where you are living.

Students living in the Dahme-Spreewald region (Wildau, Königs Wusterhausen, Niederlehme, ...) must apply at the Immigration Office in Königs Wusterhausen

Landkreis Dahme-Spreewald
Ordnungsamt
Schulweg 1b
15711 Königs Wusterhausen

Phone: 03375 26 2106

Schedule an appointment with the Immigration Office in Königs Wusterhausen

Students living in Berlin must apply at the Immigration Office in Berlin

Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten
Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24
13353 Berlin

Phone: 030 90869 0

Schedule an appointment with the Immigration Office in Berlin

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After completing their studies in Germany, foreign students have the opportunity to apply for a job-seeking visa. This visa allows them to stay in Germany for a maximum of 18 months in order to find a job that matches their qualifications. The following requirements must be met in order to obtain this visa:

Proof of a degree completed in Germany
Proof of financing for the entire stay, e.g. through a blocked account with at least 11,904 euros
Health insurance cover for the entire stay in Germany
Completion and signing of the application form for a national visa
Submission of two current biometric passport photos
Presentation of a valid passport with a copy of the data page

If graduates find a job within the 18 months, they can apply directly in Germany for the necessary residence permit to take up qualified employment without having to leave the country again.