Visa and Residence Permits

1. A visa is valid for entering Germany. You can apply for a visa at the German embassy or consulate in your home country.
2. For a longer stay in Germany, you require a residence permit. You can apply for a residence permit at the competent foreigners’ office in Germany.

Most students require a visa for entry.
Students from the following countries do not require a visa:

• EU member states
• EEA member states (EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
• Andorra
• Australia
• Brazil
• El Salvador
• Honduras
• Israel
• Japan
• Canada
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• San Marino
• South Korea
• Switzerland
• USA
• United Kingdom

Please note: If your country is not included in the above list, you need a visa for entry.

Please apply for a visa early, i.e., as soon as the university has confirmed the receipt of your application documents. You can apply for a visa at the German embassy or consulate in your home country or in the country in which you are currently staying.

You will need one of the following documents for your studies in Germany:

• Visa for the purpose of studying or university application
• Settlement permit
• Residence permit for refugees
• Subsequent entry of family members
• Passport or ID of an EU or EEA member state (EU member state, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
• Passport of one of the following countries, if you have entered the EU less then 90 days ago:
  • Andorra
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • El Salvador
  • Honduras
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Canada
  • Monaco
  • New Zealand
  • San Marino
  • South Korea
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • USA

You need to register at the competent residents’ registration office within two weeks after your arrival.

• If you did not need a visa to enter the country, you should apply for a residence permit shortly after registering at the residents' registration office.
• If you entered the country on a visa, we recommend that you apply online for a residence permit or extend your existing one four to six weeks before your visa expires. You will only receive an appointment after you have submitted your request.

If you live in Mannheim, you have to apply for a residence permit at the foreigner's office in K7.

Who is my contact?
The competent foreigner’s office is always the one responsible for your district/town.

Mannheim: The foreigner's office is situated in the same building as the residents' registration office (K 7, 2nd floor).
Address: K 7, 68159 Mannheim Phone: 0621 / 293-3221
E-mail:  auslaenderbehoerde[at]mannheim.de

To apply for a residence permit, you will need the following documents:

• Passport
• If it is not possible to apply electronically: Completed application form (available at your competent foreigner's office)
• German short-term/student visa (only if you require visa)
• Enrollment certificate issued by the University of Mannheim (you will receive the enrollment certificate automatically on the day of enrollment)
• Proof of financial resources for studying Please read the information sheet issued by the City of Mannheim and the formal declaration of commitment regarding the reimbursement of public funds spent to cover a foreigner's living expenses (Verpflichtungserklärung) for the foreigner’s office.
• Proof of health insurance
• A current biometric passport picture
• Fees: EUR 100 (as of February 2023)
• Tenancy agreement for your apartment

How long will it take to process my application?

The residence permit is issued as a stand-alone document in credit card format. The electronic residence permit (eAT) contains a chip on which the personal data, a photograph, and two fingerprints as well as data on the right of residence are stored.

Since the electronic residence permit is produced centrally by the Federal Printing Office (Bundesdruckerei) in Berlin, it may take about 4–6 weeks for the permit to be issued.

If you hold a German residence permit for the purpose of studying, you are generally allowed to work for 140 days (or 280 half days) per calendar year.
The foreigners’ office always has to be informed of long-term employments and must approve them.
Academic positions at the university or at a research institution associated with the university are excluded from these regulations and do not count towards the 140 days.

With a student visa, you are generally allowed to work in Germany for 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year. Internships that are mandatory as part of your program of study are generally not counted among these working days. You can obtain confirmation that your program of study requires a mandatory internship from the competent person at the Student Services.

If you are doing a voluntary internship, the deciding factor is whether the internship is necessary for you to complete your studies. Internships that are relevant to your program are generally permitted and do not count towards the 140 full or 280 half days.

However, internships that are not relevant to your program and exceed the permitted 140 working days per calendar year must be approved in advance by the foreigner's office.

If you hold a German residence permit for the purpose of studying, an academic leave of absence requires the approval of the foreigner`s office. The foreigner's office in Mannheim generally does not allow an academic leave of absence due to internships or semesters abroad. If you are not resident in Mannheim, you must apply for the permit beforehand and in good time at the competent local foreigner's office.

If you stay abroad for more than six months, your residence permit will automatically become invalid. This is also the case if you return to Germany prior to the expiration date of your residence permit. If you would like to stay abroad for more than six months, you need to request approval from the foreigners’ office in advance, stating a reason. Otherwise you will have to apply for a German visa again in your host country.

You are welcome to study abroad. However, please be aware that you will need an additional visa for you host country, even if it is a country within the EU.
If you stay abroad for more than six months, your residence permit automatically becomes invalid. This is also the case if you return to Germany prior to the expiration date of your residence permit. If your stay abroad lasts for more than six months, you have to request approval from the foreigners’ office in advance. Otherwise you will have to apply for a German visa again from inside your host country.

For further information, please see Special requirements for international students from Mannheim.

You can only change your program of study upon approval of the foreigners’ office. Please keep in mind that you can only hold the student residence permit for a maximum of ten years, regardless of the number of programs you were enrolled in or you have completed.

When completing or dropping out of your program of study, you have to apply for a new residence permit as soon as possible. Regardless of when it expires, your student residence permit will automatically become invalid two weeks after your disenrollment.

When you have completed your studies, you must promptly apply for a new residence permit. Please note that your program of study is deemed completed, as soon as the grade of your last examination is displayed on Portal², and not upon the reception of your degree certificate. Please also note that, regardless of when it expires, your student residence permit will automatically become invalid two weeks after your disenrollment.

As a graduate, you can apply for a residence permit for the purpose of finding employment. The permit is valid for 18 months and allows you to work without restrictions. The application requirements are similar to those applying to the student residence permit. The only difference is that you can indicate your salary as proof of financial resources.