Visa and residence status

Before traveling to Germany, you should first find out which entry regulations apply to you:

Citizens of EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland:

• An entry visa is not required, only your identity card.
• If you plan to stay in Germany longer than three months, you must register at the City Administration Office (Bürgerbüro) and obtain a Freedom of Movement Certificate or a residence permit for citizens of the Swiss Confederation.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and the USA:

• An entry visa is not required, only your passport.
• For stays longer than three months and in order to take up employment, you will need a residence permit, for which you can apply at the Foreigners' Office after entering Germany.

Non-EU citizens:

• If you plan to stay in Germany longer than three months, you must first apply for a national visa for Germany in your home country or country of residence (D visa) before entering Germany. This also applies if you are already in another EU member state.
• Entry into Germany with a "visitor or tourist visa" (Schengen visa category "C" valid for 90 days) is not suitable for a study stay! It can neither be changed into a residence title for study purposes nor extended after entry. You must then travel back to your country of origin at your own expense and apply for the applicable visa there.
• The national visa of category "D", usually issued for a period of 90 days, also entitles the holder to a short stay in other Schengen countries. After entering the country, you must apply for a residence permit at the local Foreigners' Office.

In Germany, all persons staying longer than three months must register with the City Administration Office (Bürgerbüro) of the city in which they live.

In Bochum, students from non-EU member states must register with the city before they can apply for a residence permit at the Foreigners' Office. Other German cities may observe different procedures, please inform yourself if you live outside of Bochum.

You should register with the city within two weeks of your move (also within Germany). However, it is also sufficient if you make the appointment at the respective City Administration Office within two weeks!

Book an appointment online (Website in German)

Please bring the following documents to your appointment:

• Landlord's certificate (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) this is not the rental agreement!
• Passport or identity card
• Visa with entry stamp
• Application form filled out and signed

After the city registration is completed, you'll receive two letters to your German address:

• Tax identification number (tax ID) from the tax office

  • Please keep this letter safe. You will need this in case you want to work in Germany.

• Media license fee

  • The media license fee finances the radio, television and online services of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. The contribution amounts to approximately €51 every three months (as of 2021).

  • Every household in Germany must pay the media license fee. If you live in a shared flat, you can also share the fee with your flatmates.

Citizens of EU member states, the European Economic Area and Switzerland do not need a residence permit for their stay in Germany. However, they must prove their right to free movement at the respective City Administration Office if planning on staying longer than three months.

Free movement application

Students from non-EU countries must apply for a residence title after arriving in Germany. The Foreigners' Office of the city in which you live is responsible for this.

After registering with the city's Citizens' Registration Office, you will receive an invitation to the appointment from the Foreigners' Registration Office by post after a few weeks.

You will need the following documents for the application:

• Identity card/Passport
• Application form for a residence permit
• Most recent certificate of enrolment
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of finance

At the appointment, your biometric data will be recorded and you will have to pay the fee of about €110. You can then collect your residence permit (plastic card) after a few weeks. You will be given a separate appointment for this.

(This information only applies to the Bochum Foreigners' Office!)

Your German residence permit is normally valid for 1-2 years. before your permit expires, it is your responsibility to contact the Foreigners' Office to extend it. The corresponding email address can be found here. Responsibility is determined by the first letters of your surname/last name.

For the extension you will need the following documents:

• Identity card/Passport
• Application form for a residence permit
• Most recent certificate of enrolment
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of finance

After your appointment, the documents will be checked. It is possible that you will then receive a letter from the Foreigners' Office asking for a certificate on your study progress. You can find out what to do once you have received this letter here:

Information about the certificate on your study progress

The issuing of the electronic residence title (eAT) takes a processing time of approx. 12-16 weeks. If your residence permit expires within this period, a temporary replacement document (Fiktionsbescheinigung §81.4) will be issued. This in addition to your old residence permit remains valid until your new residence permit is received. During this period, travel out of and re-entry into Germany is permitted. However, it is advisable to find out from the embassy/consulate of the country you are travelling to whether it is possible to enter and leave the country without any problems before leaving Germany.