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Visa, Residence Permit & Registration

Video: Philipps-Universität Marburg

Visa

International students often need a visa to enter Germany. Sometimes they also need a residence permit. Whether you need these documents depends on which country you are from and how long you intend to stay.

Please check the visa information given by the DAAD and by the Federal Foreign Office on who can enter without a visa and who needs to apply for a visa.

Please do not apply for a so-called “Schengen Visa”. This type of visa only allows a short-term stay in Germany up to three months and is intended to cover stays for touristic or business purposes. It is NOT POSSIBLE to extend a Schengen Visa or to convert it into a student applicant visa or a national visa. Once the visa has expired, you are required to leave the country.

The responsibility for issuing visas lies with the embassies and consulates-general of the Federal Republic of Germany. Please get in touch with the authority in charge of your visa application at an early stage of your travel planning to learn more about the application procedures and the documents you will need to provide.

The portal “Make it in Germany” provides further information on visa for studying , the requirements and opportunities.

Registration with Local Authorities

City Office

Within two weeks of your arrival in Germany, you are required to register with the local authorities ("polizeilich anmelden"). If you move to a new address or move away from Marburg, you are required to re-register ("ummelden") or cancel the registration ("abmelden"). You will need to proceed to the so-called "Einwohnermeldeamt" (known as Stadtbüro in Marburg) to register; all necessary forms are available there. For registration, you will need your passport, your Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord’s confirmation), your confirmation of matriculation and the registration form. EU students will also need to bring a biometrical passport picture.

If you live outside of the city of Marburg, please contact the registration office of the municipality in charge.

You can get more general information on the DAAD website about registering in Germany.

Immigration Office – Student Residence Permit

Citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland only need to register at the City Office (“Stadtbüro”).

For other students, the following rules apply:

You have to apply for a student residence permit

  • if you come from a country whose citizens are not required to apply for a visa to enter Germany and intend to stay here for longer than 3 months
  • or if you have a visa but are intending to stay longer than the duration of this visa

This is possible online on the website of the Immigration office (“Ausländerbehörde”). Please submit the request early as the process can take some time.

You can find the online form for applying for a student residence permit here.

Nota bene: In case of any change in address, please also inform the University’s International Office or Registrar’s Office ("Studierendensekretariat")

Immigration Office – Renewal of the Residence Permit over the Course of Your Studies (Degree Seeker)

If you’re planning to stay in Germany for several years in order to complete a degree program (e.g. a B. A./B. Sc. or M. A./M. Sc. program), your residence permit has to be renewed at regular intervals. Please bear in mind that the immigration office assumes that you will achieve the purpose of your stay, i. e. your studies, in an adequate period of time. The immigration office assumes that you focus on your studies in due order if you do not overstep the foreseen period of study (for instance six semesters for most of the B. A. or B. Sc. programs) for more than three semesters.

Please contact your immigration office when…

  • You need to interrupt your studies for important reasons, e.g. because you have seriously fallen ill (inform your department early)
  • you are planning to alter your subject of study (before you effectuate the change, because you need the authority’s assent)
  • you are planning to start a vocational training (“Ausbildung”) instead of continuing your studies
  • you intend to take up postgraduate studies such as a M. A. or M. Sc. program or do a doctorate

The International Office of the University of Marburg is one of the first places to go if you have questions concerning your studies and your residence status or the right thereof.

Please contact us with any questions about your residence permit and possible problems or changes. You have a document by the immigration office asking for a statement by the university (“Aufforderung zur Stellungnahme”)? Please get in touch with us immediately and as soon as possible:

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