Visas and Entrance Formalities

Citizens of EU countries and those of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a visa. A personal identification card is sufficient to enter Germany.  If your stay in Germany is longer than 90 days you are obliged to register your residency. Please remember to register your place of residence within two weeks after arriving in Heidelberg at one of the local Residents’ Offices.

Citizens of the above countries can also enter German without a visa. For a stay longer than three months you will, however, need a residence permit. You can apply for this after your arrival at the Foreigners' Registration Office of the city of Heidelberg. Please remember to also register your place of residence within one week after arriving in Heidelberg at one of the local Residents’ Offices.
Please note:  In case you will receive an employment agreement by  Heidelberg University it can be nevertheless useful to apply for a visa. Since the electronic residence permit (eAT) has been introduced in September 2011 the duration of the application procedure can be lengthened significantly. And if you are planning to work  for more than 3 months you will only be able to do so with a valid visa or residence permit. If you have any questions regarding the matter we will be happy to advise you.

Short stays of less than three months
If your stay in Germany will not be longer than 90 days per half year, a so-called Schengen visa (C Visa) is generally sufficient. You must apply for this at a German consulate or embassy in your home country before coming to Germany.
Please note: A Schengen visa can not be extended or changed to cover a different purpose. You must leave Germany at the latest when the three months are over.

Stays of longer than three months
If you are planning to stay in Germany for more than three months, you will need a national visa (D-Visa). You must apply for this at a German consulate or embassy in your home country before coming to Germany.
In this case, do not enter Germany with a Schengen Visa (C Visa)! The Schengen visa is only valid for three months and can not be extended. After the three months are up, you must travel back to your home country at your own cost and apply there for an appropriate visa.
The national visa, however, allows you to enter and stay in Germany. To travel within the first three months of your stay to another Schengen country (for example to a conference) is possible.
The national visa is generally issued for a period of three months. After entering Germany you must apply for a residence permit based on this visa. Recently is has become possilbe to obtain a National Visa valid up to one year, given that you are not planning to stay longer than one year. Please inquire at your local German embassy about this possibility.