Reinventing your life in a foreign country isn’t easy and there’s a lot to keep track of: housing, cell phone, finding new friends, learning the layout of your new city. But perhaps the trickiest part is putting together your visa application to get your German work visa.
Germans are known for their love of paperwork. For all three of these situations, you’ll need to assemble a lot of different documents to prepare your visa application. There’s always a chance that the government worker handling your case might ask for your information; don’t be discouraged! Bring extra copies of everything and if you have a additional documents not listed below that might help, for example, a reference letter from a past employer or an extra copy of your resume, don’t hesitate to bring them along!
All visa applications require a processing fee. These vary based on the region, as well as which kind of visa you’ll need. Try to bring at least EUR 100 in cash, though many also accept credit and debit cards.
For all three of these circumstances, you’ll need to visit your local Ausländerbehörde or, immigration office. Before you proceed, check the website for the immigration office in your city for more valuable information, like opening times, necessary forms and more.