Entry

As a result of the ongoing pandemic, entering Germany from many countries is difficult. In relation to the classification of the respective country as a risk area, entry is only possible with a negative Covid-19 test, at which point you may need to go into quarantine following entry.

Please refer to the following page for the current entry requirements for your country: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268

As a citizen of an EU country, you do not need a visa to enter Germany ─ just your valid ID card or passport. Once you have arrived in Germany, you can live and work here indefinitely.

To make it easier to find a job in the EU, professional qualifications from one EU state are generally accepted by all EU member states. For some professions, however, it may be necessary to have your qualification specially recognised in Germany. You can find out which professions these are here: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/jobs/recognition/who-needs-recognition

For citizens of Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, the same legal provisions apply as for EU citizens. Click this link for more important information: Checklist

Entry from specific non-member countries

If you are a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the USA, you have completed your vocational training and have a binding job offer from Germany, you can enter the country without a visa. Once you are in Germany, however, you must apply for a residence permit for qualified employment. You are only entitled to work in Germany after this permit has been granted.

To obtain a residence permit for qualified employment, you not only require a binding job offer, but also need to have your professional qualification formally recognised. Find out more about the application process and required documents by clicking this link: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/jobs/recognition/procedure

If you are already in Germany but have not yet obtained formal recognition of your qualification, you must apply for recognition at the local level. You can then also initially enter the country without a visa. Afterwards, however, you must apply for a residence permit.

Good to know: To start work immediately following your arrival in Germany and avoid waiting for a work permit, we recommend that you apply for a visa to work for qualified professionals while still in your home country. An overview of the application process can be found here: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/

Your employer may also collaborate with the authorities https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt

During the accelerated process for qualified professionals, your future employer in Germany will assume the duty of entry formalities.

If you are a citizen of a country that is not mentioned above, you will need a visa to enter into Germany. If you have completed a vocational qualification programme and have a binding job offer from a German employer, you will need to present a work visa for qualified professionals upon entry: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa/kinds-of-visa/work-qualified-professionals

To apply for this visa at the German diplomatic mission in your place of residence, you will first need formal recognition of your foreign professional qualification. More information about this process is available here: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/jobs/recognition/who-needs-recognition

Good to know: If there are long waiting times at the diplomatic mission in your country of origin, your future employer in Germany can apply for a visa on your behalf, thereby speeding up the process. More information about this fee-based process is available here: https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Migrathek

Additional links:
Quick check of the official “Make it in Germany” online portal: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa/quick-check
Visa regulations from the foreign office:Quick-Check

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/-/215870

The somewhat unwieldy term of “household effects” refers to nothing more than your furniture, possessions, private vehicles, household supplies and pets. In other words, everything you do not want to leave behind when you move to Germany.

Moving within the member states of the European Union is possible without much hassle. In this scenario, you do not have to declare the move to the customs office or pay duties on your imported possessions.

If you live outside the EU and now want to move to Germany, you do not have to pay customs duties on your belongings under specific requirements. One of these requirements is that you move to Germany as a private citizen (i.e. not as a company) and transfer your usual place of residence here. Private property must also be involved and not company property, for example. You must also have lived outside the European Union prior to moving to Germany and may not sell, give away or transfer your property to other people after you have moved.

You can review the exact provisions on the German Customs website

If you are entering Germany from a non-EU country, you are only allowed to carry a limited amount of cash and/or equivalent means of payment. The latter refers to shares, bills of exchange, traveller's cheques, savings bonds, and similar.

If you want to import more than the permitted maximum amount of cash, you will need to declare this in writing to the respective customs office. This limit applies across all currencies that can currently still be exchanged into Euro.

You can complete and download the cash declaration form here: Cash declaration

If you want to import an equivalent means of payment above the permitted maximum amount, you must verbally inform the customs office ─ without being asked to do so ─ when entering the country. Here, too, the total value at the time of entry (not the former purchase value) applies.

Good to know: Precious stones and precious metals are not considered cash, but instead goods and must also be declared as such to the customs office.