UK Visa from Germany for Non-EU Citizens
Depending on their nationality, non-EU citizens holding residence permits in Germany might be required to apply for a visa to visit, live, work, or study in the UK.
For more information about applying for a UK Visa from Germany as a non-EU citizen and for immediate help with your immigration situation, speak to one of our lawyers at +44 (0) 333 305 9375. We are also available to help you online.
An Overview of UK Visas for German Residents
If you are not from a qualifying country, you must obtain a visit visa to enter the UK for a short-term stay. Additionally, irrespective of your non-EU country of citizenship, you must apply for a visa if you intend to stay or visit the UK for more than six months.
The UK offers various long-term visas that enable you to study, work, or reunite with family members. The type of visa you should apply for will depend on your intended purpose of visit.
Each route has specific eligibility criteria the Home Office expects applicants to meet before granting a visa. It’s essential to familiarise yourself with these requirements before applying to increase your chances of a successful application.
If you are a non-EU resident of Germany, you can apply for these types of visas to travel to the UK:
Entry Into the United Kingdom for Non-EU Citizens in Germany
If you reside in Germany and are a foreign national from outside the EU, whether you need a visa or not to enter the UK largely depends on your country of citizenship and the duration of your stay in the UK.
Citizens of certain non-EU countries, such as the US, Canada, and Australia, do not require a visa for short-term visits to the UK (up to 6 months) but must meet specific conditions.
Other non-EU countries that do not require a visa for short-term visits include:
| Andora | Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina |
| Bahamas | Barbados | Belize |
| Botswana | Brazil | Brunei |
| Chile | Colombia | Costa Rice |
| Grenada | Guatemala | Guyana |
| Hong Kong | Ireland | Israel |
| Japan | Kiribati | Liechtenstein |
| Macao | Malaysia | Maldives |
| Marshall Islands | Mauritius | Mexico |
| Micronesia | Monaco | Nauru |
| New Zealand | Nicaragua | Norway |
| Palau | Panama | Papua New Guinea |
| Paraguay | Peru | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa |
| San Marino | Seychelles | Singapore |
| Solomon Islands | South Korea | Switzerland |
| Taiwan | Tonga | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Tuvalu | Uruguay | Vatican City |
Visitor Visa
If you are from a visa-required country, the Standard Visitor Visa will allow you to enter the UK for up to 6 months for any of the following activities:
- Tourism
- Private medical treatment
- Visit family and friends
- Be a part of a school exchange programme
- Attend a recreational course
- Volunteer with a charity (for up to 30 days)
- Attend specific paid engagements as an expert in your profession, such as a professional artist or entertainer
- Attend business meetings or interviews
- As an academic, doctor, or dentist
- Pass through the UK in transit
To be eligible for a visit visa, you must prove that:
- You’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
- You can support yourself during your trip or have funding from someone else to support you
- You can pay or have funding from someone else to pay for your return or onward journey to Germany
- You’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits or make the UK your main home
You must meet additional eligibility requirements if you intend to visit the UK for medical treatment, study, a permitted paid engagement, or as an academic, doctor, or dentist.
Note that as a visitor, you cannot do any type of work, whether paid or unpaid, for a UK business or as a self-employed person, except if you’re working under a permitted paid engagement. You can also not claim public benefits, get married, or register a civil partnership.
If you visit the UK regularly, you can apply for a long-term Standard Visitor Visa lasting 2 to 10 years. However, each visit will still be limited to six months. Although, you may be able to apply to visit longer for academic or medical reasons.
The cost of the UK Visitor Visa is £127, but you will pay £220 if you apply to stay longer than six months for academic and medical reasons and between £475 to £1059 for the long-term visa options.
Study Visa
If you wish to study in the UK, you must apply for a Student Visa, which is available in both long-term and short-term options.
Long-Term Student Visa
With a long-term Student Visa, you can undertake a program lasting up to 5 years in the UK if you are studying at a degree level and up to 2 years if studying below a degree level. To apply for a long-term UK Student Visa, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have an unconditional offer to study a course from a licenced student sponsor
- Have sufficient funds to support yourself for your first nine months in the UK (£1,136 monthly if you’re studying in London and £1,136 monthly for courses outside London.)
- Have the funds stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to pay for your course
- Be able to speak, read, write, and understand English
Note that you must be 16 or above to apply for the Student Visa, and If you’re 16 or 17 when you apply, you must provide proof of consent from your parents.
However, applicants between 4 and 17 years old can apply for a Child Student Visa to study at an independent school in the UK. The Child Student Visa is valid for up to 6 years for children below 16 and 3 years for children who are 16 or 17.
Additionally, the long-term Student Visa and Child Student Visa costs £524 each.
Short-term Student Visas
There are two kinds of short-term student visas; the short-term study visa for English language courses and the Student Visitor Visa.
The short-term study visa for English Language is designed specifically to undertake English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months in the UK.
On the other hand, the Student Visitor visa will allow you to enter the UK for a maximum of six months and is granted under the Standard Visitor Visa route. With this visa, you can:
- Take class trips to the UK
- Study at an accredited institution (including language English Language courses not longer than 6 months.)
- Do a short piece of research relevant to your course in your country of residence
- Do an optional additional placement (for medical students) in the UK
- Sit an entrance or oral exam
- Do an unpaid clinical attachment if you’re a graduate of a medical school
- Take the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) test or the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test
Family Visas
If you have a family member living in the UK and wish to live with them for more than six months, you can apply for a Family Visa. To be eligible for the Family Visa, you must be related to your UK-based relative as a spouse, civil partner, fiancé(e), child, parent, or relative needing long-term care.
Additionally, your relative must be living in the UK as one of the following:
- A British or Irish citizen
- A settled person (with indefinite leave to remain or permanent residence status)
- A refugee or a person with humanitarian protection status
- Someone with permission to stay as a stateless person
The other requirements you must fulfil will depend on your relationship with your family member. For instance, if you are applying as a spouse or partner, you must prove that you have a genuine and subsisting relationship and that your partner earns a minimum income of £29,000 annually.
Your stay on the UK Family Visa will count towards indefinite leave to remain (ILR). It is usually valid for 33 months and can be extended for another 30 months if you still meet the requirements. After five years of continuously living in the UK on a Family Visa, you can apply for ILR.
Work Visas
If you’d like to move to the UK to work, various long-term and temporary work visas are available to you, depending on the nature of your job.
For instance, the Skilled Worker Visa is the most popular option for foreigners seeking long-term stay in the UK. This visa is open to individuals with the necessary skills and an eligible job offer from a UK employer with a valid sponsor licence.
If you’d like to take a paid training or internship program instead, you can apply for the Government Authorised Exchange Visa (Temporary Worker). This visa allows short-term placements with sponsorship from a UK training provider.
Other work visas that require sponsorship from an employer include:
- Health and Care Worker visa
- Global Business Mobility visas
- International Sportsperson visa
- Minister of Religion Visa
- Scale-up Worker Visa
- Creative Worker Visa (Temporary Work)
- Charity Worker Visa (Temporary Work)
- Religious Worker Visa (Temporary Work)
- Seasonal Worker Visa (Temporary Work)
On the other hand, the visas that will allow you to work in the UK without requiring an employer sponsorship includes:
- Graduate visa
- Youth Mobility Scheme Visa
- High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
Besides the temporary work visas, Global Business Mobility visas, and non-sponsored visa options, the other work visas count towards ILR. So, after living in the UK for five years on them, you may be eligible to apply for permanent settlement.
Business Visas
If you have plans to start your own business in the UK instead of working as an employee, you can go through a business visa route. The main visa for entrepreneurs is the Innovator Founder Visa. It will allow you to set up and run an innovative business that is unique and different from anything else in the market.
To be eligible for the Innovative Founder Visa, you must prove that your business is viable, scalable, can create jobs, and not already trading in the UK. Additionally, your business idea must be endorsed by an approved endorsing body in the UK as an innovative business.
With this visa, you can set up and run other businesses and take up paid employment as a skilled worker while running your innovative business. The application fee for the visa is £1,590, and it’s usually valid for 3 years and extendable for another 3 years, after which you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Other business immigration pathways that can allow you work in the UK as a self-employed individual includes:
- The Global Talent Visa for professionals in science, tech, arts, research, and academia
- Self-sponsor yourself through the Skilled Worker Visa route. This option is possible in exceptional cases, for instance, if you have a UK-based partner with a registered business that can issue you a CoS
- The UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) that can allow you to self-sponsor yourself to set up a branch of a business that is already trading overseas
- The Service Supplier Visa (Global Business Mobility) that can allow you to provide contractual services for a UK company, as a self-employed professional
Assistance and Services
The UK has several immigration pathways for foreign nationals looking to visit or reside legally in the country. However, each visa route has strict and specific requirements and failure to adhere to them may lead to a delay in or rejection of your application.
Here is where you may need an experienced UK immigration lawyer.
At Total Law, we have a dedicated team of immigration specialists who are well-versed in UK immigration laws and have helped hundreds of individuals and families successfully migrate to the UK.
Our range of services includes:
- Consultations and advice sessions on visa eligibility
- Document preparation and review
- Visa applications and extensions
- Visa interview preparations
- Application fast-track services
- Appeals and judicial reviews
Whether you want to study, work, or join your family in the UK, we can guide you through the process, making it seamless and hassle-free. Contact us at +44 (0) 333 305 9375 for personalised advice and immediate help with your immigration situation.
Visa Guidelines and Travel Information
If you intend to visit or migrate to the UK from Germany, it’s important to understand what steps to take, including the application process and travel options. Here’s a general guide to help you navigate the process.
Applying for a Visa from Germany
You should visit the UK government website to obtain your visa and submit an online application. This process usually involves creating an account, completing the online visa application form, and uploading your supporting documents.
Some documents you must provide include a valid passport, bank statement, and German residence permit. Other documents you need will depend on your visa type and the purpose of your trip. For instance, offer letters for students, a certificate of sponsorship and employment contract for workers, and marriage certificates for spouses.
Then, you should pay the relevant visa fees.
Afterwards, book a physical appointment at a UK visa application centre, where you’ll submit your biometric information. In Germany, these are handled by TLScontact, which has centres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Munich.
Once your visa is approved, you will be notified, and you can collect your passport and visa from the visa centre or have them mailed to you.
Entering the UK
When you get your visa, you can enter the UK by air, train, car, or ship. You should understand the applicable rules for each transport means and abide by them accordingly.
For instance, if you wish to travel by air, you must provide your documents at immigration upon arrival for checks and approval. If you travel by train, you must pass through UK immigration in Germany for approval.
The same goes for travellers who wish to enter the UK by car. You must carry the necessary vehicle documents, including insurance, as they will be checked at the border. Port officials will also check your documents on arrival if you wish to travel by sea.
How Can Total Law Help?
If you’re a German resident from a non-EU country and are unsure which visa you need to travel to the UK, our lawyers at Total Law can help you. We will assess your situation and help you determine which immigration route suits your travel needs.
Our lawyers will assist you with every aspect of your visa application, from gathering your documents to submitting your online application. Irrespective of your case’s complexity, you can leverage our deep knowledge of the immigration process to increase your likelihood of a successful application.
To get started on your UK Visa application right away, call us at +44 (0) 333 305 9375.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
UK visas typically take 3 to 12 weeks to process. However, expedited options are available at an extra fee for urgent travel.
The Home Office may reject a visa application for the following reasons:
- Not meeting the financial requirement
- An incomplete visa application form
- Submission of false information
- Non-disclosure of previous immigration or legal issue
