Immigration Lawyers Germany

Whether you are moving to Germany for work, business, study or family reasons, the right legal support can make the immigration process significantly easier. Our German immigration lawyers provide end-to-end support with visas, residence permits and citizenship applications, helping individuals, families and businesses understand their options, prepare the required evidence and complete the application process, stress-free.

People move to Germany for many different reasons, including to:

• Work in Germany
• Start, invest in or expand a business
• Study at a German university or educational institution
• Join family members in Germany
• Retire or settle in the country

The eligibility requirements, supporting documents and application process will depend on factors such as your nationality, intended activities and personal circumstances. Our lawyers can assess your situation, identify an appropriate German visa or residence route and support you throughout the process.

We can assist with everything from short-term Schengen visas and work permits to EU Blue Cards, family reunification, permanent residence and German citizenship. For employers and international businesses, we also provide support with recruiting overseas workers, employee relocations and establishing or expanding operations in Germany.

Page Contents

• Immigrating to Germany: Challenges Involved
• Our Germany Immigration Law Services
• Legal Support for Foreign Businesses and Entrepreneurs
• Short-Term German Visas
• German Visas for Employment Purposes
• Special German Visa Options for Certain Professions
• Germany Study Visa
• Family Reunification in Germany
• Retiring in Germany
• Permanent Residency in Germany
• Citizenship in Germany
• Relocation Services: Moving to Germany
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

German immigration can involve several stages, and choosing the correct route is only the beginning. Depending on the application, you may need to satisfy specific qualification, employment, salary, financial, accommodation or family-relationship requirements, provide translated or recognised documents, and complete procedures with different German authorities.

Mistakes or missing evidence can result in delays or potentially affect the outcome of an application. Our German immigration lawyers can help you identify the correct route from the outset, prepare a complete application and address issues that arise during processing, giving you clearer oversight of the process from initial planning through to residence in Germany.

Businesses employing or relocating international workers to Germany must navigate both immigration requirements and related employment and social security obligations. Getting these requirements right from the outset can help businesses avoid compliance issues, delays to employee mobility and potential penalties.

Total Law supports international businesses with a range of German immigration and mobility matters. This includes sending overseas employees to Germany on assignments, recruiting international workers, investing in German businesses, establishing subsidiaries and setting up new businesses or start-ups. We can also advise business owners and entrepreneurs who intend to relocate to Germany with their families.

Our lawyers can coordinate the immigration aspects of your plans from initial strategy through to visa and residence applications, helping your business manage its international workforce while allowing you to focus on establishing, expanding and operating successfully in Germany.

Foreign nationals from visa-required countries for Germany may need to apply for a short-term visa to travel to the country and stay there for up to 90 days in any 180 day period, for various purposes such as tourism, business visa, medical treatment, visiting family or friends etc. Some nationalities may travel without a Schengen visa, but this route does not permit working or permanently living in Germany and does not lead to settlement/permanent residence status or citizenship.

Depending on the purpose behind your trip, the eligibility criteria and documentation requirements will vary, and it is advisable to seek legal help even when applying for a short-term visa in Germany.

Our team of competent lawyers and immigration advisers can guide you from start to finish, and also complete and submit your German short-term visa application on your behalf. In case your visa application is rejected, we can advise you on the next steps as well, as applicable in your scenario.

If you are planning to live and work in Germany on a long-term basis. We will guide you through the various options available to skilled foreign workers.

• In most circumstances, you will require a job offer for a qualified position from a German employer, to be eligible to apply for a work visa in Germany.
• In general, you must possess a degree/qualification that is either recognised in Germany or comparable to a German degree and
• You may also get a work visa without having any formal qualifications or a university degree to work in an IT specialist role in Germany, if you can meet certain prerequisites.
• Other possible options may be available bespoke to your circumstances, and depend on your age, nationality, career, skillset and professional standing. From the German Freelance visa to the Opportunity Card, you can reach out to a lawyer for a full review best suited to you.

After travelling to Germany on a work visa, you will have to apply for a residence permit, under Section 18a or Section 18b of the German Residence Act, to take up qualified employment in the country as a skilled worker.

EU Blue Card

You may also apply for a EU Blue Card in Germany if you meet the eligibility requirements, which is a residence title for foreign academics and people with comparable qualifications to work in an EU Member State, i.e. Germany in this context.

The Federal Employment Agency in Germany will need to approve your employment, whether applying for a work visa or a EU Blue Card, after thoroughly assessing whether your conditions of employment correspond to those of German workers in a similar position. Our legal team also offers counsel in this area if required.

Support No Matter the Route

Our experts work with you to evaluate the options available to you. It is important to understand the requirements and obligations as an employer and individual to comply with immigration law. We highlight your options with information such as your occupation, salary, savings, family and immigration goals.

Specialist Routes

There are certain regulated professions in Germany, e.g. healthcare professionals, pharmacists, teachers, architects etc., for which you may either need a licence or meet additional standards. For example, if you are a doctor, you will need a licence to practise in Germany. Similarly, if you a foreign national taking up a teaching position in Germany, the relevant authorities will first ensure that your professional qualification level meets the stipulated standards.

Commuting to Germany

There are special visa options for cross-border commuters of foreign nationalities, who work in Germany but reside in a neighbouring state, and who go back to their residence at least once a week. To avoid any difficulties related to social security, tax liability and vehicle registration, Germany provides a border-crossing certificate that helps these commuters obtain a residence title and an employment permit in the country.

Intra-Company Transfers

There are multiple available options for businesses to send foreign workers to Germany. While the EU has a reciprocal agreement allowing cross-border work, it is important that HR teams are aware of their obligations and compliant routes depending on the nationality of the employed worker. Non-EU workers, including agency staff and employees from another office can be posted for short-term assignments or contracts in Germany. Our team can help make this operation seamless.

Such legal nuances might be very difficult for an individual or even a foreign company to understand. This is where our Total Law team can help you, with our bespoke immigration service offerings.

If you wish to pursue higher education in Germany, you will need to apply for a long-term national visa to travel to the country (if from visa-required countries) and a temporary residence permit for study purposes after your arrival.

To obtain a German student visa/residence permit, you must have either been accepted by state-recognised universities or higher educational institutions in Germany, or enrolled in full-time language courses, vocational training or internships in the country. You must also have sufficient financial means to cover your stay and tuition fees in Germany.

After completing your studies, you may also be eligible to apply for a job seeker’s visa to explore options for working in Germany. Our team of immigration advisers can discuss your options with you at length, and help you choose the most suitable route depending on your circumstances.

Eligible family members of a citizen or resident in Germany may join them under the family reunification principles. After travelling to Germany on a Family Reunion visa, they will need to apply for a temporary residence permit for family reunification purposes.

Although subjected to rigorous scrutiny and stringent checking by German immigration authorities to verify the authenticity of relationship claims, migrating to Germany as spouses/civil partners and minor children of a German citizen or resident is comparatively easier than as other dependent relatives or adult, unmarried children.

In the latter case, you will have to show enough evidence of unavoidable hardship if you cannot join your German citizen/resident relatives, to be eligible to apply for a Family Reunion visa.

While Germany does not offer a retirement visa, foreign nationals with sufficient financial means to support themselves and their family members in the country can apply for a temporary residence permit.

Such individuals must not rely on any employment opportunity in Germany to make a living, nor will they have access to public funds. Moreover, they must also have health insurance covering themselves and their family members in the country.

Our immigration advisers can take you through the different options for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Germany, as well as extending permission to settle in Germany after retirement.

After spending a certain amount of time in Germany on a temporary residence permit, you may be eligible to apply for a permanent residence title in the country. This is, however, not applicable for international students residing in Germany on temporary residence permits for study purposes.

The recommended amount of time you have to spend in Germany for obtaining a permanent residence title will vary depending on the type of your temporary residence permit.

Moreover, there are two pathways to permanent residency in Germany, through a settlement permit or a permanent EU Resident Permit. Although both of them are almost identical in terms of rights and benefits, which one you choose will ultimately depend on your circumstances and travel requirements.

We at Total Law can not only help you make that decision, but also assist you throughout the process, from helping you arrange for required supporting documents to completing and submitting your application form on your behalf.

You may be eligible to apply for German citizenship by naturalisation after spending eight consecutive years in the country on a permanent residence title. Or you may obtain German citizenship through descent if you can prove your familial links to the country.

In both cases, an applicant will have to prove their interest in Germany and willingness to make it their new home, in addition to fulfilling the eligibility and documentation requirements. Given the legalities involved, hiring legal representation is of utmost importance if you want to obtain German citizenship.

Dual Citizenship in Germany

Germany at present does not generally allow dual citizenship. German citizenship law is based on the principle of avoiding multiple citizenships, although there are a few exceptions, such as:

• Children who have received dual citizenship through descent, where one of the parent is a German citizen.
• People who have applied for a German Retention Permit and been granted the same prior to applying for a foreign citizenship.
• Citizens of another EU Member State or Switzerland.

Please consult our competent and experienced immigration lawyers to receive bespoke legal advice regarding your German citizenship application, and/or whether you may be able to have dual citizenship in Germany.

Relocating to Germany comes with its own challenges. Starting from purchasing or renting an accommodation, opening a bank account, purchasing health insurance (where applicable) to actually moving to Germany physically, it takes a lot of paperwork and a thorough understanding of how the German bureaucratic and administrative systems work.

Our Total Law team not only can help you through the process, but also complete some of the tasks on your behalf so that you can concentrate on settling down in Germany as well as integrating with the German society.