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Visa, Residence Permit & Registration
The following students do not require a visa to enter Germany; they only have to present a valid travel document (usually in form of a passport):
● citizens of countries belonging to the European Union/EU or the European Economic Area/EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway);
● citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA;
● citizens of Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino – provided that they do not want to engage in gainful employment before and after their studies.
Students from any other countries then those mentioned above need a visa to enter Germany. Please apply:
● either for a student applicant visa (valid for three months, can be changed to a residence permit for study purposes after registration with the university)
● or a national visa for study purposes (for a stay longer than three months and up to a year).
Please do not apply for a so-called Schengen Visa. This type of visa only allows a short-term stay in Germany up to three months and is intended to cover stays for touristic or business purposes. It is NOT POSSIBLE to extend a Schengen Visa. Once the visa has expired, you are required to leave the country. It is also impossible to change a Schengen visa into another type of visa. This means, for instance, that a Schengen cannot be converted into a student applicant visa or a national visa.
The responsibility for issuing visas lies with the embassies and consulates-general of the Federal Republic of Germany. Here you can read up on the German diplomatic missions and consular.
Please get in touch with the authority in charge of your visa application at an early stage of your travel planning to learn more about the application procedures and the documents you will need to provide. If you’re planning to stay in Germany for several years in order to complete a degree program (e.g. a B. A./B. Sc. or M. A./M. Sc. program), your residence permit has to be renewed at regular intervals. Please bear in mind that the aliens department assumes that you will achieve the purpose of your stay, i. e. your studies, in an adequate period of time. The aliens department assumes that you focus on your studies in due order if you do not overstep the foreseen period of study (for instance six semesters for most of the B. A. or B. Sc. programs) for more than three semesters. If you need to interrupt your studies for important reasons, e.g. because you have seriously fallen ill, please inform your aliens department early. If you are planning to alter your subject of study, please get in touch with the aliens department before you effectuate the change – you need the authority’s assent! Please also talk to the authority in case you intend to take up postgraduate studies such as a M. A. or M. Sc. program or do a doctorate. The International Office of the University of Marburg is one of the first places to go if you have questions concerning your studies and your residence status or the right thereof.
Registration with Local Authorities
Within one week of your arrival in Germany, you are required to register with the local authorities ("polizeilich anmelden"). If you move to a new address or move away from Marburg, you are required to re-register ("ummelden") or cancel the registration ("abmelden"). You will need to proceed to the so-called "Einwohnermeldeamt" (known as Stadtbüro in Marburg) to register; all necessary forms are available there. For registration, you will need your passport.
Are you a citizen of one of the EU or EEA member states? If yes, you may already obtain a certificate concerning your residence in Germany, a so-called Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung, from the Einwohnermeldeamt. Generally, you will have to present a biometric passport photograph, a matriculation certificate from the university, proof of health insurance and your rental agreement. If you live outside of the city of Marburg, please contact the registration office of the municipality in charge.
If you come from a country whose citizens are not required to apply for a visa to enter Germany and intend to stay here for longer than 3 months or if you have a visa but are intending to stay longer than the duration of this visa, you have to apply for a student residence permit. This is possible online on the website of the foreigner’s office. Please submit the request early as the process can take some time.
You can find the online form for applying for a student residence permit here.
Nota bene: In case of any change in address, please also inform the University’s International Office or Registrar’s Office ("Studierendensekretariat")