Student visa for Germany

[Fordian]

DS is supposedly going to Germany for half a year this Sept. He needs a student visa (thanks, Brexit); does anyone know how complex the procedure is?

I don't know about Germany but I do know about Japan. Japan only opened to students on 1st March after Covid. DD's Japanese university sent the visa form to her UK university; there is an office in her UK uni that deals with exchange students. They sent the form to our home as DD moved back at Christmas. DD booked an appointment with the Japanese Embassy in London and train tickets. She went to London, was interviewed then told to book another appointment to collect it. She went back a week later. Then we booked airline tickets. She flew mid-April.

Get your DS to contact his university to find who handles exchanges/year abroad study. They should be able to point him in the direction of paperwork. Do it sooner rather than later as once A level results are out, things will go crazy.

The same office in DD's uni also handled the Turing grant award money (I can't remember the exact name). DD didn't have to do anything, it was just sent to her. She's currently spending it on a hotel in Tokyo and some day trips as she comes back next week.

Your ds has left it very late. I doubt he can get a visa before September, but his University should help and direct him in the right direction.

My dc is also going to Germany for a year.

Yes, the Turing/Erasmus grant is also organised by his home Uni, but that's fairly straightforward.

Just asked DD who has done a year abroad with Germany for uni and this is her response, "I've just completed my year abroad in Germany, and unless something has changed, you should not need a Visa to enter Germany. The information can be a little confusing because other countries require a visa, but you shouldn't need one if you are a British citizen. You can enter Germany with just your passport, then you will need to obtain a residence permit within three months, which should then be eligible for a year or the remainder of your studies. There is a lot of paperwork but it took a lot of stress off knowing that I was already in Germany. Everyone I know who was also studying was able to successfully obtain residency".

He appears to need a student visa then residency.

DD hasn't got a visa. They asked her the reason for her visit on entry (as they did us when we visited), which in her case was to study. She was allowed entry on her passport. She had to apply for the residency within three months of being there. It's done in German so you need someone to translate, but she had no problem as German students are very friendly. She uses her residency card for travelling around Europe (visited a couple of other eu countries from Germany). She's presently home, but will go back next week as she has two weeks left on her tenancy and she wants to make the most of Germany, as she's loved it there.

If any doubt, it might be worth phoning the German Embassy.

Posted this initially in error on the History and German thread...

uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/visa/university-studies/2449178

Visa-free travel

British nationals do not require visas or residence permits for study or research visits not exceeding 90 days within a 180-day period - provided that they do not pursue any economic activity. This privilege also applies to all other nationals who do not require visas for visits not exceeding 90 days.

For any stay exceeding the time limit above, British citizens may apply to the local immigration office (“Ausländerbehörde”) for their residence permit after arrival in Germany and without having obtained a visa prior to travelling to Germany. Please note that any application for a residence permit needs to be filed within the first 90 days of your stay in Germany. We strongly recommend contacting the local immigration office as soon as possible after your arrival in Germany in order to secure a timely appointment. The visa-free privilege is also extended to citizens of Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Korea (republic), Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino and the United States of America. It is important to note that you may only take up employment once you have been issued a residence permit explicitly authorising the employment.

All other nationalities require a visa prior to travelling to Germany.

Hmm... Slightly confusing, as it then goes on to say what you neeed to show when applying for your visa to study abroad, including students enrolled at a UK university entering Germany to study, including on a semester / year abroad.

DD was in France last year and definitely was under the impression that for that country, she needed a student visa and she qent through a process v.similar to the one described on the German site (I think that the TLS centre in Wandsworth processes visa applications for both). In her case, she had to wait quite a long time for her initial appointment, although that was due to a Covo-relayed office closure at TLS, which should not be an issue this year, but then it only took a week for the visa to be approved and she flew out two days later. Hopefully the German officials would be just as efficient.

DD has been in Germany for 10 months and most definitely just has a residence permit, not a visa. I think she had to apply for it within three months of entry.

She lost her passport out in Germany and recently realised the passport number on her residence permit was different to her new passport number, just before flying for a week with us. She couldn't get through to the Embassy straight away, so phoned border police at the airport, but then managed to speak to the Embassy afterwards. Neither organisation queried that she had a residence permit, and luckily she doesn't need to update her permit!

By the way, DD has loved her experience in Germany. Her accommodation expires on 31 August, so she's waiting to the last minute (that day) to come home.

DD is planning to spend a few months studying in Germany, organising it independently, and may then possibly apply to do a degree there. We understand German but struggled to get our heads round when you need a student visa and when you just need a temporary residence permit. Our understanding is that if you are there for up to a year and don't want to do any paid employment, then a residence permit is enough. It may or may not allow you to get paid employment. For longer than that, or to be sure that you can work, get a temp residence permit after arrival, and then apply for a student visa without having to rush.