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Frequently asked questions about visas
It is possible that your question has already been answered here. Please therefore take a look at these questions before contacting the Embassy directly.
FAQ
You need a visa if you plan to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, or if you plan to stay in Germany for less than 90 days but intend to work during your stay.
Please note: If you are a citizen of a European Union member state, you do not need a visa.
If you are a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, or the United States, you do not need to apply for a visa.
After entering the country, you can contact the immigration office responsible for your place of residence directly and apply for a residence permit there.
Please note that you may only take up employment once you have been issued a residence permit that expressly permits such employment. If you wish to work immediately upon entry, you must apply for a visa in advance.
If you hold a Permesso di soggiorno per soggiornanti di lungo periodo UE, please refer to the answer to Question No. 6.
Foreign nationals with a valid Italian residence permit and a valid passport or travel document (recognized by Germany) do not need a visa for tourism purposes for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period (six months!) in Germany. You must always carry your passport and residence permit with you.
Even if you can enter Germany for visit or tourism purposes with an Italian residence permit allowing 90 days within 180 days, you must also meet the entry requirements. This means that you
a) carry your valid passport, which must not be more than 10 years old, and your valid Italian residence permit (residence card, not a “Ricevuta” or extension application),
b) be able to prove the pur pose and duration of your stay,
c) be able to prove that you have sufficient means of support (sufficient financial resources for the trip and the purpose of your stay), and
d) be able to prove that you have adequate health insurance coverage.
If you do not meet these requirements, you may be denied entry during a check. There is no legal right to enter Germany.
If you wish to work in Germany for a period of less than 90 days, you may need a visa. Please read the information in the Short-Term Visa section.
Further information for calculation of the 90 days within 180 days can be found here or through usage of the EU residence-calculator
No.
You may only enter Germany for up to 90 days (within a 180-day period) if you have a valid Italian residence permit.
It is not possible to enter Germany with an expired Italian residence permit and the requested extension (Ricevuta)!
Since you live in Italy, you must contact the Italian authorities (Questura) for all matters related to your stay in the Schengen Area.
No. The Embassy generally does not process applications for Schengen visas.
Please contact the Questura with jurisdiction over your area and apply for an Italian residence permit.
In urgent cases, the Questura may issue a so-called “permesso di soggiorno provvisorio” (temporary residence permit). For further questions, please contact the Questura. The Embassy cannot assist with this matter
In general, you are not permitted to work without a visa for employment lasting less than 90 days. Exceptions may apply, for example, for internships, artistic performances, or summer jobs. Please contact us to determine whether you need a visa or not.
For any employment lasting more than 90 days, you must apply for a visa before entering the country
However, there are exceptions:
- Citizens of the EU, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland do not require a visa.
- Citizens of the following countries also do not require a visa upon entry and may apply for the necessary residence permit in Germany at the Foreigners’ Registration Office:
Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
However, you may not begin working until you have obtained the appropriate German residence permit. Please therefore inquire about processing times at the relevant Foreigners’ Registration Office.
No. For any stay longer than 90 days, you must generally apply for a visa before entering the country. The only exceptions are described in questions 1 and 6.
Generally, no. In most cases, you can enter Germany without a visa using your EU long-term residence permit and apply for a residence permit directly at the immigration office responsible for your place of residence. Please note that you may not take up employment in Germany until you have received permission to do so from the immigration office.
To ensure that the immigration office will accept your application, we recommend contacting them before you enter the country.
Please also note the information for holders of a long-term EU residence permit: https://italien.diplo.de/it-it/servizi/2582310-2582310
You must first report the loss of your documents to the Italian police; be sure to keep the report in a safe place.
In our experience, returning home by plane or by car/train is generally possible without any problems if you have the loss report, a newly issued passport/travel document from your home country, and a photo or copy of your residence permit. However, the Embassy cannot guarantee this.
If you no longer have a photo or copy of your residence permit, you should contact the immigration office responsible for your case and request a certificate confirming your right of residence.
Alternatively, you can apply for a re-entry visa at the German Embassy in Rome. However, this procedure costs €75 and may take several weeks to months, so it is generally not suitable for tourists.
You can fill out and print the application form for free via VIDEX.
Alternatively, you can download it from our website and fill it out by hand.
All application forms are available free of charge.
You may only apply for a visa with us if you have your habitual residence in Italy.
You must provide proof of this during your in-person appointment, which must be scheduled in advance. If you are unable to provide such proof, your visa application unfortunately cannot be accepted.
Examples of acceptable documentation include a certificate of residence, a lease agreement, pay stubs, utility bills, etc.
If you are only staying in Italy temporarily—for example, on vacation—or have already moved your residence to another country and are entering Italy solely for the purpose of the in-person interview, you cannot apply for a visa at the Embassy in Rome.
You can find detailed information here, depending on the purpose of your planned stay: https://italien.diplo.de/it-it/servizi/visa-aktuell
If you still have your habitual residence in Italy, you may still apply for a visa. In that case, please bring a copy of your expired permesso di soggiorno as well as proof of your application for renewal. The embassy also requires a copy of the postal receipt confirming that you applied for the renewal before your Italian residence permit expired.
Please note: If the Italian authorities have already rejected your application for renewal or issuance of a residence permit, you generally cannot apply for a visa at the Embassy.
Every applicant, including minors, must appear in person to apply for a visa.
In the case of minors, both legal guardians must be present when the application is submitted.
During the application process, the applicant’s identity is verified and biometric data is collected.
The visa fee is generally €75. Children under 5 years of age are exempt from the fee. Minors between the ages of 6 and 18 pay a reduced fee of € 37.50.
The processing time depends on the intended purpose and the involvement of other authorities. Therefore, an exact duration cannot be determined.
You should expect a processing time of up to 3 months; in the case of family reunification, it may take up to 1 year or longer.
The processing time begins only once the documents are complete. Please prepare the application documents carefully. This way, you can help ensure faster processing.
The embassy must review each application individually. However, the information sheets can only provide general guidance that covers most, but not all, scenarios. Therefore, you may be asked to submit a document that is not listed in the information sheet. The fact that additional documents are requested does not mean that a visa will not be issued.
The Embassy does not offer telephone consultations regarding visas. The German Embassy is not authorized to provide legal advice on matters of residence and employment law, on preparing your application, or on its chances of success. Please contact a specialized attorney, the Federal Employment Agency, or the Foreigners’ Registration Office for such matters.
The Embassy can only review documents and assess the situation in individual cases after the application has been submitted.
Information regarding ongoing proceedings is also not available by phone.
You can now apply for certain visas online. This allows you to receive confirmation in advance that your documents are complete. Your appointment at the diplomatic mission will then proceed quickly and efficiently: you will present your original documents, provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo), and pay the fee.
You can currently apply for the following visas online:
- NEW: Visa for family reunion (to your spouse/children/parents)
- Opportunity Card
- Blue Card (EU)
- Employment with a recognized university degree
- Employment with an equivalent qualified vocational training qualification
- Employment with professional experience
- Study and search for a study place
- Vocational training, continuing vocational education, and search for a training position (NO INTERNSHIP!)
Apply here now: https://digital.diplo.de/
Online applications are not yet available for any other visa categories. Visa applications that are clearly incorrect will not be processed and will be deleted. Therefore, please carefully verify in advance whether you are eligible to apply and under which category.
Currently, only a few visa categories are available for online application. Additional categories are in the works and will be made available in due course. You can always find the latest information and important updates on our website.
The Embassy is aware of the significant burden caused by difficulties in booking appointments. The Visa Office allocates the maximum possible number of appointments. However, demand far exceeds capacity.
If you do not see any available appointments in a specific category, this means that all available appointments have already been booked. New appointments are released regularly or become available from time to time when applicants cancel their booked appointments. We therefore recommend that you continue to visit our website regularly.
It is not possible to schedule an appointment by email or phone!
Appointment booking is free of charge and available to everyone equally via our website: https://service2.diplo.de/rktermin/extern/choose_realmList.do?locationCode=rom&request_locale=en
If you have received prior approval from the immigration office under the expedited skilled worker procedure pursuant to Section 81a of the Residence Act (AufenthG), you can book an appointment that suits you directly through our online appointment booking website.
If you are unable to book an available appointment, you can contact us via email (visa@rom.diplo.de) with a scan of the prior approval, and provided all requirements are met, an appointment will be assigned to you within 3 weeks of receiving your appointment request. It is not possible to request a specific date.
No. Even with pre-approval from the Federal Employment Agency, you cannot schedule an appointment by email; you must schedule an appointment through the booking system as usual
Please read through the information in the brochure we sent you together with your rejection letter. It explains all the options and provides all the necessary information.