Visa-Competence-Center
The Visa-Competence-Center offers a full national and international service for applying for employment permits in Germany and another 149 countries worldwide.
Learn more about:
Our National Visa Service
National Visa Service
In Germany, two main types of residence permits are available: the temporary residence permit and the settlement permit. They differ primarily in terms of their validity period. While the residence permit is usually issued for a limited period, the settlement permit is typically granted without limitation. Residence permits are issued for a total of 11 different categories of persons.
Our full-service offering:
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Consulting on the selection of the appropriate visa or employment permit
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Support in carrying out the application procedure
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Assistance in document preparation
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Translation services
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Legalisation and certification of documents
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Implementation of administrative procedures and processes
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Legal advice in immigration and residence law
Schengen Visa
A. Uniform Schengen Visa (USV):
The uniform Schengen visa is the authorization granted by a Schengen member state to enter or travel within the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period, starting from the date of entry.
Depending on the purpose of travel, the uniform Schengen visa covers two categories: “A” and “C.”
I. Category A:
Category “A” is an airport transit visa that allows the holder to remain in the international transit area of an airport within the Schengen area without entering the Schengen member state.
II. Category C:
Category “C” is a short-stay visa that allows the holder to stay in a Schengen member state for a specific period, depending on the visa’s validity. Depending on the purpose of the trip, this special category may be granted in the following form:
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The single-entry visa allows the holder to enter a Schengen member state once. The visa’s validity expires upon leaving the country, even if the approved period of stay has not yet ended.
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The double-entry visa, also known as a dual visa, is subject to the same conditions as the single-entry visa but allows the holder to enter a Schengen member state twice — meaning they may enter, leave, and re-enter during the visa’s validity. The visa expires upon leaving the country for the second time.
- The multiple-entry visa, also known as a multiple visa, allows the holder to cross the borders of Schengen member states multiple times. However, the stay within the Schengen area may not exceed 90 days within any six-month period, starting from the date the external border between a Schengen member state and a third country was first crossed.
B. Limited Territorial Validity Visa (LTV):
The Limited Territorial Validity Visa (LTV) allows the holder to travel only within the Schengen member state that issued the visa or, in certain cases, to specific Schengen states explicitly indicated in the visa. This type of visa is issued only in exceptional circumstances.
C. The national visa
The national visa of category “D” is granted to individuals who study, work, or reside permanently in a Schengen member state. The national visa entitles the holder to a single entry and is issued to individuals who need to stay in a Schengen member state for a defined period and a specific purpose before returning to their home country. In certain cases, a multiple-entry visa may also be issued, allowing the holder to cross the borders of the issuing Schengen member state multiple times and to travel freely throughout the Schengen area without additional visa requirements.
To obtain a multiple-entry visa, certain criteria must be met:
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Participation in an international student program entitles the applicant to a visa valid for up to one year.
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A foreign student may obtain the visa if he or she enrols in a full-time study program in a Schengen member state. The visa is granted for one year and may be renewed.
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The visa may also be granted to an individual and their immediate family members for teaching or research activities at a higher education institution or research centre in one of the Schengen member states.
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The visa may be issued to a specialist travelling to a Schengen member state to share their expertise — for example, an athlete, artist, or other professional with specialised skills.
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The visa may also be granted in exceptional circumstances, such as a medical emergency preventing the person concerned from leaving the Schengen area within the prescribed period.
International Visa
Ranking und Service
Based on the frequency of employment permit applications in 2017, the highest number of applications was submitted for the following countries:
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USA
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Russia
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South Africa
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China
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Venezuela
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Paraguay
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The target countries vary each year depending on where our clients assign their employees.
The processing time for employment permit applications primarily depends on the number of required documents and the extent of the legalisation requirements. In addition, the processing time is influenced by the capacity of embassies and consulates, which varies from country to country.
Our full-service offering includes the following components:
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Consulting on the selection of the appropriate visa or employment permit
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Assistance throughout the application procedure
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Preparation of all required documents
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Certified translations
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Legalisation and authentication of documents
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Coordination and implementation of administrative procedures and processes
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Legal advice in immigration and residence law
Business Travel Visa
Application
For our cooperation partners we also apply business travel and tourist visas.
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