Entry requirements/period of residence

What do you need to know before starting to work in Bavaria, Germany? And what do you need to take into account during your stay to make sure your are on the right side of the law? You can find answers to these questions in this category.

Citizens of Europe and the EU

As a citizen of a European or EU country, you do not usually need a visa to enter Germany, nor do you need to apply for a residency or work permit. You can work in Bavaria at any time. However, because restrictions are currently in place for some European countries, separate permits must be applied for in these cases from the Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung (ZAV) of the Federal Employment Agency, in order to work in Germany. More details and information can be gained from the local foreigner registration offices in Bavaria (see list of links)

Citizens of other countries

Citizens of all other countries require a residency permit which explicitly allows you to work in Germany. In accordance with the German Residence Act, the following residency permits exist (August 2012):

• Visa
• Permission to reside (a limited-period residency permit)
• An EU Blue Card (a limited-period residency permit for highly-qualified workers)
• Settlement permit (an unlimited residency permit which authorises you to work)
• EU permanent residency permit (an unlimited residency permit which allows you to work; you can apply for it when you have legally lived in Germany for five years)

More details and information can be gained from the local foreigner registration offices in Bavaria (see list of links).

The migration check provided by the Federal Employment Agency offers an initial point of reference to find out whether you will have any problems working in Bavaria.