If you plan to stay in Germany for more than 90 days because you intend to study, work or join your spouse, you have to apply for a long-term or national visa.

Citizens of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the Republic of Korea, as well as EU citizens may apply for their residence permit after entering Germany without a visa.

Service partner VisaMetric

The German Embassy works together with the service partner VisaMetric. VisaMetric assists with the acceptance of the following categories for national visas:

• employment visa for professionals with an academic degree (e.g. Blue Card Visa)
• employment visa for professionals with vocational training
• family reunion to these two categories of employment visas
• researchers/ guest scientists
• study with unconditional acceptance letter from a German university
• Working Holiday Programme

VisaMetric will forward the complete application documents to the visa office and handles the return of your passport. The application is processed exclusively by the German Embassy. Applications for a national visa for one of the above mentioned categories can be submitted at the visa center of VisaMetric.

Further information and assistance via VisaMetric.

Embassy Applications

All other categories for a national visa have to be submitted at the Embassy.

In this case, please contact the Embassy via our contact form to arrange an appointment. Please prepare your visa file according to our checklists:

• Employment Visa (without academic degree or vocational training)
• Au Pair
• Family reunion with German spouse or children

• Family reunion with foreign spouse or children

• Study in Germany / Search for a place to study

• German Language course

• Chancenkarte

Consular Services Portal online applications

The Consular Services Portal provides an easy and secure online application procedure for visas to enter and stay in Germany.

• Complete your application online and have it checked in advance by our Embassy to ensure that it is complete.
• You will receive feedback and if any additional documentation is required you can make corrections directly on the portal.
• After the preliminary review is completed, you will receive a link to book an on-site appointment directly at the Embassy.
• During the appointment you just need to provide your biometric data (fingerprints and photo) and pay the fee.
• After the appointment the Embassy will decide on your visa application and the passport will be sent back to you by post.

During the current pilot phase, only online applications for certain types of visas are available at our Embassy. It is now possible to apply online through the Consular Services Portal for the following two categories:

• Employment Visa (without academic degree or vocational training)
• Chancenkarte

Find information on the Consular Services Portal by clicking here

You can find answers to the most frequently asked questions by visiting: Top 10 Questions on the Consular Services Portal

Requirements

In order to apply for a visa:

• Your passport must have at least two empty pages for visas.
• Your passport must have been issued within the last ten years.
• Furthermore, you must provide proof of legal residence in Ireland, such as a valid Irish Residence Permit (IRP) card or Irish Visa.

Visa applicants will have their fingerprints taken. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints.

Application form and documents

Please fill in the Videx for National Visa Applications Form before you attend your appointment and prepare all necessary documents. This will ensure a smooth application process.

You have to submit your application in person. Please bring your with passport pictures, your passport, documents for your purpose of your stay listed in the articles above and the visa fee to your appointment. If you fail to bring all required documents, this may result in your application not being processed and you may be required to make a follow up appointment.

All documents submitted must be genuine and correct in content. Your application will be refused if documents are falsified or untrue. The deception about the purpose of travel will also lead to the refusal of your application.
Submitting all documents will not automatically justify a right to a visa. It might be possible that you have to hand in additional documents.

Please do not send in documents before you applied for your visa. Once you submitted your application, please do not send in additional documents without being asked to do so. Hosts should send their documents to the applicants and not to the visa section.

If you are asked to send in additional documents, please state your full name and your file number.

Visa fees and passport return

All application forms and checklists are free of charge.

The visa fee for a national visa is 75, - Euros. Please note the Service partner charges an additional service fee. For details visit VisaMetric.

If you filed your application with VisaMetric you will be able to collect your passport at the VisaMetric application centre or pay a fee for postal service at your appointment.

For applications filed directly at the Embassy collection will not be possible and a fee for postal service will be charged at your appointment.

Processing time

Please note that the processing time of your application can take up to several months depending on the purpose of your intended stay in Germany.

The processing of your application might take longer if your documents need to be checked more thoroughly or you are asked to submit more documents. Please note that inquiries about the status of the visa application cannot be answered.

Visa Decision

If all legal requirements are met and the automated security check came back negative, your visa will be granted. The visa sticker will be printed and attached to your passport.

Your visa includes your full name, your passport number and your photo. Furthermore, it includes the number of days and the time period within which you are allowed to travel to Germany.

Please check all data on your visa immediately after picking up or receiving your passport. Please contact VisaMetric or the Embassy immediately if you notice any mistakes.

We will correct your visa at once.

Please register with the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) immediately after taking up residence in Germany. Furthermore, please book an appointment with the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in your new home town. Depending on where you take up residence, there might be some waiting time before appointments are available.

It is possible to travel to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in 180 days with your valid passport and your national visa.

You can find more useful information on settling in Germany at the Website “Make it in Germany”.

If your application was not approved, you will receive a refusal letter explaining the reasons of the refusal. Please note that this letter will be in German.

Find the Embassy

German Embassy Dublin

31 Trimleston Avenue

Booterstown / Blackrock

Co. Dublin

A94 TX94

By BUS

From the city centre: Take the bus route 4, 7 or 7a southbound and alight at stop number 425 (“Merrion Road/Bellevue Avenue”), across from the Tara Towers Hotel and an Applegreen petrol station. Cross the road at the traffic lights and continue into Trimleston Avenue. At the fork, keep left. The Embassy is situated on the right hand side of Trimleston Avenue approx. 150 m from the Junction.

By DART

From the city centre: Take the DART (destination Bray or Greystones) and alight at Booterstown station. At the exit of the car park, turn right into Rock Road and walk as far as the next set of traffic lights. Cross here and continue into Trimleston Avenue. At the fork, keep left. The Embassy is situated on the right hand side of Trimleston Avenue approx. 150 m from the junction.