Logo
Logo
Logo
Logo
  • About
    • Locations & Coverage
    • Press Releases
    • Recognition
    • Pro Bono
  • People
  • Services
    • Column 1
      • Auditing
      • Business Visas
      • Citizenship
      • Comparative Country Analysis
      • Compliance
      • Consular Services
      • Consulting
      • Covid-19 Task Force
    • Column 2
      • Data Analytics
      • Document Acquisition and Authentication
      • Employment Visas
      • Forecasting
      • Government Affairs
      • Knowledge Management
      • Management Reporting
      • Outsourcing
    • Column 3
      • Passport Services
      • Permanent Residence
      • Program and Policy Services
      • Strategic Planning
      • Technology Solutions
      • Training
  • News
  • Resources
    • Global Trends
    • Events
    • Advisor
    • Country Overviews
    • BAL Perspectives
    • DACA Resource Center
  • Careers
  • Share
  • Client Login
Client Login
  • Home
  •  /  Resources
  •  /  Country Overviews
  •  /  Germany
  • Country Overviews

Germany

At a Glance

Capital Berlin
Language German
Population 83,784,000
GDP Total $3.9 trillion
GDP Per Capita $47,513.70
Assessing Travel and Visa Obligations

 

When traveling to Germany, your nationality and the types of activities you will conduct during your trip will determine whether you may travel lawfully as a business visitor or if you require work authorization. Please seek advice from your immigration counsel if you are uncertain about the specific types of activities that constitute business or work.

 

Traveling for Business

 

What types of activities may I engage in as a business visitor?

As a business visitor to Germany, you may engage in the activities below. While this list is not exhaustive and other activities could qualify as business, you may:

  • » Attend business meetings and negotiations
  • » Attend job interviews
  • » Conduct commercial activities for an employer inside of Germany
  • » Tour a company facility

 

If I qualify as a business visitor, do I need a visa for Germany?

Nationals of the European Union, the United States, and many other select countries are eligible for a visa waiver and are not required to obtain a visa in order to enter and conduct business activities in Germany.

Germany is a member of the Schengen Area, a free-travel zone comprised of 26 European countries. If your nationality is not eligible for a visa waiver in the Schengen Area, you will be required to obtain a Schengen C Visa prior to travel. Visa-waivered nationals, as well as those who are required to obtain a visa, are authorized to travel to Germany and throughout the Schengen Area. Please note that travelers may not spend more than 90 days within any 180-day period inside the Schengen Area.

 

Working in Germany

 

What types of activities require work authorization?

As a business visitor, the activities below, whether paid or unpaid, generally constitute work under German law. This list is not exhaustive, and many other professional activities are considered work in Germany, even if conducted for a short duration.

  • » Project implementation
  • » Marketing
  • » Consulting

In limited circumstances, business travelers may engage in specialized professional and technical activities by obtaining an abbreviated work permission under Paragraph 19, although certain strict preconditions must be met. An individual assessment is required before deciding whether an abbreviated work permission is applicable.

 

If I am traveling to Germany for work, what type of work authorization do I need?

The requirements for work authorization depend on your qualifications, on the nature and duration of your work, and on whether your employer has an entity in Germany. The most common types of work authorization for Germany are:

  • » Work and Residence Permit (work authorization for local hires)
    • » Highly Qualified Specialists
    • » Qualified Professionals
    • » IT Specialists
    • » International Staff Exchange Program
  • » EU Blue Card (work permit for highly-skilled direct hires)
  • » Intra-Company Transfer Card (work authorization for managers, specialists, and trainees transferred from a company based outside the EU to a host entity in Germany that belongs to the same company or group of companies)
  • » Mobile Intra-Company Transfer Card (work authorization for third-country nationals who already hold an EU ICT Card from another EU member state)

 

Is it possible to be exempted from work authorization requirements?

Nationals from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Switzerland are not required to obtain a work permit in order to work in Germany. However, registrations or other formalities may be required prior to working or residing in Germany.

Additional work authorization exemptions are available in Germany under Vander Elst rules. In this case, a legal assessment to determine the possibilities for a work authorization exemption should be obtained prior to traveling.

 

What else should I know?

 

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which governs post-Brexit relations between the EU and the U.K., has altered immigration regulations in the affected countries. Please be sure to contact your immigration representative for full details regarding the TCA's impact in Germany.

Inevitably, the legal and strategic considerations impacting visa selection, as well as visa waiver and work authorization eligibility, entail the careful consideration of many factors. We recommend that you consult with your immigration counsel before taking any course of action.

 

Copyright © 2021 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. Government immigration agencies often change their policies and practices without notice; please consult an immigration professional for up-to-date information. This document does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. BAL maintains comprehensive immigration information and processing specifics for our clients.


News and Events

11 Dec 20

Brexit: New information for U.K. nationals in Germany

Germany

13 Nov 20

COVID-19: New entry requirements aimed at slowing coronavirus

COVID-19 Germany

4 Nov 20

EU Blue Card salary minimums set to increase...

Germany

2 Oct 20

COVID-19: General travel warning to end, shift to...

COVID-19 Germany

25 Sep 20

COVID-19: Expired visa holders from Schengen countries should...

COVID-19 Germany

16 Sep 20

COVID 19: Jewish immigrants now allowed entry

Germany

13 Aug 20

COVID-19: New testing protocol takes effect

COVID-19 Germany

20 Mar 20

Travel restrictions expanded

COVID-19 Germany

17 Mar 20

All non-essential businesses to shut down, most travel...

COVID-19 Germany

7 Feb 20

Temporary closure of all Visa Application centers in...

Germany

  • Previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • Next

At a Glance

Capital Berlin
Language German
Population 83,784,000
GDP Total $3.9 trillion
GDP Per Capita $47,513.70

Related News

  • Ireland, U.K. removed from ‘virus variant’ list

    GERMANY   26 Mar 21

  • COVID-19: Testing requirement for all travelers from high-risk...

    GERMANY   26 Jan 21

  • Brexit: New information for U.K. nationals in Germany

    GERMANY   11 Dec 20

  • COVID-19: New entry requirements aimed at slowing coronavirus

    GERMANY   13 Nov 20

  • EU Blue Card salary minimums set to increase...

    GERMANY   4 Nov 20

  • COVID-19: General travel warning to end, shift to...

    GERMANY   2 Oct 20

  • COVID-19: Expired visa holders from Schengen countries should...

    GERMANY   25 Sep 20

  • COVID 19: Jewish immigrants now allowed entry

    GERMANY   16 Sep 20

  • COVID-19: New testing protocol takes effect

    GERMANY   13 Aug 20

  • Travel restrictions expanded

    GERMANY   20 Mar 20

  • All non-essential businesses to shut down, most travel...

    GERMANY   17 Mar 20

  • Temporary closure of all Visa Application centers in...

    GERMANY   7 Feb 20

  • Route to citizenship eased for descendants of National...

    GERMANY   28 Oct 19

  • EU Blue Card salary minimums set to increase...

    GERMANY   22 Oct 19

  • Skilled immigration law to take effect March 1

    GERMANY   3 Sep 19

  • Skilled immigration law to take effect March 1

    GERMANY   30 Aug 19

  • Officials waive preapproval requirements for internships under 90...

    GERMANY   24 Jun 19

  • New requirement aims to make sure employers meet...

    GERMANY   17 May 19

  • Consular services in Berlin suspended

    GERMANY, UNITED STATES   14 Jan 19

  • Detailed information to be required for work extension...

    GERMANY   18 Dec 18

  • Salary income threshold to increase for EU Blue...

    GERMANY   4 Dec 18

  • Coalition government proposes multi-pronged strategy to attract non-EU...

    GERMANY   24 Oct 18

  • Plans set for minimum-wage increase

    GERMANY   27 Jun 18

  • Germany adopts new family reunification law

    GERMANY   18 May 18

  • ICT card delays continue

    GERMANY   2 May 18

  • Wait times increasing at German Consulate in Bangalore

    GERMANY, INDIA   6 Apr 18

  • Increased wait times at German Embassy in Cairo

    GERMANY, EGYPT   6 Apr 18

  • ICT cards now required for stays of more...

    GERMANY   12 Mar 18

  • Immigration changes ahead as parties agree to form...

    GERMANY   6 Mar 18

  • ICT card issuance delayed due to system error

    GERMANY, EUROPEAN UNION   22 Feb 18

  • Formal negotiations underway for new ‘grand coalition’

    GERMANY   31 Jan 18

  • EU Blue Card minimums to increase

    GERMANY   16 Nov 17

  • Germany, other EU countries to extend border controls

    GERMANY, EUROPEAN UNION   19 Oct 17

  • Merkel wins fourth term, far-right party finishes third

    GERMANY   25 Sep 17

  • Merkel seen as favorite as Germans head for...

    GERMANY   22 Sep 17

  • Germany implements ICT directive, introducing new permit categories

    GERMANY   21 Aug 17

  • Delays at Munich Foreigners Office

    GERMANY   24 Apr 17

  • German Consulate in Los Angeles to close temporarily

    GERMANY, UNITED STATES   16 Nov 16

  • EU Blue Card minimums to increase

    GERMANY   7 Nov 16

  • No registration required for certain noncontinuous stays

    GERMANY   29 Jul 16

  • Implementation delayed for improvements to processing for certain...

    GERMANY   10 May 16

  • Closing of German missions may delay processing

    GERMANY, TURKEY   17 Mar 16

  • Improved procedures set for foreign employees, family members

    GERMANY   9 Feb 16

  • Delays continuing due to refugee crisis

    GERMANY   4 Feb 16

  • EU Blue Card minimum salaries to increase

    GERMANY   1 Dec 15

  • New registration guidelines now in place

    GERMANY   4 Nov 15

  • US Global Entry interviews available at several locations...

    GERMANY, UNITED STATES   14 Oct 15

  • Germany experiencing significant delays due to refugee crisis

    GERMANY   10 Sep 15

  • Germany opens labor market to Croatians

    GERMANY, CROATIA   19 Jun 15

  • Germany providing 48-hour visa turnaround for Chinese business...

    CHINA, GERMANY   5 Jun 15

  • Some family visas may be issued without pre-approval...

    GERMANY   10 Apr 15

  • German government clarifies minimum-wage law

    GERMANY   16 Mar 15

  • Academic enrollment certificate copies now accepted for internship...

    GERMANY   3 Mar 15

  • US and German citizens eligible for streamlined travel...

    GERMANY, UNITED STATES   15 Jan 15

  • Salary thresholds raised for EU Blue Card applicants...

    GERMANY   30 Dec 14

  • Munich Foreign Office experiencing significant delays

    GERMANY   12 Jun 14

{{ text }}
  • Contact Us
  • BAL Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Legal Notice
  • Disclaimer

©2021 Berry Appleman & Leiden. All Rights Reserved. 2400 N. Glenville Dr., Bldg A, Richardson, TX 75082. Jeremy Fudge, Managing Partner.