Who needs a visa?

Study-related internships (Art. 15 BeschV) are usually completed when studying at a foreign university after the fourth semester of study.

Internships with a duration of up to 90 days within a year are not considered employment. Therefore, citizens who do not need a visa for a short stay in Germany won’t need a residence permit for a study-related internship. You can find a list of these countries here: Overview of visa requirements for short-term stays

However, the consent of the Federal Employment Agency must be obtained. The employer will obtain this agreement for you.

Citizens who require a visa for a short stay in Germany also need a visa for the study-related internship in addition to the consent of the Federal Employment Agency.

How do I get an appointment to submit an application?

Please use the following link for a free registration on the waiting list for an appointment to apply for a visa at the Embassy in Paris: Visa section Appointment waiting list

Please expect a waiting time of at least 16 weeks for an appointment. You will receive an e-mail with the date and time approximately two weeks before your appointment.

We kindly ask you to refrain from making written or telephone appointment requests. Due to the high volume of applications and limited processing capacities, it is not possible to shorten the waiting time.

Which documents are required?

Please bring the following documents:

• two complete printouts of your electronic visa application: VIDEX
  
  Using VIEDX speeds up the processing time at the embassy. If you cannot fill out the application online, you can download the application form here:
  Form: Application for a national visa (German/English)
  Form: Application for a national visa (German/French)
  Form: Application for a national visa (German/Arabic)
• two current biometric passport photos: photo template
• valid passport, original and two copies (the passport must have at least two blank pages)
• valid French residence permit and two copies
• internship contract signed by you and your employer, original and two copies
  The contract must contain following information:
  - precise titles of both contract parties
  - monthly remuneration
  - duration of the internship
  - job description and rights and obligations
• proof of enrolment at your university
• proof of adequate financial means - this will vary depending on your circumstances. Read the guidance for the full list of what exactly is recognized as proof: Proof of adequate financial means

• consent of the Federal Employment Agency

  Your employer will obtain this for you.

  If you are going to finance your internship with a scholarship, the consent of the Federal Employment Agency does not have to be presented

• proof of health insurance valid in Germany (must be presented at the latest when picking up the visa)

Please note that your application can only be processed if your documents are complete on the day you submit your application. Occasionally, the submission of additional documents may be required.

Fees and costs

The processing fee for a national study visa is 75,00 euros in most cases. The fee is to be paid in cash when the application is submitted to the embassy. Please bring the correct amount with you.

The processing fee cannot be reimbursed, this applies also when the visa has been denied.

Important : Apart from the processing fee mentioned above payable to the embassy in Paris, there are no further fees (e.g. for arranging an appointment). Only expenses for e.g. returning your passport containing the visa by post must be borne by the applicant.

How long does it take to obtain a visa ?

The embassy in Paris will decide on your application within a few working days.

We will contact you once your visa application has been processed. If your application is approved, we will email you when and how to submit your passport to obtain the visa.

If your visa application has been rejected, there can be various reasons. We will tell you these reasons in a rejection notice. You can submit a new application with complete, meaningful and verifiable documents at any time.

For how long is the visa valid?

If you are granted a visa to enter Germany, it will be valid for three months from the date of being issued. If you stay is supposed to be longer than three, but less than six months, the visa can be issued for the whole period if you can proove health insurance coverage.

Your visa will contain your full name, passport number and photo. The number of days of stay and the period of validity of the visa are specified, i.e. the time you have until you receive your domestic residence permit.

Please remember to register with the residents' registration office immediately after entering Germany. The visa allows you to travel within the Schengen area.

Privacy policy

Information in accordance with Art. 13 and 14 of the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation) on data protection in the visa application process can be found here: Information on data protection (in German language)