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Do I need a visa?
This section tells you whether you need a visa for Germany. Please make sure that you read the information carefully.
As a rule, visa-free short-term visitors may not pursue any economic activity in Germany. However, some professional activities such as standard business travel and a variety of cultural, academic and sports activities may be carried out without a corresponding visa or residence permit as they are not classed as an economic activity. For details, please click here.
Click on the questions below to find out more
- British citizens as well as,
other British nationals i.e. holders of other British nationalities such as British Nationals Overseas, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Protected Persons, British Subjects and holders of British passports issued on behalf of Anguilla, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man, Montserrat, St. Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands
do not require visas for the European Union’s Schengen Member States, provided that the duration of their stay does not exceed 90 days within any 180 day period. Please note that you may not take up any employment or pursue any economic activity in Germany unless such employment is explicitly authorised by a visa or a residence permit issued by the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany.
British citizens and the aforementioned British nationals require a D visa and/or residence permit for any stay of over 90 days within any 180-day period or involving any economic activity (Erwerbstätigkeit). Some exemptions apply; please click here.
British citizens – and only British citizens - may apply for their residence permits with the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) after arrival in Germany and without having obtained a visa prior to travelling to Germany.
Please note that you need to register your new residence (Anmeldung) with the authorities (Meldebehörde) within 2 weeks of having moved in and apply to the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) for your residence permit within the first 90 days of your stay in Germany. It is also important to note that you may only take up employment or pursue any other economic activity once you have been issued a residence permit explicitly authorising such employment or activity.
All other British nationals listed above and intending to stay longer than 90 days within any 180-day period or pursue any gainful activity or employment need to apply for a visa prior to travel.
Holders of the following British travel documents (irrespective of their nationality)
- Convention Travel Documents for Refugees (1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, dark blue), issued by the United Kingdom,
- Stateless Person’s Travel Documents (1954 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, red), issued by the United Kingdom,
do not require a visa for travel to Germany provided that the duration of their stay does not exceed 90 days within any 180 day period. Please note that you may not take up any employment or pursue any gainful economic activity in Germany unless such employment is explicitly authorised by a visa or a residence permit issued by the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany.
- Holders of British Certificates of Travel (black) require visas for any kind of stay.
For details please click here
A British residence permit does not exempt you from visa requirements for Germany or the other Schengen member states. If you are a national of a Non-EU-country requiring a visa because of your nationality you will need to apply for a visa to travel to Germany even if you hold a British residence permit. Please refer to the following list to check whether you require a visa and consult our Visa-Navigator for additional information.
Article 10 residence cards issued by the United Kingdom to EU family members have ceased to be valid for visa-free travel.
Please refer to the following list to check whether you require a visa and consult our Visa-Navigator for additional Information.
There are no visa requirements for individuals entitled to freedom of movement such as Union citizens and/or nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (EFTA member states) as well as Switzerland.
For general information provided by the German Foreign Office, please click here.
Third-country family members holding an Article 10 residence card, issued by an EU member state, may enter Germany without a visa. Article 10 residence cards issued by the United Kingdom have ceased to be valid for visa-free travel.
Article 10 residence cards are documents issued under EU law (‘the Free Movement Directive’) by an EU or EFTA member state or Switzerland to third-country family members of EU/ EFTA/ Swiss nationals who are exercising free movement rights in a member state other than that of their nationality.
In all other cases, a visa is required.
Holders of the following passports do not require visas for travel to Germany provided that the duration of their stay does not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period:
Diplomatic or Service or Official or Special Passports issued by Bolivia, Chad, Colombia, Ghana, the Philippines, Thailand and Turkey.
Diplomatic Passports issued by Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China (People’s Republic), Ecuador, Georgia, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Peru, Serbia, South Africa, Tunisia, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.
Special Passports issued by the United Arab Emirates.
Service Passports issued by Ecuador.
Biometric Service Passports issued by Moldova and Ukraine.
Biometric Diplomatic Passports issued by Gabon, Kuwait and Mongolia.
Biometric Service, Official or Special Passports issued by Oman and Qatar.
Biometric Special Passports issued by Kuwait.
