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South Africans in Germany

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List of Long Stay Visas

Long Term visas are seen as visits longer than 90 days and will typically be for work or study visits. If your application is approved, you will receive a visa to enter Germany.
Once you are in Germany you will need to apply for your residence permit at the local Ausländerbehörde as soon as possible.

You will always apply for your first long-stay German Visa at the German Embassy in South Africa.
This might also apply when you change your type of visa e.g from study to work.

The German Embassy in South Africa has offices in Cape Town and Pretoria.
The embassy is currently (August 2021) using TLScontact to process visa applications.
TLSContact have offices in Bloemfontein, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)

To sponsor someone’s visit for example your adult child who wants to study in Germany and does not qualify for the financial requirements, you need to apply for a Verpflichtungserklärung

Verpflichtungserklärung – Sponsoring someone’s visit

One of the requirements for both short-term and long-term (National) Schengen Visas is Proof of financial status and sufficient funds. When you want to sponsor someone’s visit, for example, your parents or other family members, and they cannot prove their own financial means, you need to complete a legalised letter of obligation or “Verpflichtungserklärung”. This form can only be obtained from the Ausländerbehörde or Bürgerbüro you are registered at.They will

List of long term visas

  1. As rules and regulations can change on a regular basis, we provide the links to the German Embassy in South Africa. Where possible also links to additional information. We are not immigration consultants and can only refer you to the official pages.
      1. Skilled worker holding a University degree
      2. IT specialist with professional experience
      3. Research stay
      4. Skilled worker with vocational training qualification – As a skilled worker with vocational training qualification, you can be issued a residence permit to engage in skilled employment that your qualification enables you to perform. Have a look at the current professions in demand. Please note that some university degrees from foreign universities are classified as vocational training qualifications in Germany.
      5. Work in case of partial recognition of qualification – If your vocational training has not been fully recognised by the competent German agency, you can apply for a visa to complete the necessary training in Germany and at the same time start to work. After completion and full recognition of your training, you can apply for permanent residence in Germany.
      6. Intra-corporate transfer (ICT). Flyer from BAMF

Family Reunification Visa – Your stories

These are shared experiences by people who recently went through a Family Reunification Visa application process. You can share yours with us via an easy-to-fill-in form on this page.

Family Reunification Visa

“German citizens or citizens from non-EU countries who have an Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) or a Niederlassungserlaubnis (settlement permit) are allowed to bring their relatives to Germany. This is known

Legal basis

Resources on the web

Terminology

Permanent Residence PermitDie Nierderlassungserlaubnis
Residence PermitDer Aufenhalstitel
VisaDas Visum
Blue CardDie Blaue Karte

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