Legal entry without visa for nationals of certain countries

• Issuance of a residence title
• Exceptions for certain countries
• Economic activity
• Traveling in the Schengen area

Issuance of a residence title

Nationals of certain countries can enter for a short stay of 90 days even without a visa.

However, a residence title can be issued without a visa only if the following three requirements are fulfilled:

1. You have a legal right to a residence permit pursuant to the German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz), and
2. This right came into existence after your entry and
3. In the federal territory.

For example, this would be the case if you became the father or mother of a child with German citizenship who was born in the federal territory during your visa-free short stay.

In particular, you do not have a right in the following cases:

• You get married in another EU member state (e.g. in Denmark)
• You plan to start education or training or an economic activity
• A child is born but does not have German citizenship

Exceptions for certain countries

Special privileges apply to certain countries. You can apply for any residence title in the federal territory without needing to have a right to this title.

This applies to the following countries:

• Andorra ¹
• Australia
• Brazil ¹
• Canada
• El Salvador ¹
• Honduras ¹
• Israel
• Japan
• Monaco ¹
• New Zealand
• San Marino ¹
• South Korea
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States of America

¹ Residence titles for the purpose of economic activity are excluded. To obtain the latter, nationals of these countries must enter Germany with a national visa.

Economic activity

You are not permitted to work in Germany during your visa-free short stay.

Traveling in the Schengen area

If your nationality entitles you to enter for a short stay without a visa, you can travel to the following countries in the Schengen area for no more than 90 days within a period of 180 days:

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain