Apply for Residence Permit for Employment as a Researcher
You would like to conduct research in Germany? Find out how to get your residence permit for research purposes.
At a glance
How do you get a residence permit for research purposes?
You would like to conduct research at a research institution in Germany? Then you will be granted a residence permit if you have concluded an effective hosting agreement or a corresponding contract with a research institution.
The residence permit is generally valid for the duration of your research project, for a maximum of 3 years. For research institutions not recognised by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, it is issued for 1 year at a time and renewed. With this residence permit, you may also carry out teaching activities and self-employed activities.
After completing your research, the residence permit will be extended for 9 months. This allows you to search for new employment matching your qualifications.
For shorter research stays: do you hold a valid residence title from another EU member state under Directive (EU) 2016/801 for research purposes and are you staying in Germany for no longer than 180 days within 360 days? Then you do not need a German residence title. For stays between 180 days and one year, you will be granted a residence permit for mobile researchers.
Requirements
Who qualifies?
- You have concluded an effective hosting agreement or a corresponding contract with a research institution in Germany -- this includes research institutions recognised by the BAMF, companies or private institutions that carry out or continue the research project jointly with a public institution, and spin-offs from public research institutions
Additional requirements
- You need a valid residence title or a national D visa, or you are entitled to apply after visa-free entry due to your nationality -- the application can be submitted at the earliest 4 months before expiry
- The research institution must generally submit a cost coverage declaration -- except for publicly funded institutions or those with a general cost coverage declaration at the BAMF
- You need adequate health insurance in Germany (statutory or comparable private; foreign health insurance is generally not sufficient)
- You need your main residence in Berlin
- There must be no indications of a threat to public safety or order -- even fines can prevent the issuance
How to apply
Submit the online application "Fixed-term residence title for employment" -- have all documents ready in PDF format if possible (accepted: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG; maximum 100 MB total, 7 MB per file)
Pay the processing fee by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) or PayPal before submitting the application
Save and print the confirmation of your application -- this means your current residence title remains valid beyond its previous expiry date (does not apply for Schengen visas or already expired residence titles)
Wait for the review of your application by the LEA -- it will request further documents if needed
Attend the appointment in person and bring all documents in original
Done! You will receive your residence permit for research purposes.
First-time issuance as sticker
- Extension as sticker49,00 EUR
- First-time issuance as electronic residence title100,00 EUR
- Extension as electronic residence title93,00 EUR
- Turkish nationals up to age 24 (issuance and extension)22,80 EUR
- Turkish nationals from age 24 (issuance and extension)37,00 EUR
- Digital passport photo at self-service terminal on site6,00 EUR
Good to know
If you meet all requirements, the authority MUST grant you the residence permit. The authority has no discretion in this matter. This means: It may not decide freely.
Liegen alle besonderen und allgemeinen Erteilungsvoraussetzungen vor, wird die Aufenthaltserlaubnis erteilt. Ein Ermessen besteht nicht.
VAB A.18d, S. 199-203
Are you conducting research at a BAMF-recognised institution? Then the authority MUST decide within 60 days. The deadline begins when your application is complete.
Der Aufenthaltstitel zu Zwecken der Forschung an einer anerkannten Forschungseinrichtung ist innerhalb von 60 Tagen ab Eingang eines vollständigen Antrages durch die Auslandsvertretungen bzw. die Ausländerbehörden zu erteilen.
VAB A.18d, S. 199-203
Special facilitations apply to your family for reunification. This applies to your spouse and your children. The rules for researchers are more favourable than for other residence titles.
Hinsichtlich des für Forscher privilegierten Familiennachzugs wird auf § 30 Abs. 1 S. 3 Nr. 5 und § 32 Abs. 2 S. 2 Nr. 2 verwiesen.
VAB A.18d, S. 199-203
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Apply for Residence Permit for Employment as a Researcher
If your application is approved, you will receive an appointment. A residence permit as a sticker can be issued on site at the appointment. If issued as an electronic residence title (eAT), it takes 4 to 6 weeks until it can be collected.