Residence permit

You want to pursue permanent gainful employment in Düsseldorf as a manager or salaried employee?

Then you’ll need a residence permit, should you not come from an EU-state. Applying for a residence permit simultaneously triggers the application for any work permit that may be necessary in a single process. To obtain the residence permit, an application for a national visa needs to be made to the German foreign representation in the country of origin or of residence.

For selected countries of origin, such as Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea or the USA, it is also possible to submit a direct application for the residence permit  to the Düsseldorf Municipal Immigration Department Department  Ausländeramt.

You can find an overview of the countries with no visa requirement on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Residence permit for the self-employed

An important basis for the issue of a residence permit is your business concept or plan. We'll evaluate your business concept together with the Düsseldorf Municipal Immigration Department and the Chamber of Trade and Industry.

The following are the underlying criteria:

• The feasibility of the underlying business idea
• The entrepreneurial experience of the respective foreign national manager
• The amount of investment and of available capital
• The number of newly created jobs
• The economic interest in or regional requirement for your intended activity

Your detailed business plan including a financial plan forms the basis of our evaluation. You're welcome to contact us with your business concept before making your application; we'll give you a non-binding reply or help you to find advisors who can assist you in compiling the business plan.

The following documents for the application should be submitted to the German representation in your country of origin or residence:

• Application form (to be found on the website of the German embassy in your country of origin)
• Valid passport (for at least 6 months)
• Current biometric photo
• Certificate of registration
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of qualifications
• Proof of financial coverage of business
• Proof of subsistence
• Proof of health insurance
• Company agreement of the German business or commercial register excerpt
• Proof of share capital of business to be set up
• Old-age pension (if older than 45)
• Extensive and detailed business plan including in-depth finances

The list of documents needed may vary from one country to another, which is why this overview is neither complete nor legally binding. It is vital that you ask the German embassy in your country of origin what specific requirements apply in your case.

Once the application has been made in your country of origin, the Düsseldorf Municipal Migration Department will be informed and will be asked to provide a statement relating to your application together with the CTI and the Office of Economic Development. The processing time may take up to 3 months. Once you have received your visa from the German foreign representation, you need to replace your visa with the residence permit within 3 months of your entry into Germany.

The following steps are necessary:

1. Make an appointment with the Foreigners' registration office.
2. Register your place of residence with the residents' registration office. To do so, you will need to bring your rental agreement for the accommodation with you. Bürgerinfo
3. Personally appear at the Municipal Immigration Department on the date of the agreed appointment, as fingerprints need to be taken for the residence card.

You need to bring the following documents with you to the appointment:

• Valid passport
• Current biometric photo
• Proof of health insurance (not travel health insurance)
• Proof of subsistence
• Business plan including finance plan

The electronic residence permit may be collected from the Municipal Immigration Department in 3–5 weeks. You may also issue a proxy with a power of attorney to collect the permit.

Residence permit for the non-self-employed

You've signed a work contract with a company in Düsseldorf and would like to enter Germany to pursue your gainful employment? Then you need a residence permit for the non-self-employed.

A specific residence permit for experts with a university degree who have found a job in Germany is the Blue Card (or Blaue Karte). Those wanting to obtain the blue card need to satisfy certain prerequisites, such as a minimum wage, for example. However, the card also offers numerous advantages, for instance for the subsequent migration of family members or for permanent residency in Germany.

Should you not satisfy the requirements for a Blue Card, you can apply for a national visa from the German representation in your country of origin.

You need to submit the following documents for the application:

• Application form (to be found on the website of the German embassy in your country of origin)
• Valid passport (for at least 6 months)
• Current biometric photo
• Certificate of registration
• Curriculum vitae
• Proof of qualifications
• Work or secondment contract
• Old-age pension (if older than 45)

The list of documents needed may vary from one country to another, which is why this overview is neither complete nor legally binding. It is vital that you ask the German embassy in your country of origin what specific requirements apply in your case.

The Agentur für Arbeit (German employment agency) may be involved in evaluating your application. In such case your employee will need to prepare a work description. The consent of the Agentur für Arbeit may, however, also be obtained in advance.

To this end, your employer needs to request a "Vorabzustimmung" (pre-consent) from the Agentur für Arbeit. The latter will then be enclosed with the application documents for the German foreign representation. You need to allow for a processing time of 6-12 weeks.

Further information

• Five steps to working in Germany
• Arbeitsagentur (German)
  
• Kommunale Ausländerbehörde (German)