Visa and residence permit

International doctoral candidates from a country within the European Union, the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland

If you come from a country within the European Union as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, you do not need a visa or residence permit to enter Germany. A valid identity card or comparable proof of identity is sufficient. However, you must register your place of residence in Cologne in person at the Residents' Registration Office within one week.

 

International doctoral candidates from a country outside the European Union, the EEA, and Switzerland

Nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United States

You need a residence permit, which you can apply for within three months of your arrival in Germany. After your arrival and moving into your flat, you must first register your place of residence at the Residents' Registration Office before you can apply for a residence permit for study purposes at the Foreigners' Registration Office. Please find out about all the required documents in advance.

 

All other nationalities

You need a visa before travelling to Germany. You must therefore submit an application for a national student visa to the relevant German representation in your home country.
Please note: The processing of your visa application can take several months, so you should submit the necessary documents as soon as possible before starting your doctoral studies. Please ensure that you apply for the correct visa (student visa). A tourist visa or language course visa cannot be subsequently changed to a student visa. If you have the wrong visa, you will unfortunately have to leave the country. Please also make sure that your passport is still valid. If your identity documents have expired, you will have to return to your home country to have them renewed there.