Blocked Account Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Blocked Account (Sperrkonto in German Language)?

If you think that you can afford to finance your studies, than a Blocked Account or known in German as Sperrkonto is required.It is required to have a minimum of 8040 Euros in your blocked account in one of the German banks and the maximum that you can withdraw is 670 Euro per month. (for more information about the exact amount – go to the Embassies websites). It is required to make this change so you will not be facing any problem in the future.

• Best time to apply for a Blocked account?

So you are wondering when it is the best time to apply for a blocked account? Go apply before going to embassy, even better if you apply before taking the appointment as it is a prerequisite for Visa.

• is it required to have a confirmed admission letter for Blocked account?

No. Confirmed admission letter is not required for blocked account. You can open a Blocked account before getting the admission letter.

• Is this money sufficient for entire duration of study?

Eventhough it would be better if it was, the answer is No. When you arrive you need to pay your tuition fees, semester fees, and enrolling fees for enrollment at University (Including living cost, rent, and registration). If you do not have an exemption from tuition fees than the upper note is especially for you.Semester and Registration fees (Tuition fees) can go up to 700 €, this sum is higher than your monthly limit of withdraw in your blocked account. Based on that, if you do not have enough money with you, than you will not be able to pay your tuition and semester fees.Note: Be sure to get enough money so you would be able to pay your tuition fees and other costs. Or better, put a higher amount of money than required in your blocked account so you can withdraw a higher amount.Semester fees and some other costs should be paid on every new semester, so keep in mind that you should have enough money on your account to cover these expenses.

Before Arrival Frequently Asked Questions

• I would like to study/spend a semester studying in Germany. Where can I find general information ?

The addresses and courses of individual universities can be found in the Higher Education Compass of the Association of Universities and other Higher Education Institutions: If you want to do your studies or part of them in Germany, you can contact the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The DAAD can tell you about opportunities for study and sponsorship in Germany and, as an intermediary organization, offers scholarships for foreign students, graduates and academics from Federal Foreign Office funds. If you know at which university you want to study, you can of course contact this university directly. Ask to the DAAD Virutual Advisor. Daad Virtual Advisor

• What is the procedure for applying for a student visa?

If you plan to study in Germany, you have to submit an application for a student visa to the respective German mission abroad. Documents have to be presented proving inter alia that the applicant has been accepted for studies by the university. The German mission abroad will then forward the visa application for an opinion to the foreigners authority in the town housing the university.The German mission abroad can only issue the visa for entry once the foreigners authority has given its approval.Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself.WebsitesIslamabad, Pakistan. (more detail visit Student Visa section)Karachi, Pakistan. (more detail visit Student Visa section)

• Who is responsible for the decision on the granting of a visa?

The decision on the granting of a visitor/business visa is taken by the competent German mission abroad. It also decides on granting visas for longer stays and/or to take up work or studies. A visa can however only be issued with the approval of the foreigners authority concerned. If a visa application is rejected, the applicant has the option of writing to the visa department of the competent German mission abroad asking for the reasons leading to the rejection of your application (known as remonstration). Please note that you have to submit the remonstration yourself.

• I want to study in Germany and bring my wife and children to Germany during my studies. Is that possible?

Basically, no. The reunification of families of foreign students is usually only considered if the students belong to one of the following three groups:Postgraduate students;Scholarship holders;Nationals of the following states: all EU states, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, USA.In all other cases, dependants can only join foreign students in cases of particular hardship, above all if the foreign student is dependent on his/her spouse for his/her livelihood.For families to join students in Germany, the student has to be able to support himself/herself and his/her family without social assistance. The spouse who joins the student is generally not permitted to engage in regular employment

• I am not a EU national and want to live in Germany with my German spouse. What do we have to do?

First of all you have to apply for a visa for family reunification (subsequent immigration of spouses) from the competent German mission abroad. Documents required include an authenticated marriage certificate as well as the German passport of the German spouse.The German mission will forward the visa application to the foreigners authority in the place where you want to live in Germany for an opinion.The German mission abroad can only issue a visa for entry once the foreigners authority has given its approval. The final residence permit will be issued by the foreigners authority in Germany once you are there.Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself.

• Does my foreign spouse have to provide proof of German language skills when applying for a visa (i.e. before arriving in Germany?)

Yes. Under the amended Immigration Act which entered into force on 28 August 2007, foreign spouses have to prove they have at least a basic knowledge of German. For detailed information on this, please click on the link below to the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. You can also request further information directly from the German diplomatic missions in the respective country.weblink : Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

• When applying for a student visa, how can I prove that my financing is secure?

Financing can be proved by presenting the income and financial circumstances of parents, by a declaration of commitment in line with Article 66-68 Aufenthaltsgesetz (German Foreigners Act) made by a person with sufficient assets or income, by paying a security into a blocked account in Germany, or by depositing an annually renewable bank guarantee at a bank in Germany.Proof of sufficient funds is also taken as satisfied if the stay is being financed by a scholarship from public funds or a scholarship from an organization recognized in Germany or a scholarship financed by public funds in the country of origin, if the Federal Foreign Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or another German organization granting scholarships has been responsible for providing the link to a German higher education institution

• Do I need a visa for Germany?

On the Federal Foreign Office webpage you can find out whether you need a visa for visits to Germany and the Schengen states of up to 90 days (120 days as per new law). Foreigners wanting to stay longer than 120 days in Germany, who want to work or study in Germany, automatically need a visa.

• My visa application has been rejected without a reason being given. What can I do?

According to Section 77 (2) of the Foreigners Act, no reason has to be given when a visa application is rejected. You do however have the option of writing to the visa department of the competent German mission abroad asking for the reasons leading to the rejection of your application (known as remonstration). Please note that you have to submit the remonstration yourself.According to Section 71 (2) of the Foreigners Act, responsibility for visa affairs lies with the competent German mission abroad. The mission bases its decision on the granting of visas on the provisions of the Foreigners Act. Often applications are rejected because the purpose of the visit lacks plausibility and there is insufficient proof of the applicant's readiness to return.

• Can I work during my period of study in Germany to finance myself?

In principle you can take up to three months (90 working days) of paid employment in any academic year. In exceptional cases, this can be restricted by the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence.Paid employment is not permitted during preparatory language courses or during other preparatory courses.

• Do I need a visa if I want to study/work in Germany?

As a general rule, all foreigners staying in Germany for more than 90 days wanting to work or study in Germany need a visa before entering Germany.

• I need an application form for my visa. Where can I get one?

The visa application form is often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad to which you must submit your application. There you can find out what other documents are to be presented with the application.

• I will be on a short stopover in Germany while waiting for my onward flight in the international transit area of a German airport. Do I need a transit visa?

Entry clearance requirements are dependent on the citizenship and the resident status of the applicant. Due to its location at the heart of Europe, Germany is an important transit country. The vast majority of travellers do not need a visa when airtransitting through Germany. However, citizens of some countries do need an airport transit visa.Please note that an airport transit visa only allows a short stay in the international transit area, neither leaving the airport's international transit area nor overnight stays are possible.

• I have submitted a visa application at a German mission abroad and want to know about how my application is progressing. Who can I ask?

You have to contact the mission where you submitted your application directly.

• What is the procedure for applying for a work visa?

Foreign nationals as a general rule need a residence permit (which also grants access to the labour market) to take up employment in Germany. If you intend to commence work in Germany you have to apply for such a permit from the competent German mission abroad before entering Germany.When the application is submitted to the competent German mission abroad, the mission forwards the application for decision to the foreigners authority in the place where the job in Germany is to be commenced. The foreigners authority has to coordinate its decision with the employment office that is to issue the permit.The German mission abroad can only issue the visa for entry when the foreigners authority has granted its approval. Details on the documents to be presented with your application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself.Nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States may appy for the necessary permit after arrival in Germany

• For my visa application I need an invitation from a relative/acquaintance living in Germany. What form does such an invitation have to take?

In most cases, invitation is understood to mean a formal declaration of commitment. Your relative/acquaintance can usually get the required form at the German foreigners authority covering his/her place of residence or from the local agency for public order (Ordnungsamt).

• What countries are Schengen states?

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland have acceded to the Schengen Agreement and are thus Schengen states.Holders of valid Schengen visas (text on the visa reads "valid for Schengen states" in the respective language of the issuing country) or a residence permit of a member state can stay in the entire Schengen area for up to three months per half year (usually without having to go through passport control at internal borders).

• How long can I stay with my visitor/tourist/business visa in Germany and the Schengen states?

The visa sticker itself stipulates how many days in the given period you can stay in Germany and the other Schengen States. The maximum, should your visa stipulate this, is 90 days (within half a year). The visa sticker also stipulates how many times you are allowed to enter the Schengen area (1, 2 or multiple).Once you have used the full 90 days per half year you have to wait at least three months (calculated from the day on which you left Germany or another Schengen State at your last time) before travelling to Germany or another Schengen state again.

• I would like to study/spend a semester studying in Germany. Where can I find general information ?

The addresses and courses of individual universities can be found in the Higher Education Compass of the Association of Universities and other Higher Education Institutions: If you want to do your studies or part of them in Germany, you can contact the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The DAAD can tell you about opportunities for study and sponsorship in Germany and, as an intermediary organization, offers scholarships for foreign students, graduates and academics from Federal Foreign Office funds. If you know at which university you want to study, you can of course contact this university directly. Ask to the DAAD Virutual Advisor. Daad Virtual Advisor

• What is the procedure for applying for a student visa?

If you plan to study in Germany, you have to submit an application for a student visa to the respective German mission abroad. Documents have to be presented proving inter alia that the applicant has been accepted for studies by the university. The German mission abroad will then forward the visa application for an opinion to the foreigners authority in the town housing the university. The German mission abroad can only issue the visa for entry once the foreigners authority has given its approval. Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself. Websites

• Islamabad, Pakistan. (more detail visit Student Visa section)
• Karachi, Pakistan. (more detail visit Student Visa section)
• Who is responsible for the decision on the granting of a visa?

The decision on the granting of a visitor/business visa is taken by the competent German mission abroad. It also decides on granting visas for longer stays and/or to take up work or studies. A visa can however only be issued with the approval of the foreigners authority concerned. If a visa application is rejected, the applicant has the option of writing to the visa department of the competent German mission abroad asking for the reasons leading to the rejection of your application (known as remonstration). Please note that you have to submit the remonstration yourself.

• I want to study in Germany and bring my wife and children to Germany during my studies. Is that possible?

Basically, no. The reunification of families of foreign students is usually only considered if the students belong to one of the following three groups:

• Postgraduate students;
• Scholarship holders;
• Nationals of the following states: all EU states, Andorra, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, USA. In all other cases, dependants can only join foreign students in cases of particular hardship, above all if the foreign student is dependent on his/her spouse for his/her livelihood.

For families to join students in Germany, the student has to be able to support himself/herself and his/her family without social assistance. The spouse who joins the student is generally not permitted to engage in regular employment

• I am not a EU national and want to live in Germany with my German spouse. What do we have to do?

First of all you have to apply for a visa for family reunification (subsequent immigration of spouses) from the competent German mission abroad. Documents required include an authenticated marriage certificate as well as the German passport of the German spouse. The German mission will forward the visa application to the foreigners authority in the place where you want to live in Germany for an opinion. The German mission abroad can only issue a visa for entry once the foreigners authority has given its approval. The final residence permit will be issued by the foreigners authority in Germany once you are there. Details on the documents to be presented with your visa application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself.

• Does my foreign spouse have to provide proof of German language skills when applying for a visa (i.e. before arriving in Germany?)

Yes. Under the amended Immigration Act which entered into force on 28 August 2007, foreign spouses have to prove they have at least a basic knowledge of German. For detailed information on this, please click on the link below to the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. You can also request further information directly from the German diplomatic missions in the respective country. weblink : Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

• When applying for a student visa, how can I prove that my financing is secure? Financing can be proved by presenting the income and financial circumstances of parents, by a declaration of commitment in line with Article 66-68 Aufenthaltsgesetz (German Foreigners Act) made by a person with sufficient assets or income, by paying a security into a blocked account in Germany, or by depositing an annually renewable bank guarantee at a bank in Germany. Proof of sufficient funds is also taken as satisfied if the stay is being financed by a scholarship from public funds or a scholarship from an organization recognized in Germany or a scholarship financed by public funds in the country of origin, if the Federal Foreign Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or another German organization granting scholarships has been responsible for providing the link to a German higher education institution
• Do I need a visa for Germany?

On the Federal Foreign Office webpage you can find out whether you need a visa for visits to Germany and the Schengen states of up to 90 days (120 days as per new law). Foreigners wanting to stay longer than 120 days in Germany, who want to work or study in Germany, automatically need a visa.

• My visa application has been rejected without a reason being given. What can I do?

According to Section 77 (2) of the Foreigners Act, no reason has to be given when a visa application is rejected. You do however have the option of writing to the visa department of the competent German mission abroad asking for the reasons leading to the rejection of your application (known as remonstration). Please note that you have to submit the remonstration yourself. According to Section 71 (2) of the Foreigners Act, responsibility for visa affairs lies with the competent German mission abroad. The mission bases its decision on the granting of visas on the provisions of the Foreigners Act. Often applications are rejected because the purpose of the visit lacks plausibility and there is insufficient proof of the applicant's readiness to return.

• Can I work during my period of study in Germany to finance myself?

In principle you can take up to three months (90 working days) of paid employment in any academic year. In exceptional cases, this can be restricted by the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence. Paid employment is not permitted during preparatory language courses or during other preparatory courses.

• Do I need a visa if I want to study/work in Germany?

As a general rule, all foreigners staying in Germany for more than 90 days wanting to work or study in Germany need a visa before entering Germany. [Hide]Q. I need an application form for my visa. Where can I get one? The visa application form is often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad to which you must submit your application. There you can find out what other documents are to be presented with the application.

• I will be on a short stopover in Germany while waiting for my onward flight in the international transit area of a German airport. Do I need a transit visa?

Entry clearance requirements are dependent on the citizenship and the resident status of the applicant. Due to its location at the heart of Europe, Germany is an important transit country. The vast majority of travellers do not need a visa when airtransitting through Germany. However, citizens of some countries do need an airport transit visa. Please note that an airport transit visa only allows a short stay in the international transit area, neither leaving the airport's international transit area nor overnight stays are possible.

• I have submitted a visa application at a German mission abroad and want to know about how my application is progressing. Who can I ask?

You have to contact the mission where you submitted your application directly.

• What is the procedure for applying for a work visa?

Foreign nationals as a general rule need a residence permit (which also grants access to the labour market) to take up employment in Germany. If you intend to commence work in Germany you have to apply for such a permit from the competent German mission abroad before entering Germany. When the application is submitted to the competent German mission abroad, the mission forwards the application for decision to the foreigners authority in the place where the job in Germany is to be commenced. The foreigners authority has to coordinate its decision with the employment office that is to issue the permit. The German mission abroad can only issue the visa for entry when the foreigners authority has granted its approval. Details on the documents to be presented with your application are often available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself. Nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States may appy for the necessary permit after arrival in Germany

• For my visa application I need an invitation from a relative/acquaintance living in Germany. What form does such an invitation have to take?

In most cases, invitation is understood to mean a formal declaration of commitment. Your relative/acquaintance can usually get the required form at the German foreigners authority covering his/her place of residence or from the local agency for public order (Ordnungsamt).

• What countries are Schengen states?

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland have acceded to the Schengen Agreement and are thus Schengen states. Holders of valid Schengen visas (text on the visa reads "valid for Schengen states" in the respective language of the issuing country) or a residence permit of a member state can stay in the entire Schengen area for up to three months per half year (usually without having to go through passport control at internal borders).

• How long can I stay with my visitor/tourist/business visa in Germany and the Schengen states?

The visa sticker itself stipulates how many days in the given period you can stay in Germany and the other Schengen States. The maximum, should your visa stipulate this, is 90 days (within half a year). The visa sticker also stipulates how many times you are allowed to enter the Schengen area (1, 2 or multiple). Once you have used the full 90 days per half year you have to wait at least three months (calculated from the day on which you left Germany or another Schengen State at your last time) before travelling to Germany or another Schengen state again.

Blue Card Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is eligible for a Blue Card?

A foreign national is eligible for a Blue Card EU (residence permit according to § 19a AufenthG n.F.) if he/she holds a German university degree, a foreign but recognized university diploma or a foreign degree comparable to a German degree.

In contrast to the US Greencard, the Blue Card is only granted for a specific job, which generates an annual gross pay of 44 800€, or 34 944€ in case of so-called shortage occupations (scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors, and IT specialists).

• How long is the Blue Card valid?

The Blue Card EU is limited to a maximum period of four years. If the employment relationship lasts less than four years, the Blue Card is granted for the duration of the employment contract plus another additional three months.

Will a priority check take place? Will members of the German labor market receive privileged treatment? Will the working conditions be checked?

A priority check as well as an inspection of the working conditions will be waived if the income requirement of 44 800€ is met.

For graduates of national universities working in so-called shortage occupations, a priority check and the inspection of working conditions will also be waived.

For graduates of foreign universities, the priority check will be foregone if a job offer for a shortage occupation exists. An inspection of working conditions, however, will take place.

• Can family members of Blue Card holders enter Germany at the same time?

Yes. Family members may accompany the Blue Card holder and will receive residence permits in Germany as well.

• Can family members of Blue Card holders work freely within Germany?

Family members of Blue Card holders may immediately work without restrictions.

• Is it necessary for spouses to have knowledge of the German language prior to the arrival?

Spousal reunification may not be made conditional on integration efforts which may or may not have taken place prior to the arrival. Proof of basic German language skills is not required.

• When can Blue card holders receive permanent residency?

Blue card holders can receive permanent residency after 33 months; if German language skills according to level B1 can be proven, this period is shortened to 21 months.

• Can the Blue Card become invalid after an extended stay outside the EU?

Blue Card EU holders may stay outside the EU for up to twelve months without the residence permit becoming invalid.

• Can Blue Card holders move to another EU country?

Highly qualified persons holding a Blue Card may move to another EU country after a period of 18 months has passed.

• Will stays in other EU countries with the Blue Card be counted towards the right of permanent residence?

Stays in different member states of the EU may be cumulated towards the obtainment of the right of permanent residence.

• Do visa procedures become necessary in case of migration within the EU?

An application may be filed by the majority of applicants within the country. The application must be filed within a month upon arrival in Germany.