My daughter is in Germany studying on a 12 months d visa she is British . Does she still need to apply for a residency permit and if so, whilst it’s being processed can she return home and still be allowed back into Germany?
This is different to what her university are saying - her visa is valid for 12 months and states multi entry on it - they are saying residency permits are taking 6 months - that seems so unfair if she can’t travel during that period? and she feels trapped by not being allowed to come home for Christmas?
Dear @Justine welcome to our forum! Great to hear that your daughter started her studies in Germany!
May I ask more specifically to understand your question better: Did your daughter already applied for a national D Visa at the German embassy/consulate in the UK? As Anna mentioned, she needs to apply for a residence permit if her studies will take longer than the 12 months the embassy/consulate already granted.
In case it is a national D visa your daughter already applied for, in my experiences, it is ok to travel abroad while her residence permit application is processed. She can surely ask the responsible foreigners department (in the city where she is registered) and get their confirmation as well. As long as she is holding a valid visa, she should be able to enter Germany.
Happy to get your feedback or let me know if you have further questions.
Thanks - her studies are for 12 months only and she applied for her d visa which is valid for 12 months and says she can work part time whilst she studies and has multi entries on it. She applied and got this in the UK before she went - she has registered her address. Do you think that if she applies for the residency permit she will still be able to come home before she receives it and re enter Germany? Thanks
Thank you for getting back to us, dear @Justine
Since she is only studying for 12 months and her D visa is also valid for that duration, there is no need to apply for a residence permit. My apologies for the confusion - we misunderstood her duration of study.
As you said, she has multiple entry and is able to work part time. This means she can go back and forth as she wishes as long as her visa is valid.
Wish her a very good start with her studies!
Hi, Justine!
I will try to help from what I know. Your daughter needs to apply for a residence permit for study purposes (Aufenthaltserlaubnis zum Zweck des Studiums) if she intends to stay in Germany for more than 90 days, even though she is a British citizen. The D visa only allows initial entry; it does not replace a residence permit.
She must apply at the local Foreigners’ Office (Ausländerbehörde) in the city where she studies before the visa expires.
While her residence permit application is being processed, she should not leave Germany, as re-entry may be denied if the visa expires before she returns. Once she gets her residence card (eAT – elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel), she can travel freely again.
Here are some useful official links for guidance:
It’s best that she books an appointment with the local Ausländerbehörde as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition from visa to residence permit.
Hope this helps,
Anna, friendly volunteer