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Re-enter Germany as a tourist

Hello, I am Chilean and hold a "Chancenkarte" residence permit valid until 31.07.2025. I believe an extension is not possible because I don’t meet the requirements. My question is: Can I leave Germany before 31.07.2025 (for example, to the UK, since it is not part of the Schengen Zone) and re-enter during the first week of August 2025 as a tourist? I have been in Germany with this "Chancenkarte" for 1 year. Would that be a problem? I understand that Chilean citizens do not require a Schengen visa to enter Germany, so would this be possible? Thanks in advance

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Yara__Community_Manager

Hello,

Thank you for your question. 

Yes, Chilean citizens do not require a Schengen visa to enter Germany, so entering Germany on a tourist visa should not be a problem. You are then allowed to stay in Germany for 90 days. 
However, if you want to continue to live in Germany you will have to most likely go back to Chile and re-apply for a long-term visa. Since the Schengen visa only allows you to stay for a maximum of 3 months. The switch from a Schengen visa to a long-term visa is very hard to obtain because you will need to receive a job offer during your short-term stay.  

Please read more information on changing your Schengen visa to a national visa on our website
https://handbookgermany.de/en/changing-residence-title#faq_3323 

Let me know if you have any questions and please also update us on your journey and experiences, this would help other readers in the forum. 
Best wishes 

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