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Visas & documents · 3 min read

Visa and work permit rules: Germany

Checked against official sources: 2 November 2026

Reichstag building, Berlin — Jörg Braukmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Work authorisation

Residence permit for skilled employment (Residence Act section 18a for vocational training), issued after a national visa for employment. For nursing, the qualification must be recognised first, because nursing (general nurse, 'Pflegefachperson') is a regulated profession. If recognition is only partial, other routes exist: a residence permit for recognition measures (adaptation period or knowledge test), or a 'recognition partnership' with a German employer, where recognition is finished after arrival. Approval from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is normally needed for employment. The Ausländerbehörde grants it together with the residence permit.

The worker applies for the visa at the German embassy or consulate for their place of residence. The employer can request a BA advance approval (Vorabzustimmung) online. The BA says this is free. Alternatively, the employer can start the 'accelerated skilled worker procedure' (section 81a) at the local foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde). The nurse applies for recognition to the competent authority of the federal state where they will work. Example: in Brandenburg this is the LAVG.

How you enter the country

A national visa (type D) for employment. Applications are usually made online in the Consular Services Portal where the mission offers it, then by appointment. An in-person appointment is needed to give biometrics (fingerprints and photo), show original documents and pay the fee. The embassy in Accra also does a short interview.

Processing times

The Federal Foreign Office says decisions can take several months, depending on the purpose. Missions do not give a fixed time. Accra does not answer status questions in the first 4 weeks. Nursing recognition: the authority confirms receipt within 1 month and decides within 4 months at the latest (can be extended). Accelerated procedure: a visa appointment within 3 weeks and a decision within 3 weeks (embassy page dated February 2023).

Documents you usually provide

  • Valid passport (Accra: valid at least 6 more months, with two blank pages) and a biometric photo
  • Employment contract or binding job offer with salary, hours, holidays and place of work
  • Recognition decision or permission to practise for the nursing qualification (or proof of the recognition route used)
  • German language certificate where needed. Full nursing recognition requires B2 plus a specialist language exam. The recognition partnership requires at least A2
  • CV and proof of qualifications, with translations
  • Health insurance valid from entry until the job starts
  • For recognition: ID, birth certificate, German CV, diplomas with German translations, a certificate of good conduct and a medical certificate, each no more than 3 months old

After arrival

Register the address at the residents' registration office within two weeks of moving into a flat. The landlord's confirmation is needed. Go in person to the immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) to get the residence permit. It is issued as an electronic card. Health insurance is mandatory. A nurse with only partial recognition finishes the adaptation period or knowledge test in Germany.

How Worrki helps

We confirm the job with the employer, coordinate the employer documents and check your package before you apply. You submit the application yourself and the authorities make the decision. See jobs and conditions in Germany.

This summary was checked against the official pages listed below on 2 November 2026. Fees are set by the authorities and change often, so we do not quote them here. Always confirm the current requirements and fees with the consulate that serves your country of residence.

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