Hello all!

I’m a college graduate in the United States with a degree in Computer Science. Soon I will start applying to IT jobs in Germany. Once I get a job offer, I’ll move over to Germany and start the process of getting my residence permit.

I have a few questions:

1) As an American, I can move to Germany for 90 days and apply for a residence permit. A residence permit is different than a Visa, so why do people seem to use “Visa” and “Residence permit” interchangeably, like in [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4Q9bL8kq2M) video ( go to 7:10 )?

2) Could someone point me to the papers you need to fill out for a residence permit? For the longest time I’ve been looking at [this](https://www.germany.info/blob/2435486/060e9add60294cbd9eb644158744b6f7/skilled-workers-holding-a-university-degree-data.pdf) visa, but I’ve just recently realized that that’s not what I want. I’ve looked all over [https://english.leipzig.de/](https://english.leipzig.de/) for residence permit paperwork but can’t find it. Do you only get the paperwork for a residence permit once you’ve registered your address in person?

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Thanks for the help!

3 comments

  1. 1. To answer this, these are different things. A visa might allow you to enter EU but not stay more than 3 months. A residence permit allows you to live here. Some visa (like a work visa) allow you to get a residence permit.

    2. If you are not an EU citizen, you need a visa… and you need to figure out which type. Most probably you’ll want a work visa, which most probably require you to find a job first.

  2. 1) People use them interchangeably because they don’t know the difference, lol. Doesn’t help that some countries (like the US) don’t have the same distinction so people aren’t familiar with the concept.

    2) You’ll probably be applying for a Blue Card. Documents and requirements are listed here: https://english.leipzig.de/youth-family-and-community/foreign-nationals-and-migrants/foreigners-authority/staying-for-the-purpose-of-employment/residence-permit-as-a-foreign-employee-and-an-eu-blue-card/

  3. 2) Which resident permit?

    The papers for a resident permit according to §18b: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/329328/en/

    Here a few others:

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305304/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305244/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305303/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/328332/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305249/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/325475/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305156/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305289/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326239/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324661/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/329340/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/328457/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326237/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/327471/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324269/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/329358/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326511/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324281/en/

    https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/324859/en/

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