What do I do after arriving in Germany on a student visa? Address registration and residence permit
Short answer
DAAD says to register your address at the residents' registration office within two weeks of finding a room, then apply for your residence permit with a list of documents. The German Missions in Nigeria say to contact the foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) immediately after you arrive.
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What are the first steps after you land?
The German Missions in Nigeria say the visa only entitles you to enter Germany. After you arrive, you must contact the competent foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) immediately. If all requirements are met, you get a residence permit that matches your purpose of stay.
DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) says the most important first step is registering at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt). Once you have found a room or a flat, you have two weeks to go there.
You then receive a registration certificate confirming where you live. DAAD says you can't open a bank account until you have it.
To register, DAAD lists your ID card or passport (with visa where required) and either your tenancy agreement or a confirmation from your landlord that you moved in. Sometimes more is asked, such as your certificate of matriculation. DAAD says the university's International Office can tell you what your office wants.
What do you bring to the foreigners' office?
DAAD lists these documents for the residence permit:
- Passport, with visa where required
- Certificate of matriculation from your university
- Registration certificate from the residents' registration office
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Health insurance
- Payment of a fee of up to EUR 100 (DAAD says it's best to bring cash)
- Possibly passport photos, your tenancy agreement and a health certificate
Sources for this part1
How long is the permit valid?
DAAD says a student residence permit is usually issued for up to two years. You must extend it in good time before it ends, and DAAD says the renewal is valid for another two years.
The rule sits in Section 16b(2) of the Residence Act (AufenthG). In our translation, the permit is as a rule valid for two years when first issued and when extended, and should not be shorter than one year. If your course lasts less than two years, the permit is issued only for the length of the course.
The law also says the permit is extended if you haven't yet reached your purpose of study and can still reach it within a reasonable time. DAAD adds that the foreigners' office looks at whether you study regularly, meaning you take exams and gain credit points.
DAAD says the permit card ("chip card") can take several months to be ready.
What should you carry when you fly in?
The German Missions in Nigeria say a visa is not a right of entry. The border police make the final decision when you enter the Schengen area.
They say the border police may ask for documents on top of your passport and visa, and for proof of health insurance. Their advice is to take a set of your visa documents with you on the trip.
Health insurance comes up twice: the border police may ask for it at entry, and DAAD lists it for the residence permit.
Does every office work the same way?
We don't know. The sources we checked don't describe how individual cities run their offices or how long they take. DAAD notes that larger cities have several citizens' offices (Bürgerämter) and that you usually go to the one in your district.
Ask your university's International Office for the address of your offices and the documents they want before you go.
Sources for this part1
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Practise saying it out loudPeople also ask
How soon must I register my address in Germany?
DAAD says that once you have found a room or a flat, you have to go to the residents' registration office within two weeks. 1
How much does the student residence permit cost?
DAAD lists a fee of up to EUR 100 and says it's best to bring cash. The exact amount isn't given on that page. 1
Does a visa guarantee I can enter at the airport?
The German Missions in Nigeria say the visa is not a right of entry and the border police make the final decision. They may ask for documents and proof of health insurance, so carry a set of your visa documents. 2
How long is a student residence permit valid in Germany?
DAAD says a student residence permit is usually issued for up to two years. You must extend it in good time, and DAAD says the renewal is valid for another two years. 1
Sources
- 1Residence Permit & Address RegistrationOfficialDAAD · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 2National visa for long term staysOfficialGerman Missions in Nigeria · checked 29 Oct 2026
- 3§ 16b AufenthGOfficialFederal Ministry of Justice (gesetze-im-internet.de) · checked 29 Oct 2026
Official is the embassy or a German government page. Applicant reports are what applicants say happened at their appointment. Secondary is everything else we checked.
General information, not legal advice. VisaRoom isn't connected to any embassy or government, and only the embassy decides on your visa. Something out of date? Tell us.