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Relocation to Germany after Brexit

Published on Dec 10th, 2020

As of Jan 1st, 2021 all British citizens who are not in a possession of a Residence Permit in Germany will be obliged to hold an entry visa before entering the country.

Beginning 15 June 2020 the German Missions in the UK have resumed processing of visa applications for British citizens. The demand for the entry visa after Brexit is very high and as such, it is highly recommended to have a well-prepared application.

Work Visas (D type)

If you are planning to relocate to Germany for work after Brexit, you will be applying for a D type visa for long-term residency aka national visas.

In most cases you will be obliged to obtain a pre-approval from the Employment Agency in Germany prior to applying for an entry visa at the Embassy. In order to get one, a candidate must meet various criteria and have all the documents well organised.

  1. Employment Contract or International Assignment Letter
  2. Job Description with clear roles and responsilbilities
  3. Graduation Diploma(s), if applicable
  4. CV
  5. Application Forms filled by future employer

The pre-approval procedure can be kicked off by employer or their proxy such as relocation agency, immigration lawyer or similar.

There is no fee charged by the Employment Agency to issue one and it takes up to 3 weeks including the post delivery.

Once the pre-approval has been granted a candidate can schedule an appointment at the German Embassy or Consulate to file the application for the entry visa.

Business Travel Visas (C type)

All British citizens travelling to Germany for business, but no longer than for 3 months, will be obliged to obtain a C category visa. These are called Schengen Visas and are usually issued as multiple entry visas valid for a few years. The holder of the visa can remain in the Schengen zone for no logner than 90 days.

These types of visas are not considered residence visas, so it your plans has changed and you wish to remain in Germany longer, you would be obliged to return to your home country and apply for a D type visa prioier to takin up a residency in Germany.

Getting Help

If you are not sure how to kick off the application for an entry visa to Germany, feel free to contact our team.

Ilona A. Keilich

Ilona founded ExpatsGuide in 2010, a Destination Service Provider in Germany servicing international clientele moving to and from Germany. She holds MBA in International Business and has gained, as one a few mobility professionals in Germany, the GMS designation (Global Mobility Specialist) of Worldwide ERC. Personally, Ilona has lived in four European countries and contributes often to global mobility magazines and media.

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