Moving from India to Germany: APS, Visas, and Cities
Indian citizens use the same study, work, and family visas as other non-EU applicants. Student files usually need an APS certificate first, and experienced IT staff can apply without a degree.
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Around 311,000 Indian citizens live in Germany. Most people who arrive now come to study or take a skilled job. India sends more new students than any other non-EU country, and Indians hold more EU Blue Cards than any other nationality, about 33,000 of the 113,000 cards at the end of 2023. A large share of that work is in IT and other graduate roles.
If you are moving from India yourself, a lot of the process is still the same as for any other non-EU citizen. What you apply for depends on why you are coming: study, a job you already have, looking for work after you arrive, or joining family. The guides below have the rules for each of those. This page then further covers what is different when the application starts in India, and where people from India often move.
Which visa matches your situation
The table below shows which guide matches your situation. If you are still choosing a route, start with Which Visa Do You Need in Germany.
If this is you | Open this |
|---|---|
University, preparatory college, or a language course that leads to study | |
Job offer and a recognised degree, below the Blue Card salary | |
Job offer at the Blue Card salary | |
No job yet, and you want to search from Germany | |
Spouse, child, or parent joining someone in Germany | |
Already in Germany on another status |
A tourist visa is not a way to switch into work or study after you land. Changing Your Residence Purpose in Germany explains when a switch inside the country is even possible.
After the visa, the first weeks are also the same for every passport. Register your address within 14 days. Address Registration in Germany walks through the appointment. Health insurance has to be sorted for the visa and again once you are living here, which Health Insurance in Germany covers. A German current account is covered in Opening a Bank Account in Germany, and how hiring actually filters CVs is in Finding Jobs in Germany as a Foreigner.
What is different when you apply from India
When you want to study
If your school-leaving certificate or degree is from India, the German mission almost always wants a certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre (Akademische Prüfstelle, APS) before a student visa. That covers a bachelor’s, a master’s, a preparatory college, and many language courses that lead to study. APS authenticates the Indian university degrees and school papers you already hold. It does not admit you, and it does not grant the visa.
You can skip that certificate in a few cases the mission publishes: a PhD or postdoc, a stipend from EU or German public funds, a degree that is not Indian, or an international school certificate such as the International Baccalaureate. If you are exempt, the mission asks for a different recognition paper instead. The studies page of the German mission in India has the current list.
Master’s applicants with an Indian bachelor’s do not take a separate APS aptitude test. TestAS applies when an undergraduate applicant does not yet hold a bachelor’s degree. Check the APS India procedure that matches your level before you book anything.
Living-cost proof for the student visa is the same as for other nationalities. Student Visa for Germany has the current figure.
When you want to work
The work visas themselves are not different. You use the same skilled-worker, Blue Card, Opportunity Card, or IT specialist routes as other non-EU passports. Use the table above for which guide to open.
What people mix up from India is the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement from December 2022. It is a cooperation framework between the two governments. It is not a visa you can apply for. A German employer can also ask the local immigration office to run a faster skilled-worker procedure, but that option is not reserved for Indian passports. The employer has to request it.
Where people from India often move
Many people from India settle in larger cities such as Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Stuttgart, and across Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse, usually because that is where universities and employers are. A job or a university place elsewhere is just as valid. Best Cities in Germany if You Already Have a Degree compares places for work, and Best Cities in Germany for Studying covers the university shortlist. Housing works the same way for every passport, so start with Finding an Apartment in Germany, or jump straight to Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Stuttgart if you already know the city.
Common questions
Do Indian students need APS for a German student visa?
Yes, if your school or degree is from India and you want a German bachelor’s, master’s, preparatory college, or a language course that leads to study. The academic check is the APS certificate. PhD and postdoc stays, some public scholarships, and degrees that are not Indian are common exemptions. The German mission in India publishes the list.
Can Indians get a German work visa without a degree?
A normal skilled-worker visa expects a recognised qualification. There is a separate IT specialist route for people with several years of professional IT experience and a salary above a yearly minimum, even without a university degree. That minimum changes. Use the official IT specialist page under Useful links, and the skilled worker guide for the degree-based path.
Where do people from India usually live in Germany?
Many live in larger cities such as Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, or Stuttgart, and across Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse. The housing rules are the same as for any other newcomer.
Useful links
- German mission in India: studies, preparatory college, and language courses
- APS India
- Make it in Germany: IT specialists
- Destatis: foreign population by citizenship
Disclaimer: This guide is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice. While we endeavour to ensure the information is accurate and current, we provide no guarantee, express or implied, regarding the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the content. Users act solely at their own risk. For binding decisions, please consult with the relevant municipal authorities or a qualified legal professional.