Moving from Iran to Germany: Visas, Papers, and Money
Iranian citizens need a German visa before they travel. Civil documents need embassy legalization rather than an apostille, and paying a blocked account from an Iranian bank is often the slow part.
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Around 162,000 Iranian citizens were living in Germany at the end of 2024. People come to study, for skilled work, and to join family. Some are here because they asked for protection after they arrived.
If you are moving from Iran 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 Iran, and where people from Iran 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 | Student Visa for Germany |
| Job offer and a recognised degree, below the Blue Card salary | Skilled Worker Visa in Germany |
| Job offer at the Blue Card salary | EU Blue Card in Germany |
| No job yet, and you want to search from Germany | Opportunity Card in Germany |
| Spouse, child, or parent joining someone in Germany | Family Reunification in Germany |
| Already in Germany on another residence permit | Changing Your Residence Purpose in Germany |
| Seeking protection after you are already in Germany | Asylum in Germany |
A tourist visa is not a way to switch into work or study after you land. There is no visa-free entry for Iranian citizens, and Iran is not on the short list of passports that can arrive and apply for a residence permit inside Germany. You apply for a national visa at the German mission responsible for you, then collect the residence permit after you arrive. Changing Your Residence Purpose in Germany explains why a tourist trip does not replace that visa.
Asylum is a different procedure from a work or student visa. Do not file it as a shortcut into a job title. If you are unsure, get advice before you withdraw a protection claim.
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 Iran
When you want to study
The student visa itself is not different. Use the table above. There is no separate academic-check certificate for Iranian degrees.
Living-cost proof is the same idea as for other nationalities. Student Visa for Germany has the current figure. Paying it from Iran is the hard part. Many Iranian banks cannot send a normal euro transfer, so the payment often fails. Ask the account provider and the embassy which proof they accept before you move money. Do not hand cash to someone who offers to place the deposit for you.
When you want to work
The work visas themselves are not different. Use the table above. If the job needs a formal ruling on your degree, that recognition procedure is the same as for other passports: How to Get Foreign Qualifications Recognized in Germany. A qualifying salary usually means you do not open a blocked account the way students do.
Papers before the appointment
Iran is not in the apostille convention. German offices usually will not take an Iranian public document on the strength of an apostille. The German embassy in Tehran uses a substitute legalization (Ersatzlegalisation). In short: a German translation by a translator on the Iranian Foreign Ministry list, pre-authentication by the Iranian Ministry of Justice and then the Foreign Ministry, then legalization by the German embassy. The embassy asks for originals, and the Iranian pre-authentications should be less than a year old when you submit them. Legalization is a separate appointment. You cannot get it done on the day you file the visa. Bring the documents already legalized.
Typical papers in that stack are the civil-status booklet (shenasnameh), birth, marriage, and divorce records, and degree certificates. The exact list depends on the visa. Private letters and papers issued by an Iranian embassy abroad are not legalized this way.
Iranian exit rules can require men to show completed military service or an exemption before they leave the country. That is an Iranian exit rule, not a German visa category. If the embassy checklist also asks for a military-service paper, include the one it names.
Spellings are a frequent reject. The Latin letters on the passport, the shenasnameh, and the German translation need to be the same person. Fix a mismatch before the appointment, not at the counter. Opening a German current account after you arrive can also take longer if your only banking history is in Iran. Ask the bank which foreign papers it accepts.
Where people from Iran often move
Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Berlin are the cities people name most often, along with university towns when the offer is a place to study, though a job outside those cities 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 Hamburg, Frankfurt, or Berlin if you already know the city.
Common questions
Do Iranian citizens need a visa to work in Germany?
Yes. You need a national visa before you travel, then a residence permit after you arrive. There is no visa-free work route for an Iranian passport.
Is the German embassy in Tehran issuing visa appointments?
As of 30 October 2026, not for most new applications. The embassy is in emergency mode and has not said when normal appointments will return. Some older waiting-list cases are still moving. Read the embassy notice before you travel, because this can change any day.
Do Iranian documents need an apostille for a German visa?
No. Iran is outside the apostille convention. Public documents such as the civil-status booklet, marriage records, and degrees usually need the embassy’s substitute legalization: a listed German translation, Iranian Justice Ministry and Foreign Ministry stamps less than a year old, then the German embassy. Do that before the visa appointment.
Can Iranians apply for a German visa in Turkey?
Not if you live in Iran. Tehran stays responsible, and other missions reject those files. Family-reunification cases already on the Tehran list are being called through the IOM office in Istanbul. That is not the same as booking a visa appointment in Turkey yourself.
How do I pay a German blocked account from Iran?
Often you cannot, by a normal transfer from an Iranian bank. Ask the provider and the embassy which proof of funds they will accept before you send money. Do not use an informal courier. The amount Germany wants is in the student visa guide, and it changes by year.
Useful links
- German Embassy Tehran: legalization of Iranian documents
- German Embassy Tehran: limited visa and consular service
- Make it in Germany: visa quick-check
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.