The waiting game. It’s the hardest part of moving abroad. You have your Ausbildung contract for one of the many jobs in Germany, but now you’re staring at your phone, waiting for the embassy to call.
“When can I book my flight?”
While every embassy is different (the wait in New Delhi is different from the wait in Bogotá), there is a standard timeline you can expect. Understanding this prevents panic and helps you plan your start date with your employer.
📅 The 4 Phases of the Visa Process
Phase 1: The Contract & Pre-Approval (Weeks 1-4)
Before you even touch a visa application, you need your training contract (Ausbildungsvertrag).
- The Tip: Ask your employer to apply for “Fast-Track Procedure for Skilled Workers” (Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren). This costs €411 but forces the German authorities to process your paperwork in weeks, not months.
- Federal Employment Agency Approval: Your contract must be approved by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. This happens internally, but adds time.
Phase 2: Booking the Appointment (Weeks 4-12)
This is the bottleneck. In high-demand countries, getting an appointment slot at the embassy can take months.
- Action: Check the appointment system daily. Do not wait until you have every single document to look for a slot (but make sure you have them by the date!).
Phase 3: The Interview & Processing (Weeks 12-16)
You go to the embassy, hand over your documents, and do a short interview (often in German, to prove your B1/B2 level).
- Processing Time: Once they accept your passport, standard processing takes 4 to 8 weeks.
- Why the delay? The embassy sends your file digitally to the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in the specific German city where you will live. They have to say “yes” before the embassy can print the sticker.
Phase 4: Arrival & Residency (Week 16+)
You get your passport back with a D-Visa (usually valid for 3-6 months). You fly to Germany!
- Important: Within 2 weeks of arrival, you must register your address (Anmeldung). Then, apply for your long-term residence permit.
Sample Timeline (Without Fast-Track)
- January: Sign Contract.
- February: Secure Embassy Appointment.
- March: Gather Blocked Account/Insurance docs.
- May: Visa Interview.
- June/July: Visa Approval.
- August: Move to Germany.
- September: Start Ausbildung.
Total Time: ~6-8 Months.
A staffing agency get-talent.eu in the EU can help speed this up by ensuring your documents are perfect the first time, avoiding rejections that reset the clock.
References
- Make it in Germany: Visa for vocational training
- Federal Foreign Office: Visa issuance process