The visa is a stand-alone residence title for the purpose of entering the Federal Republic of Germany and for the initial period of your stay.

This Residence Act draws a distinction between:

• the Schengen visa for short stays of up to three months, and
• the national visa for longer stays for one of the purposes of residence defined in the Residence Act.

A visa can also be granted before entry into Germany by a German Embassy/Consulate for stays of short or longer duration. It can also be issued by an Embassy/Consulate of another Schengen state for short-term stays.

N.B. Whoever tries to enter without a visa will be sent back at the border. Whoever tries to enter by violating the provisions of the visa or by making false statements, will generally not get a residence title. Whoever enters the country as a foreigner without permission, will be expelled from the Federal Republic of German back into his/her country of origin.