BAMF

 

If you are part of an exchange program and you already hold a residence title for study purposes issued by France, Italy, or Spain, on any other Schengen country, you do not need to obtain a German visa. The residence title issued by those states allows you to study here and must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Germany.

Please note: This does not apply if you are just changing campus within ESCP Business School. For that you should get a German residence permit.

Your host universty will inform the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) that you intend to study in Germany. The BAMF will issue a certificate §16C entitling you to reside in Germany for study purpose. This certificate is not required for entry but serves as proof for authorities and private individuals, even in other Schengen countries.

 

  • How to obtain the BAMF certificate §16C

    Please follow this procedure in order to obtain the §16C certificate:

    • You should make the following documents available to your host universty:
      • a residence title from the first EU State issued for the purpose of studying
      • a valid passport
      • proof of studies: proof that you are taking part in a programme organised by the EU or in another multilateral programme entailing mobility, and/or the agreement between the higher education institutions
      • proof that you can support yourself, e.g. proof of parental support
      • public health insurance
    • Please note: all documents, except for the passport and the residence title, need to be submitted in German.
    • We will forward these documents and your admission to study to the BAMF.
    • Then what?

Any further or more detailed information about the procedure of obtaining the §16C mobility in the EU certificate can be found on the BAMF website.

If you have any remaining questions, please feel free to reach out to the Visa Support Berlin visasupport.berlin@escp.eu.

Last updated on 10th October 2024