German visa for Indian students: Can you bring your family along? Your important queries answered

Planning to travel to Germany for higher education? Check some queries concerning student visas.

A recent report by the German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD revealed that Germany continues to enjoy the status of being one of the most sought-after study-abroad destinations for Indian students. The report, published in September 2024, claimed that the number of Indian students in Germany had grown by 15.1% since 2023 and stood at 49,483. It further stated that Indian students formed the largest international community in Germany for the second year in a row.

Check the answers to some common queries concerning student visas in Germany.

Apart from being home to some of the best educational institutions, a major reason why Germany is so popular among Indian students is that the country offers free education to both domestic as well as international students. In other words, the majority of German public universities make their undergraduate degrees and many of their postgraduate degrees free.

Now, are you also planning to travel to Germany soon for higher education and want to know what you can do with a student visa? Well, worry not. In this article, we will discuss in brief some of the important questions that Indian students may have concerning a German study visa, as presented in a report by QS Top Universities.

Visa type and residence permit:

According to the report, a student visa is required for an individual planning to attend a university or preparatory school in Germany. Once the student enters country, he/she will also have to apply for a student residence permit at the Foreigner’s Authority.

Notably, the report does not advise students to enter Germany on a tourist visa since it cannot be converted into a residence permit once they enter Germany.

Residence permits are of three types:

1. Residence permit to attend university
2. Residence permit to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory college)
3. Residence permit to attend a language course.

Cost of student visa in Germany

A student visa in Germany costs €75 or close to INR 6640.

Visa process tenure

As per the report, the visa process may take between 15 to 30 days after the interview for a visa. In some cases, this duration may extend if more documents are requested, or if the applications are high.

Working while studying

International students in Germany are permitted to work part-time (20 hours per week) during the semester and full-time (40 hours per week) during breaks each year without any sort of work permit, the report says. However, students on short-term language or preparatory courses are not permitted to work.

In case students are DAAD scholarship holder, they will need DAAD's permission for any paid work while studying.

Bringing family along while studying In Germany

Visa holders may potentially bring their spouses and/or children in Germany provided they meet specific criteria for a family reunification visa. These include:

1. The student visa holder should have a valid residence permit.
2. The visa holder and his/her partner should be married at the time of receiving the residence permit in Germany.
3. The stay of the visa holder should extend a year.
4. The visa holder must be able to financially support him/her as well as family members during their stay in Germany, the report stated.