This guide will help you understand the Working Holiday Visa application process, prepare your documents, and provide structure for your first steps in Germany. Bureaucracy in German can be confusing, but this gets easier once you understand the process.
The German Working Holiday Visa is a one-year residence permit. Its main purpose is to encourage young people from a number of other countries to experience German culture and travel freely across Germany.
The Working Holiday Visa also allows you to work in Germany, although it is not mandatory. There are even some limits on how long you can work with each employer. This is different to most other residence permits, which require you to have a job or have a reason to be in Germany, such as attending university.
The following countries are eligible for the Working Holiday Visa:
*only when combined with another residence permit, such as a Residence permit for attending a language course.
This list is based on multiple official sources. Confusingly, each source is missing one or more countries. You should double-check to make sure that your country still has a Working Holiday Visa arrangement. For example, the agreement with the Republic of Korea has become stricter in the last few years.
Popular alternatives to the Working Holiday Visa are the:
*a variation of the freelance visa that only exists in Berlin.
Once their Working Holiday Visa has expired, many people move onto one of these visas to continue living in Germany.
In short: visas are for tourists, while residence permits have a specific purpose such as working or studying. Visas also tend to be short-term, while residence permits are typically for a year or longer.
Confusingly, the Working Holiday Visa is actually a residence permit. On the Berlin.de website, it’s described as the “Residence permit for the purpose of attending the Working-Holiday- and Youth Mobility-Programme”. Many call it the “Working Holiday Visa” (or the "Youth Mobility Visa" for Canadians) because it’s simpler, even though it’s technically not correct.
This name has become so common that it doesn't make sense to use anything else — so we will be using the term "Working Holiday Visa" for this guide as well.
The Working Holiday Visa requirements can be slightly different depending on where you are applying from. More on this below.
To be eligible for the Working Holiday Visa, you need to:
If you are applying from within Germany, you need to:
We’ll go through the details in the following sections.
The application process for the Working Holiday Visa is straightforward, but it’s easy to get confused since each official source seems to be missing some information. We’ve done our best to combine all the information in one place.
Visa applicants from Australia, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand are eligible to apply for the Working Holiday Visa with the age limit of 18-30 years old (until your 31st birthday).
You have the most options and can apply at the following locations:
These nationalities can receive a 90-day Schengen visa waiver on arrival in Germany. This is free. You then have 90 days to organize your documents and complete the Working Holiday Visa application process at the Ausländerbehörde in Berlin.
Visa applicants from Canada are eligible to apply for the Working Holiday Visa (also called the Youth Mobility Visa) with the age limit of 18-35 years old (until your 36th birthday). This means you have five more years compared to everybody else.
You have the same options as Australia, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand:
Canadians are also able to receive a 90-day Schengen visa waiver on arrival.
Visa applicants from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are eligible to apply for the Working Holiday Visa with the age limit of 18-30 years old (until your 31st birthday).
You will have to make your visa application at a German consulate or embassy at one of these locations:
Citizens of Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay are also able to apply at any German consulate or embassy abroad. In either case, this will need to be organized before your arrival in Germany.
Visa applicants from Brazil, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan are eligible to apply for the Working Holiday Visa with the age limit of 18-30 years old (until your 31st birthday).
You will have to make your visa application at a German consulate or embassy at one of these locations:
This will need to be organized before your arrival in Germany.
The Working Holiday Visa has some restrictions which are dependent on your nationality. However, there are some exceptions. There also seem to be inconsistent results for the same passports receiving different condition, so the following is a guide only.
Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand can work with the same employer for up to one year.
Note: Although this is not specified on many official sources, it appears that applications from outside of Germany are limited to six months instead of one year. People who apply from within Germany do not have employer limitations. However, this is inconsistent and doesn't always seem to be the case.
Full-time and part-time work are both allowed. Self-employment and freelance work is not permitted.
Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea can only work for a total of six months. Self-employment and freelance work is not permitted for Argentinians, but is unconfirmed for Brazilians and South Koreans.
Citizens of Chile and Uruguay can work with the same employer for up to six months. Self-employment and freelance work is allowed.
Citizens of Hong Kong, Israel, and Taiwan can only work with each employer for up to three months. Self-employment and freelance work is allowed for Israelis, but this is unconfirmed for nationals from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The following Working Holiday Visa application process in Germany is only possible for nationals from Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand. For the purposes of this guide, we will assume that your application will be taking place at the Ausländerbehörde in Berlin.
To make sure you have as much time as possible to prepare your documents:
Check that your passport still allows you to enter Germany on the 90-day Schengen visa-free waiver. There have been some changes over the years, and there are rumors about more changes in 2022 and 2023. If you’re not eligible, you’ll have to organize a Schengen visa or similar.
It can be difficult to find an appointment to register your address (Anmeldung) at the Bürgeramt. Finding a visa appointment at the Ausländerbehörde can be even harder. Everybody is trying, so they book out very quickly. To avoid stress, it’s recommended that you try to organize these before you even arrive in Germany.
Try to book your Working Holiday Visa appointment as close to your 90 days as possible to give yourself more time to organize your documents. Then, book your Anmeldung on just before your visa appointment, as you’ll need this as part of your visa application.
It’s likely that you’ll find that all of the time slots are unavailable. Unfortunately, this is normal — and it’s why you should try to book your appointments well in advance. Many people start panicking after realizing they’re running out of time, and you can improve your chances by simply thinking ahead.
New appointments become available around 7am, so this is the best time to check. It’s also a good idea to continue checking throughout the day to find canceled appointments. To make this easier, save the links on your phone.
If you don’t have one already, you’ll need to open a bank account that allows you to send, receive, and pay in Euros.
Most banks in Germany require you to have your Anmeldebestätigung (registration certificate) to open a bank account, but it’s most likely that won’t have your Anmeldung appointment until later.
Until then, the easiest thing to do is open a Borderless account with Wise (previously called TransferWise). Wise offers the best currency exchange rates right now, and Borderless is their version of a multi-currency bank account. You also get a debit card which you can use fee-free, anywhere in the world.
We recommend keeping your Wise account for currency transfers, but you should also get a German bank account as soon as you can. Wise’s Euro account is based in Belgium, and there are some cases when you specifically need a German bank account in Germany.
N26 is a great option, since they speak English and don’t require a registration certificate. They also have a free debit card and ATM cash withdrawals.
If you already have an address in Germany, you can even set up your account beforehand and have your debit card ready in your mailbox when you arrive.
Proof of address is one the main requirements of the Working Holiday Visa. This is easily the hardest step, and is the reason why you should give yourself as much time as possible.
There’s a housing shortage in Berlin, and finding a flat can be really hard. If you don’t know anyone and don’t speak German, this can be even harder. The easiest way to improve your chances is to look further outside of the city, then look for a more central flat later on when you don’t have to rush. You should also ask everybody you meet for referrals.
You can find a flat online here:
It’s also worth searching for the Facebook group specific to your nationality, such as Australians in Berlin. Many flats are listed in these groups before being released to the public.
Hotels, Airbnbs, and short-term rentals will not allow you to register there, even temporarily.
There are also plenty of sublets that are available on the rental market, all of which are listed as “no Anmeldung possible”. Most of these are illegal sublets, and both you and the tenant will get into trouble with the landlord if found out.
One workaround is to register at a friend’s apartment, but only with the permission of the landlord. This is not always possible, but it’s worth asking. They will likely ask you to find a permanent flat and deregister from that address as soon as possible.
For the purposes of the Working Holiday Visa, you will need to have an Anmeldebestätigung (registration certificate), or your original lease contract and the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (proof from your landlord).
Check your emails for the address of the Bürgeramt and your customer number. Don’t be late, as appointments start on time. The Anmeldung process itself is simple, takes about ten minutes, and is free.
You’ll need to bring your:
The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung can also be filled out by the main renter with the permission of the landlord. The main renter is the person who is on the rental contract and is responsible for the flat.
If you haven’t managed to book an appointment, some Bürgeramts around the city accept walk-ins, although it’s not a good idea to rely on this.
Once you've successfully registered, you will receive your Anmeldebestätigung (registration certificate).
Health insurance is a requirement for anyone living in Germany. Travel insurers such as Mawista and Care Concept were a cheap and popular option for Working Holiday Visa applicants, but these have been getting rejected lately. World Nomads still seems to work, although you will need to buy a full year in advance for this to be accepted.
Otherwise, we recommend Feather Insurance for "proper" German health insurance for expats. They provide a guarantee to be accepted for visa applications, and their insurance policy is tailored to expats, which offers better value than other health insurance options in Germany. You can also pay monthly, rather than a full year upfront.
If you get a job, you will need to join the German health care system — travel insurance is not enough. This means that applying for your Working Holiday Visa with travel insurance means you will end up paying for both. In short, World Nomads is better if you don't intend to work with your Working Holiday Visa, while Feather is a better option if you do intend to work.
More information about this below.
By this point, you will have most of your documents ready. The full list is below.
There are two Ausländerbehörde locations in Berlin. The one responsible for is at Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24, near the Charité Hospital.
COVID-19: Due to the global pandemic, you cannot bring a friend or translator into the appointment. If needed, an alternative is to have somebody ready on the phone to speak with your case worker. However, the case workers at the Ausländerbehörde have become much friendlier and are now encouraged to speak English with applicants. This was not the case a few years ago, so this is a huge improvement.
While not as punctual as the Bürgeramt, you should arrive for your visa appointment as early as possible. If you miss this appointment, it may be difficult to get a new one.
Visa applicants used to get their Working Holiday Visa on the spot. This is no longer the case. Instead, you'll be provided with a confirmation letter and your residency card will be sent directly to your registered address (see: Anmeldung) in about a month's time.
If you are unsuccessful, your case worker will tell you what to do next. If it's a matter of missing documents, they may give you a temporary time extension. This gives you the opportunity to organize the missing documents and come back at a later date.
Whether you're applying from your home country or somewhere else in the world, the requirements are often different to a Working Holiday Visa application in Germany.
For the most relevant and up-to-date information, I'd recommend having a look through this list of German consulate and embassy websites — the most up-to-date information and contact details should be available there. If you're unsure about anything, simply send through an email or call. They're usually very receptive and respond within a few days.
One key difference appears to be that applications from abroad require a CV and an accompanying letter that explains why you would like to be a part of the Working Holiday Visa program.
Whether you're apply in Germany or abroad, the list of required documents is quite similar. In both cases, you will need to bring a physical and original copy of all of the following documents:
Your passport should be valid for at least another 6 months and have at least two free pages remaining.
The dimensions are 35x45mm. There is a Fotoautomat at the Ausländerberhörde, but you should prepare this in advance. I had my passport photo taken at one of the many Fotofix booths around Berlin.
For your application, you must have insurance. For the Working Holiday Visa application, you have two options: travel insurance, or health insurance.
Travel insurance covers you for your time in Germany, as well as your future travels. You will need to pay for a year upfront and your policy will be managed by the travel insurance company. If you travel quite a lot and don't really intend to work, this may be a better deal. For this, we recommend World Nomads.
"Proper" German health insurance covers you for your time in Germany, and travel insurance is typically not included. However, you can often add it as an extra. You can pay your health insurance monthly, and this should be cheaper than a yearly travel insurance policy. You are also insured by a German insurer, rather than a global company. If you intend to work, you will have to move to the public health insurance system. For this, we recommend Feather Insurance — they can help you with both.
Bank statements for at least 2,000 Euros. If the bank statement is in another currency, use a tool such as XE.com and write the converted total in Euros on your statement.
Ideally, this would be your Anmeldebestätigung, but you can also bring a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung and written confirmation from your landlord. The second option is only possible if the rental agreement is under your name.
The application form for the Working Holiday Visa is called Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels, which translates to "Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit". You will need to complete this and provide it to the case worker at your appointment.
The Working Holiday Visa application costs between 56€ and 100€. To make thing easier, I would suggest bringing cash. Otherwise, the Ausländerbehörde a specific type of debit card which you're unlikely to have. Mastercard and Visa are not accepted
I first published this guide in 2017, which resulted in hundreds of comments, where I ended up researching each person's situation. After realizing that I was essentially providing immigration advice for free, I decided that this was unsustainable and shut down the comments on this website.
This guide has gone through a major update in 2021, condensing information and perspectives from hundreds of people into one straightforward resource. All of the main questions from the comments have been summarized into this FAQ section.
To apply for the Working Holiday Visa for Germany, you need to provide your passport, a biometric photo, proof of insurance, bank statements for at least 2000€, proof of residence, and a completed application form called Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels.
The Working Holiday Visa costs between 56€ and 100€. This depends on the difficulty of your application and is hard to predict.
The Working Holiday Visa is for one year. The conditions for how long you can work with each employer is specific to each nationality.
The Working Holiday Visa appointment takes about 20 minutes, but receiving your residence permit takes about a month. It used to be on the spot, but the Ausländerbehörde now sends a physical card to your registered address.
No. This is a requirement specific for those applying in Germany.
The easiest thing to do is to apply from outside of Germany (e.g. the Netherlands). Alternatively, you can leave the Schengen Zone and try again when your 90-day visa-free period has reset. You might get lucky by contacting the Ausländerbehörde for an extension, but the rules are quite clear.
You can specify the starting date, however there is a general rule that you can apply for up to 90 days before your intended arrival date.
No. Many people arrive in Germany with barely any German. Many learn German, however it is also easy to get by in cities such as Berlin.
This depends on your nationality and where you applied from. If your intention is to freelance, you may want to consider the German Freelance Visa.
Yes. You can enter and leave Germany an unlimited number of times on the Working Holiday Visa, with 90 days visa-free in the Schengen Zone for every 180 days. If you are traveling outside of the Schengen Zone, you will need to refer to that country's laws.
No. The Working Holiday Visa is technically a "Residence permit for the purpose of attending the Working-Holiday- and Youth Mobility-Programme". The term "Working Holiday Visa" is technically incorrect — it's a type of residence permit.
There are many active Facebook groups in Berlin, and I find Berlin4Beginners, Problems and Challenges with the Ausländerbehorde, and Free Advice Berlin to be quite useful. I would suggest asking there. If you found it useful, I would also really appreciate if you linked to this guide!