Then you can enter Germany and study at the University of Cologne without a visa. A valid ID or passport will be sufficient. After finding permanent accommodation, you have to register your place of residence at the City Hall within 14 days of having moved in.

Then you can enter Germany without a visa. A valid ID or passport will be sufficient. After finding permanent accommodation, you have to register your place of residence at the City Hall within 14 days of having moved in. Within 90 days after entering Germany you must apply for a residence permit at the local immigration office.

For legally binding information on the visa regulations, please contact the German mission in your home country.

Then you have to apply for a national visa, category D (visa for a longer-term stay, NOT a tourist visa) at the German mission in your home country at least four months before your departure to Germany.

These are the documents usually needed for a visa application (may vary):

• Application form for a longer-term stay of more than three months (national visa, category D)
• Letter of acceptance or admission from the University of Cologne
• Proof of health insurance in your home country
• Proof of financial resources to cover your stay in Germany (e.g. proof of parents' income or assets, guarantee of a person residing in Germany, bank guarantee, proof of scholarship, setting up a blocked account called "Sperrkonto")

For legally binding information on the application process and requirements, please contact the German mission in your home country.

After finding permanent accommodation in Germany, you have to register your place of residence at the City Hall within 14 days of having moved in.

If your visa does not cover your whole stay in Germany, you must apply for a residence permit at the local immigration office at least two months before your visa expires.