National D Visa for Late Immigrants to Germany

Late resettlers travel to Germany not on a Schengen tourist visa, but on a national D visa for long-term residence. The basis for the procedure is a decision by the Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA): Aufnahmebescheid for the main applicant and, if applicable, Einbeziehungsbescheid for included family members.

Who is eligible for this procedure

The Late Resettlers Program falls under the Bundesvertriebenengesetz (BVFG). In general, it applies to people of German descent from regions specified by law who can prove their German nationality, origin, and language proficiency. For the principal applicant, documents proving German ancestry and confirmation of German language proficiency are usually key; for spouses and descendants included in the decision, the requirements differ.

Before submitting your visa application, it is important not to confuse the two stages:

• BVA procedure: verification of eligibility for an Aufnahmebescheid or Einbeziehungsbescheid.
• Consular procedure: submission of an application for a national D visa after receiving the relevant decision.

Why a Schengen visa is not suitable

A Schengen visa is intended for short-term trips. To relocate for permanent residence and subsequently register in Germany, a late arrival typically needs a national D visa. In certain non-standard situations, the procedure may differ, but such cases should be clarified in advance with the German consulate or the competent authority, rather than planning a move on a tourist visa.

What documents are typically prepared

There is no universal checklist: family history, country of application, family composition, and the content of the BVA decision may vary. Nevertheless, applicants often have to prepare several sets of documents.

Identity and Family Lineage Documents

• certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, adoption, and paternity;
• the applicants’ valid foreign passports;
• documents proving German ancestry;
• documents proving a German ancestor and the family relationship from that ancestor to the applicant;
• old passports, military ID cards, archival records, and other documents, if they confirm nationality or family ties;
• employment records and documents detailing employment history, if relevant to the specific generation and the BVA’s request.

Documents Regarding the BVA Decision and Language Requirements

• Aufnahmebescheid for the principal applicant;
• Einbeziehungsbescheid for included spouses, children, or other descendants, if they are traveling together;
• Language proficiency proof, when required based on the person’s role in the application: for the main applicant, this is generally sufficient knowledge of German, often confirmed by a B1 certificate or an assessment by a German diplomatic mission; for adult family members included in the application, basic knowledge of German at the A1 level is usually required.

Documents Required for the Visa Application

A specific list is published by the German consulate or embassy where the application is filed. The following are typically checked:

• a visa application form for a national visa;
• photographs in the specified format;
• passports and copies of the pages containing personal information;
• BVA decisions and documents for family members;
• certificates of no criminal record, if specified in the consular list;
• an apostille or other certification of authenticity where required;
• translations, if required by the specific consulate.

Do not rely on a list of required documents from another country or another consular district: requirements regarding copies, translations, the order of presentation, and labeling may vary.

Apostille, translations, and copies

An apostille is not required “automatically for all documents,” but only for those documents for which it is required by the issuing country and the rules of the German diplomatic mission or the BVA. The visa guidelines of a specific consulate take precedence over general advice based on someone else’s case.

It’s helpful to create a separate folder containing:

• originals;
• copies in the order specified in the consular checklist;
• apostilled documents;
• translations, if required;
• copies of everything previously submitted to the BVA.

Sometimes, when submitting your application, you may be asked to present a document that was already included in the BVA file—for example, a language certificate, a family document, or a confirmation from the archives. Therefore, it is best not to hand over original documents without making copies and to keep a complete set on file.

What is the procedure?

1. Gather family and archival documents for the BVA.
2. Verify that each family member meets the language requirements for their respective role.
3. Obtain the Aufnahmebescheid and, if necessary, the Einbeziehungsbescheid.
4. Check the visa guidelines for the German diplomatic mission where you will be submitting your application.
5. Schedule an appointment to apply for a national D visa.
6. Prepare application forms, photos, passports, BVA decisions, certificates, apostilles, translations, and copies.
7. Submit the documents and wait for a decision on the visa.
8. After entering the country, complete the required registration and other formalities in Germany.

Waiting Times and Consulate Appointments

Appointment and processing times for national visas vary depending on the country, the specific diplomatic mission, the season, family composition, and the visa department’s workload. Figures from previous years quickly become outdated, so it’s best to use them only as a historical reference. Before planning your move, check the current page for the relevant German consulate and do not purchase non-refundable tickets until you have received your visa.

If you do not live in your country of citizenship or are considering applying through another German consulate, check in advance whether it accepts applications from residents with your status. The mere fact that the wait time is shorter in another country does not automatically entitle you to submit your application there.

Common Mistakes

• attempting to enter on a Schengen visa for the purpose of moving to Germany for permanent residence;
• preparing documents based on another consulate’s checklist without verifying with your own consulate;
• assume that a single apostille or a single translation format is suitable for all cases;
• Discard copies of documents previously submitted to the BVA;
• Do not distinguish between the Aufnahmebescheid for the principal applicant and the Einbeziehungsbescheid for included family members;
• Do not rely on outdated waiting times from personal accounts.

In Brief

For late resettlers, the national D visa is the consular stage following the BVA decision, not a replacement for the Aufnahmeverfahren. The applicant’s main task is to obtain a valid BVA decision, check the list of German diplomatic missions, and prepare the documents in the format required by that specific consulate.