Student visa, Schengen zone, APS certificate — the rules that trip up Indian students and how to get them right.
Most Indian students need a national long-stay D-Visa for Germany specifically. The student visa covers your first semester; you then convert to a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) at the Ausländerbehörde.
In hand at the visa appointment: university admission letter, APS certificate, blocked account Sperrbestätigung (€11,904 minimum), health insurance confirmation, completed application form, biometric passport photos, proof of accommodation.
Required for all Indian graduates. Apply at aps-deutschland.de — processing 4–8 weeks. There is an interview about your academic history.
Anmeldung within 14 days. Then Ausländerbehörde appointment to convert visa to residence permit. Bring: enrolment certificate, health insurance, blocked account confirmation.
With a German residence permit, you can travel freely within the Schengen zone. Confirm re-entry rights before any travel outside Schengen.
