German national visa D from Armenia

The embassy in Yerevan accepts national visa applications from non-Armenian nationals only with confirmed residence in Armenia. Here is who may apply, which booking section to use and what the document set looks like.

Updated: September 17, 2026

A national visa D covers stays in Germany longer than 90 days: employment, the EU Blue Card, the Chancenkarte, studies, family reunification, self-employment. It is not a Schengen visa: the document set is built for one specific category, and the decision is taken by the embassy together with the authorities in Germany. Below is how applying in Yerevan works.

Who may apply in Yerevan

Armenia has one German mission that issues visas — the embassy in Yerevan, whose consular district covers the whole country. The honorary consul in Gyumri does not issue visas.

The main restriction for Russian and other non-Armenian nationals is territorial jurisdiction. Every category checklist lists, as a separate item, proof of habitual residence in Armenia for at least six months by way of a valid Armenian residence card. The embassy states separately that it does not accept applications from people who are in the country only temporarily.

In practice that means visa-free stay on a Russian passport does not open the door to a visa D application, and flying into Yerevan to catch an appointment is not a workable plan. You need both the residence card and six months of living in the country.

Step 1. Choose your category

Everything depends on the category: the booking section, the document set, the fee and the processing time. Yerevan has no consecutive numbering of information sheets — each category has its own page with its own document list. Find yours under Aufenthalte über 90 Tage and work only from it. Full information exists only in German and Armenian; the English page is a short summary, so check the document list against the German original.

Step 2. Booking and filing channels

Since July 2025 the TLScontact visa centre in Yerevan accepts Schengen applications only. You do not go there for a visa D: neither booking nor filing runs through it, and national visas carry no service fee.

Booking at the embassy through RK-Termin is mandatory for everyone, and you must pick exactly your section.

The waiting times are the ones the booking system itself displays, and they change. The rules are strict: a separate appointment for every applicant, children included; data is entered in Latin characters only, and the passport number must match the passport you bring. A no-show blocks you in the system for a month, and after cancelling you can take a new appointment only three weeks later. Booking is free, and the embassy states explicitly that it works with no travel agency at all, including the service bureaus next to its building.

Some work categories, as well as the Chancenkarte and studies, may file online through Auslandsportal: you complete the form and upload scans in advance, the portal checks completeness, and you then come in person with the originals, give biometrics and pay the fee. The Armenian residence card has to be uploaded here as well. How the portal and the appointment fit together in your category is best clarified through the embassy contact form.

Step 3. The Videx form

The form is filled in at videx.diplo.de, section langfristiger Aufenthalt. It is not the same form as for Schengen.

• All fields are completed online, then the form is downloaded as a PDF and printed
• It is signed by hand
• It may be completed in German or English
• Together with the form you submit the signed Erklärung zur Erreichbarkeit: the template is on your category page
• The place of birth is entered exactly as in your passport

Step 4. Documents and fees

The basic set is the same for every category:

• The document list for your category: the file is arranged by it and in its order
• The completed and signed Videx form plus the Erklärung zur Erreichbarkeit
• Passport: issued no more than 10 years ago, valid for at least 6 months beyond the visa, at least 2 blank pages, plus copies of all pages carrying stamps and visas
• Armenian residence card and a copy — for all non-Armenian nationals
• Biometric photos: 2 pieces, one glued to the form; the requirements are in the embassy photo sample
• Health insurance covering entry and the first period in Germany
• CV in German or English — in work and study categories

The formatting rules are strict: everything in A4, not stapled, not bound, not placed in folders or sleeves. Copies go with the originals as set out in your category list. Documents not in German need a recognised German translation; degrees, school certificates and civil registry documents must be originals with an apostille.

The policy you need is one that covers the period from entry until statutory insurance takes effect — for example Expat health insurance from Feather.

The fee is set in euro and converted into drams at the embassy's rate, and it is paid on the spot. Whether cards are accepted is not stated for national visas, so it is safer to bring the amount in cash in drams.

Additional documents by category

EU Blue Card

A signed employment contract stating the position, salary and conditions, the Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis from the employer, the degree with an apostille and a translation, and recognition via ANABIN (the combination of an "H+" university and a degree rated "entspricht / vergleichbar", otherwise a Zeugnisbewertung from ZAB). The 2026 thresholds are €50,700 per year and €45,935 for shortage occupations and graduates of the last three years. IT specialists without a degree need 3 years of comparable experience within the last 7 years; a regulated profession requires a Berufsausübungserlaubnis. Processing takes about 2–6 weeks. More on the Blue Card page.

Chancenkarte

Proof of funds — at least €1,091 per month, €13,092 for the year: a Sperrkonto, a contract for permitted part-time work of up to 20 hours a week, or a formal declaration of commitment under §§ 66, 68 AufenthG. From the age of 45 you need either a salary from €4,648 per month (€55,770 per year) or confirmed pension provision. In addition: a motivation letter, a CV, German A1 or English B2, and insurance with cover of at least €30,000. Then there are two routes: a fully recognised qualification, or at least 6 points in the points system together with recognised education and a ZAB-Bescheinigung. Processing takes 6–10 weeks, and during that period the embassy does not answer status enquiries. The conditions are on the Chancenkarte page.

Studies

You need the Zulassungsbescheid from a German university and proof of funds — €992 per month, €11,904 for the year (a Sperrkonto, a formal declaration of commitment or a scholarship from public funds). Then: school certificates and degrees with an apostille and a translation, a motivation letter — the embassy requires it to be written personally rather than following a service bureau template, a CV, proof of the language of instruction from a recognised provider (usually B2), the consent of both parents for minors, and insurance. Processing takes 3–14 weeks.

Spouse reunification

The marriage certificate as an original with an apostille, a notarised translation and a copy; a copy of the spouse's passport and, if the spouse is not a German or EU citizen, two copies of their residence permit; the Befragungsbogen questionnaire as an original and a copy; an A1 certificate (Goethe, ÖSD, telc). The language exceptions are described on the page on German language skills: the certificate is not required if the spouse in Germany holds an EU Blue Card, an ICT or Mobile ICT Card. Each child needs a separate application and a separate appointment. Processing takes 6–14 weeks. Check the two-year restriction as well: if the spouse holds a residence permit, has lived in Germany for less than two years and the marriage was concluded after their entry, reunification is as a rule not possible; exceptions apply to the titles listed in § 30 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 AufenthG. More on the family reunification page.

Self-employed and freelancers

A structured, detailed description of the business idea: a business plan, a capital requirement plan and a financing plan, proof of qualifications and experience with an apostille and a translation, a CV, proof of language skills where applicable, from the age of 45 proof of adequate pension provision, and health insurance. Book under "all other purposes"; processing takes 6–14 weeks and often longer, because authorities in Germany are involved.

The fast-track procedure under § 81a

Work categories can be accelerated: the employer in Germany obtains the Vorabzustimmung, the prior approval of the Ausländerbehörde under § 81a AufenthG. With it the embassy must give an appointment within three weeks and decide on the application within three weeks of filing; accompanying family members are filed at the same appointment. Yerevan has a separate booking section for this, with a waiting time of about three weeks, and processing of 2–3 weeks. Non-Armenian nationals still need the Armenian residence card here.

The language requirement is easy to misread: the general § 81a sheets list German for the specialist, the spouse and children from 16, but the sheet is written for ordinary work visas (§ 18a, § 18b). For the Blue Card (§ 18g) no language is required either from the applicant or from the spouse — the exemption is set out in § 30 Abs. 1 S. 3 Nr. 5 AufenthG.

Filing and receiving the decision

The embassy is at 29 Charents Street in Yerevan, and visa admission takes place only at the time of your booked appointment. Every applicant attends in person to give fingerprints; filing through a representative is not allowed. Originals and copies are arranged in the order of your category list, and the fee is paid on the spot in drams. If you apply as a family, each person needs a separate appointment and a complete set; documents may be requested additionally on the spot or by letter.

Yerevan has no public collection list and no online tracker: the embassy writes to the address given at booking, so it must be accurate, and the spam folder is worth checking. The embassy does not answer status enquiries — within the regular processing period that is normal. The procedure for returning the passport is not set out on the website, so follow the instructions given at filing. If you receive a new passport after filing, tell the embassy in advance through the contact form.

According to the embassy, processing usually takes 6–12 weeks and in individual cases longer, plus the wait for the appointment itself.

Points to note for Russian citizens

Booking. Russian citizens have their own branch, "national visas for non-Armenian nationals" — do not book in the section for Armenian citizens.

Apostille. Russian civil registry documents and degrees are needed as originals with an apostille. Electronic apostilles with a QR code are often not accepted, because there is no way to verify them.

Translations. The embassy requires a recognised German translation, and for civil registry documents in reunification cases a notarised one. What counts as a recognised translation is best clarified through the contact form: further down the line the requirements are set by the authority in Germany, and the Ausländerbehörde and the Arbeitsagentur often accept only translations by sworn translators recognised in Germany.

Remonstration was abolished on 1 July 2025. A refusal can no longer be appealed by letter to the consulate: what remains is a new application with a stronger file, or the court route. The "45 days for processing" rule from the European Commission recommendation of 30 March 2022 applies to Schengen visas and not to the visa D. Asylum cannot be requested through the embassy — an application is only filed on German territory.

The Armenian residence permit

Since the residence permit is the entry ticket to filing, these are the main types of status. The authority is the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and applications are filed through the portal or in person by appointment.

• Temporary residence permit: up to 1 year, renewable: Armenian origin, entrepreneurial activity, family ties, studies in Armenia
• Residence permit through employment: for foreigners hired by an Armenian employer; since 2022 it is processed online only
• Permanent residence permit: for 5 years, renewable
• Special residence permit: for 10 years, issued under a special procedure

Grounds, thresholds and timelines change, so check the current rules on the Migration and Citizenship Service website before applying. For the German embassy it is not only the permit itself that matters but also six months of actual residence: a freshly issued card may not satisfy the requirement on its own.

Choosing the country of application is a separate task, and it is better solved before you move: sometimes filing outside Armenia is faster. We can go through your situation in a consultation; material on individual visas is collected in the guides section.

FAQ

Can the visa D be filed through TLScontact?

No. TLScontact in Yerevan accepts Schengen applications only. National visas are filed at the embassy itself by RK-Termin appointment, and for a number of work categories and for studies an online application through Auslandsportal is available.

Can I apply if I live in Armenia visa-free, without a residence permit?

No. Every checklist for non-Armenian nationals requires a valid Armenian residence card and proof of at least six months of residence. The embassy names a merely temporary stay in the country directly as grounds for not accepting the application.

How much does an appointment cost?

Nothing. Booking is free, and the embassy warns separately that it works with no travel agency at all — including the service bureaus next to its building — and charges nothing beyond the visa fee. Promises to speed up an application for money are fraud.

How long do the appointment and the decision take?

The wait for an appointment is about 4 weeks for non-Armenian nationals, about 8 for studies and language courses, and about 3 under § 81a. A decision usually takes 6–12 weeks: § 81a — 2–3 weeks, Blue Card — 2–6, Chancenkarte — 6–10, studies — 3–14, spouse reunification and the self-employed — 6–14 weeks.

In which currency is the fee paid?

In Armenian drams only, at the embassy when filing, at the embassy's exchange rate. Euro and roubles are not accepted, so prepare the amount in advance.

Can the whole family be booked into one appointment?

No. Every applicant, children included, needs a separate appointment and a complete set of documents. Personal attendance is mandatory because of the fingerprints, and filing through a representative is not possible for a national visa.

Applying from other countries