Applying without a German passport

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Work in public service without a German passport? Gladly: Join in. For Germany. For you.

What counts for us are motivation, enthusiasm and performance! The public service benefits from people of all nationalities - after all, as a contemporary administration, we work for a diverse Germany.
The Federal Administration offers you over 130 different vocational training programmes. On the page Our vacancies you’ll find all the vacant apprenticeships including a description. On our page Who we are, you can find out what distinguishes us as an employer and what prospects we can offer you!

In the Federal Administration you can, for example, pursue a career as a civil servant or work as a pay-scale employee.

You don't have a German passport?

If you don’t have a German passport, the following information is important for you:

You’re a citizen of a European Member State (EU citizen) or of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway (EEA citizen) or Switzerland?

Then you can either work as a pay-scale employee or choose a career as a civil servant. There are four different career paths for civil servants: ordinary civil service (einfacher Dienst), medium-level civil service (mittlerer Dienst), higher civil service (gehobener Dienst, senior civil service (höherer Dienst).

You don’t come from any of the countries mentioned above, but from a so-called third country?

  • People of all nationalities can work in the Federal Administration as pay-scale employees. The im-portant thing here is: Your residence permit should entitle you to engage in gainful employment. The foreigners authority at your place of residence can provide you with competent advice on all matters.
  • If you are still abroad, a German diplomatic mission (Embassy or Consulate General) is your first point of contact for all questions regarding visas and residence permits for educational purposes. If you are a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the USA, you may enter without a visa. You can apply for the residence permit you need to start your training within three months of entering Germany.

Good to know!

Certain residence permits grant you permission to work more or less automatically, for example:

  • The residence permit for Turkish nationals in accordance with Section 4 subs. 5 of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz) or
  • The residence permit in accordance with Section 25 subs. 1 or subs. 2 of the Residence Act
  • Persons who are recognised as being entitled to asylum or who have been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection and who are therefore in possession of a residence permit in accordance with Section 25 subs. 1 or subs. 2 of the Residence Act. This also applies to holders of a residence permit for family reunification according to Sections 28 to 36 of the Residence Act.

The settlement permit and the EC long-term residence permit are unlimited residence permits and allow you to engage in gainful employment without restriction.

What options do family members have?

You’re not an EU citizen, but your cohabiting partner is? Then it’s important for you to know: Family members of EU or EEA citizens receive the certificate confirming their right of residence in the form of a residence card. Family members of Swiss nationals are granted a declaratory residence permit.
With regard to third countries: Spouses, cohabiting partners or children who have not yet reached the age of 21 or who are granted support have the same rights as their parents or spouses or cohabiting partners.

Sounds complicated? Don’t hesitate to contact the foreigners authority at your place of residence or your German diplomatic mission abroad with any questions you may have.