Visa routes: apply before you travel
Turkish nationals are not visa-exempt for stays over 90 days — you apply for a national (D) visa at a German mission in Turkey (the Embassy in Ankara or the Consulates General in Istanbul and Izmir) before travelling, through the service provider iDATA. The main routes are family reunification, skilled worker / EU Blue Card, study, and the Chancenkarte job-seeker route.
Family reunification — and a Turkish-specific advantage
Family reunification (§§ 27–30 AufenthG) is the most common route from Turkey. The general rules: both spouses at least 18, the sponsor shows a secured livelihood and adequate housing, and the joining spouse normally proves basic German (A1) before entry. But there is a Turkish-specific exception: under the CJEU's Dogan ruling (C-138/13), the pre-entry language requirement may not be imposed on family members of an economically active Turkish national, because it breaches the Association Agreement's standstill clause.
The Ankara Agreement and the standstill clause
Turkish citizens benefit from the EU–Turkey Association Agreement (1963) and its standstill clause (Art. 41(1) of the 1970 Additional Protocol; Art. 13 of Decision 1/80). In practice this means Turkish workers and their families pay reduced residence-permit fees — for the ARB 1/80 residence permit, Berlin currently charges €46.00 (from age 24) or €27.60 (up to 24), versus the standard ~€100. It also strengthens Turkish workers' residence and labour-market rights the longer they are legally employed.
Working in Germany: Blue Card and recognition
For qualified professionals, the EU Blue Card needs a gross salary of at least €50,700 (2026), or €45,934.20 in a shortage occupation or as a recent graduate. Check whether your Turkish degree is recognised in anabin, and if not, request a Statement of Comparability — see our qualification recognition guide.
Documents, apostille and your driving licence
Turkey is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (in force since 1985), so Turkish certificates are apostilled by the Turkish authorities rather than legalised at a consulate. You will also need certified German translations. One thing to plan for: Turkey is not on Germany's licence-exchange list (Anlage 11 FeV), so a Turkish driving licence is exchanged only after you pass both the theory and practical driving tests.
Social security and dual citizenship
Germany and Turkey have had a social security agreement since 1964/1965 — the oldest of Germany's bilateral agreements — letting you combine pension contribution periods in both countries. And since the 2024 citizenship reform (in force 27 June 2024), Germany generally allows dual citizenship, so Turkish nationals no longer have to give up their Turkish passport to naturalise — see our citizenship guide.