The regulations regarding the inter-corporate employee transfer shall simplify the inner European mobility and make the EU more competitive as a location for multinational companies.

If your company (located outside the EU) plans on temporarily seconding you to a branch office in Germany, you can apply for an ICT-Card.

The ICT Card, like all longer-term residence permits, is issued exclusively by the relevant Aliens Authority in Germany. You must apply for the national visa, which is required in advance, from the Embassy / the Consulate General. Applications take about 1-2 weeks to be processed.

Upon submission of all the required documents, the application will be forwarded to the competent German authorities. After the application has been approved, the German Embassy / the Consulate General will issue a residence permit in the form of a visa with the duration for up to six months. The finale ICT-Card will be granted in Germany by the relevant Aliens Authority.

Required documents:

Please prepare two identical application sets with all of the following documents in the given order.
Incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of your application.

• "Employment in Germany"
• Valid national passport with at least two blank visa-pages and two copies
• Application form fully completed including declaration Section 54 (2) 8, duly signed

• If you wish to receive your Passport with your Visa by mail:
  • Applicant at the Embassy in Tokyo: a self-addressed LetterPack 520
  • Applicant at the General Consulate in Osaka: a self-addressed DIN A4 envelop
  

• Two passport photographs, not older than three months with a bright background and frontal view of the face
• Copy of your passport’s data page
• Copy of your Japanese residence card – if applicable
• Work contract (containing gross annual salary, working hours, workplace, duration of work) and letter of secondment
• Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis / Declaration for employment
• Annex to declaration for employment in case of secondment
• Certificate of university graduation (English or German)
• Proof of travel health insurance, for up to one year in Germany with a minimum coverage of 30.000,00 EUR, including the following details: name of insured person, length of coverage, insurance sum and repatriation coverage
• If available: Advanced approval of the Federal Employment Agency
• Visa fee (75 EUR, payable by cash or credit card in Japanese Yen according to the official exchange rate on the date of application)

AFTER YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED

• Flight reservation/itinerary (including your name) to Germany

Please note: In individual cases, you may be required to provide additional documents.

Please note that an advanced approval of the Federal Employment Agency is not mandatory, but it shortens the application process significantly.

 The German Embassy Tokyo / The Consulate General reserves the right to ask for additional documents at any time during processing. Submission of the above mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted.