Procedure descriptions
Residence permit for employees from third countries - Apply for an ICT card
The ICT card is a residence title. It supplements the already existing residence titles. Its scope of application is intra-company transfers within the EU.
In concrete terms, it is about the temporary posting of company staff of such companies that have their headquarters outside the EU to a branch of the company or the same group of companies within the European Union.
The ICT card is primarily intended to increase intra-European mobility. It is intended to make it easier for employees to work temporarily also in branches of their own company in the EU.
In return, companies that have branches in EU member states should be able to transfer workers more easily.
As a trainee, you can also get an ICT card. You can get it as part of an intra-company transfer during a trainee programme.
A trainee in this sense is someone who
- has a university degree,
- is on a trainee programme that is designed for professional development or training in business techniques and methods, and
- is remunerated.
Responsible authority
- for issuing a national visa before entry: the German mission abroad (embassy, consulate)
- for issuing a residence permit after entry: the foreigners authority
Foreigners authority is- if you live in a city district or in a large district town: the city administration
- if you live in a town or municipality belonging to a district: the district administration office.
Details
Prerequisite
You can obtain the ICT card if you
- will be working as a manager or specialist at the receiving subsidiary and
- have been with the company for at least six months immediately prior to the internal transfer and for an uninterrupted period during the transfer.
The transfer must exceed a duration of 90 days. - In the case of managers and specialists, the ICT card is issuedfor the duration of the transfer, but for a maximum of three years .
For trainees, the maximum period of validity is one year.
The following requirements must be met in particular for the transfer of an employee within their company or group of companies:
- Proof of qualification as a manager, specialist or trainee
- Employment in the company for at least 6 months
- Approval from the Federal Employment Agency
- Employment contract with the relevant company branch or secondment letter or supplementary secondment agreement from the employer
- Residence and centre of life of the applicant in a third country
- The employment contract must be comparable to that of the host company
Procedure
You must apply for the ICT card at the Aliens' Registration Office. You must submit your application in writing.
Deadlines
Application within the period of validity of the visa
Required documents
As a rule, you must submit the documents and information in German.
Costs
- first issue of an ICT card: EUR 100.00
- Extension up to three months: 96.00 EUR
- Extension for more than three months: 93.00 EUR
Miscellaneous
The ICT card can only be applied for from outside Europe. It is not possible to apply for it in Germany.
Legal basis
Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG)
- § 19 ICT-Karte für unternehmensintern transferierte Arbeitnehmer
Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthV)
- § 5 Allgemeine Voraussetzungen der Ausstellung des Reiseausweises für Ausländer
- § 39 Verlängerung eines Aufenthalts im Bundesgebiet für längerfristige Zwecke
- § 45 Gebühren für die Aufenthaltserlaubnis, die Blaue Karte EU, die ICT-Karte und die Mobiler-ICT-Karte
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Justizministerium Baden-Württemberg, 11.06.2025