Expat health insurance meets the legal minimum requirements under § 193 Abs. 3 VVG, which makes it accepted for most first-time visa applications, but it does not fulfill the § 257 Abs. 2a SGB V requirement that German authorities typically request for visa renewals and residence permit extensions. For most visa renewals, full public or private health insurance is required. However, a long-term expat health insurance plan that meets the § 152 Basistarif standard may be accepted as an alternative for renewals when public or private insurance is not an option.
Is expat health insurance accepted for visa renewals in Germany?
Expat health insurance meets the legal minimum requirements under § 193 Abs. 3 VVG, which makes it accepted for most first-time visa applications. However, it does not fulfill the § 257 Abs. 2a SGB V requirement that German authorities typically request for visa renewals and long-term residence permit extensions.
There are 2 main exceptions: expat health insurance is generally accepted when renewing a student visa, and when switching from a student visa to a job-seeker visa.
What health insurance is required to renew a long-term residence visa in Germany?
To meet the § 257 Abs. 2a SGB V requirement for long-term visa renewals and residence permit extensions, you need full public or private health insurance coverage.
This regulation applies primarily to non-EU citizens intending to reside in Germany and mandates comprehensive coverage that standard expat health insurance does not provide.
You can use our recommendation tool to check whether you are eligible for public or full private health insurance.
What are my options for visa renewal if I can't get public or private health insurance?
If you need to renew your visa but do not qualify for public or private health insurance and are not a student, a long-term expat health insurance plan that meets the § 152 Basistarif standard is generally accepted by the authorities as an alternative to statutory insurance.
If you currently hold a short-term expat plan with Feather, you can read our article on switching from short-term to long-term expat health insurance for full details on eligibility and the transition process.
If you do not currently have a policy with us, you can sign up for long term expat health insurance directly on our long-term expat health insurance page.