Germany to Introduce Esports Visa in 2020

The German Federal Government and the States have approved a new visa category this week, which will enable professional esports players from non-EU countries to go through easier procedures to obtain permanent residency in Germany.

According to the German Esports Federation (ESBD), the new changes have been approved due to the new Skilled Immigration Act.

These changes, ESBD claims, will strengthen Germany as a host for international events and enable the recruitment of players and coaches from non-EU countries.

The President of the ESBD Hans Jagnow claims that the German esports visa will turn out to be a big advantage for events hosted in Germany, since Germany is the first country in the world to establish a visa solely dedicated to esports, and as such the country is expected to host more international esports events.

“This development also may serve as a model for other nations. The visa requirements for esports professionals should be harmonized internationally in order to allow easy access to tournaments and leagues for esports athletes all over the world,” Jagnow says.