Wording question for cover letter - Germany

I'm working on applications to German companies and I have a wording question. I'm a US citizen looking for work, so I would need for the company to sponsor me for a visa. How would you express that in the Bewerbungsschreiben?

At the beginning I would not mention this at all. You have tons of competition, usually, and so why should you display any possible disadvantage/extra hassles for the company which other applicants do not have? Emphasize your skills, why you are the right man or woman for that company you address, try to come to an interview, and if all goes well, either they will ask you about your status, or you can carefully inquire whether sponsoring your visa would be too much to ask for.

If I were you, I would address the need for a visa- whether you are authorized to work for any employer is one of the first things companies want to know. If you had a Niederlassungerlabnis or Aufenthaltserlaubnis, you should mention it on your CV as well as your cover letter so that it cannot be missed. Since you lack either one, I don't think you want to put that on your resume, thus it will have to go on your cover letter (I would put it at the very bottom, after you discuss why you are the right person for the job).

Here's my wording recommendation (but defintely ask a native speaker if possible):

Leider habe ich keine Aufenthaltserlaubnis oder Niederlassungserlaubnis, deswegen brauche ich ein Arbeitsvisum.

Conquistador raises some good and valid points. So if you like to add such a sentence near the close of your cover letter, you can write about this way:

Um bei Ihnen tatkraeftig loslegen zu koennen, wuerde ich mit Ihrer formalen Unterstuetzung auch die erforderlichen Unterlagen kurzfristig beibringen.

or

Mit Ihrer Unterstuetzung werde ich auch die noch fehlende Arbeitserlaubnis [or: Aufenthaltserlaubnis] bald vorliegen haben.

Line of thinking goes this way: company wants you (otherwise they won't bother to hire you), you bring energy and a good spirit while overcoming the hassles in your way, company 'supports' you in obtaining the required permissions, but you will do the heavy lifting mainly yourself, as you'll do later on your job.

I second this....have been down the same path recently....got invited to an interview in Austria too(though I live in Germany)

Cheers
JH