If you come from outside the EU, the Ausländerbehörde is the office that decides how long you may stay and whether you may work. People prepare for it more carefully than for a job interview, and they're right to.
The German used there is narrow and repetitive. A dozen nouns carry nearly everything, and the same questions come up at every appointment. In some cities the office now has a friendlier name, such as Welcome Center or Landesamt für Einwanderung. The paperwork is the same.
The Papers and What They're Called
| Word | What it is |
|---|---|
der Aufenthaltstitel | the umbrella word for any permit to live in Germany |
die Aufenthaltserlaubnis | a temporary permit tied to a purpose: work, study, family, protection |
die Niederlassungserlaubnis | the permanent permit, with no end date |
die Blaue Karte EU | the EU Blue Card, a permit for qualified employees above a salary threshold |
das Visum | the entry visa, issued by a German embassy before you travel |
die Fiktionsbescheinigung | a paper for the waiting period, usually confirming that your current status continues while your application is being processed |
der elektronische Aufenthaltstitel | the plastic card itself, usually shortened to eAT |
die Duldung | a temporary suspension of deportation. It is not a residence permit |
die Verpflichtungserklärung | a formal declaration by a host that they will cover a visitor's costs |
Quick notes:
- The Fiktionsbescheinigung is the word to know by heart. If you apply for an extension before your permit runs out, your old status carries on until the decision. This paper is the proof you show employers and landlords.
- People say Aufenthaltstitel and Aufenthaltserlaubnis almost interchangeably. On a form, the difference matters.
Getting an Appointment
I need an appointment at the immigration office.
Ich brauche einen Termin bei der Ausländerbehörde.
My residence permit expires soon.
Mein Aufenthaltstitel läuft bald ab.
I'd like to extend my residence permit.
Ich möchte meinen Aufenthaltstitel verlängern.
I didn't get an appointment online.
Ich habe online keinen Termin bekommen.
I wrote you an email two weeks ago.
Ich habe Ihnen vor zwei Wochen eine E-Mail geschrieben.
Can you confirm that for me in writing?
Können Sie mir das schriftlich bestätigen?
I need a provisional residence certificate.
Ich brauche eine Fiktionsbescheinigung.
Practice these words
Ich brauche einen Termin bei der Ausländerbehörde.
Quick notes:
- Start two to three months before the date on your card. Appointments are scarce, and what counts legally is that your application reached the office before the permit expired.
- Apply in writing, by the online form or by email, and keep the confirmation. A phone call leaves no trace.
At the Counter
I'd like to apply for a residence permit.
Ich möchte eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis beantragen.
Here are my documents.
Hier sind meine Unterlagen.
I have a permanent employment contract.
Ich habe einen unbefristeten Arbeitsvertrag.
I'm studying in Munich.
Ich studiere in München.
My husband works in Germany.
Mein Mann arbeitet in Deutschland.
My wife works in Germany.
Meine Frau arbeitet in Deutschland.
Which documents are still missing?
Welche Unterlagen fehlen noch?
How long does processing take?
Wie lange dauert die Bearbeitung?
When can I collect the card?
Wann kann ich die Karte abholen?
Am I allowed to work during this time?
Darf ich in dieser Zeit arbeiten?
Am I allowed to travel during this time?
Darf ich in dieser Zeit reisen?
What does it cost?
Was kostet das?
Practice these words
Ich möchte eine Aufenthaltserlaubnis beantragen.
Quick note: ask the two Darf ich questions every time you're given a Fiktionsbescheinigung. Whether you may work and whether you may leave and re-enter Germany depends on the type you get, and it's printed on the paper.
What You'll Hear
Do you have an appointment?
Haben Sie einen Termin?
Your passport, please.
Ihren Pass, bitte.
One document is still missing.
Es fehlt noch ein Dokument.
Please hand that in later.
Bitte reichen Sie das nach.
Please put your finger on the device.
Legen Sie bitte den Finger auf das Gerät.
You'll get a letter from us.
Sie bekommen Post von uns.
The card will be ready in six weeks.
Die Karte ist in sechs Wochen fertig.
Please wait outside.
Bitte warten Sie draußen.
Practice these words
Haben Sie einen Termin?
Quick note: the card is printed centrally in Berlin, which is why it takes weeks after your application is approved. You collect it in person or, for a fee, have it sent to your home.
Words on the Checklist
biometric passport photo
das biometrische Passfoto
employment contract
der Arbeitsvertrag
payslip
die Gehaltsabrechnung
tenancy agreement
der Mietvertrag
health insurance
die Krankenversicherung
means of subsistence
der Lebensunterhalt
gainful employment
die Erwerbstätigkeit
valid until
gültig bis
extension
die Verlängerung
integration course
der Integrationskurs
language certificate
das Sprachzertifikat
fee
die Gebühr
Practice these words
das biometrische Passfoto
Quick notes:
- Don't bring a printed photo. For residence permits the photo is now digital: it's taken at the office or sent there by a photo studio.
- Lebensunterhalt gesichert is the phrase behind most decisions. It means you can pay for rent, food and health insurance without state help. Payslips, the employment contract and the tenancy agreement are how you prove it. Read also Bureaucracy words lessons for more examples.
What Helps on the Day
Bring originals and copies. The clerk wants to see the original and keep the copy. Sort the papers in the order of the checklist the office sent you.
Check your passport first. A permit can't run longer than the passport it belongs to. If the passport expires within a year, renew it before you apply.
Bring a German speaker if you can. The official language is German, and case workers aren't obliged to switch. A friend who interprets is normally allowed.
Stay factual and polite. The person at the desk works through a checklist. Complete papers and calm answers get you further than explanations.
Reading Your Card
The most important sentence about your life in Germany is printed in small capitals on the card, or on the green sheet that comes with it.
| On the card | What it means |
|---|---|
Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt | you may work, as an employee or self-employed |
Beschäftigung erlaubt | you may work as an employee, but not self-employed |
Erwerbstätigkeit nicht erlaubt | you may not work |
Siehe Zusatzblatt | the conditions are on the separate green sheet. Carry it with the card |
Karte gültig bis | the last day the card is valid. For a temporary permit, that's also when the permit ends |
Anmerkungen | remarks, where the legal paragraph and any limits are listed |
Older cards say gestattet where newer ones say erlaubt. Both mean "permitted". If the line names one employer, changing jobs needs the office's approval first.