Are you worried because your Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) is about to expire? Do you have questions about your Fiktionsbescheinigung (temporary certificate confirming your legal stay)? Here you can find out how to contact the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) (State Office for Immigration) and how to get an appointment.
Extending my Aufenthaltstitel (residence title): what do I have to do if my Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit) is about to expire?
Act right away! It is best to apply for an extension 4 months, no later than 8 weeks, before your permit expires. Your application must be submitted to LEA no later than the last day of your current permit’s validity.
Tip: Has your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) just expired? Apply for an extension immediately. Request a Fiktionswirkung (legal continuation of your residence status).
Seek advice if:
- your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) has expired
- the reason for your Aufenthaltstitel no longer applies
- you are unsure whether a Fiktionswirkung (legal continuation of your residence status) is valid
-
Online application
Reasons for applying online: You can view the list of reasons by clicking the button below. Click on the appropriate reason. Start the online application here:
Fill in the online form and upload all documents. All documents should be complete and clearly legible, and uploaded as single PDF files! This will help you get a response faster.
You often have to pay a fee at the end. You will need a credit card or PayPal account for this.
LEA will then check your documents and send you an invitation to an appointment.
-
Contact form
If your reason is not in the list for online applications, you can use the contact form:
Select the department that handles your case. First, check whether there is a specific department for your issue. For example, there are dedicated departments for Asyl & Duldung (asylum and temporary suspension of deportation ), Einbürgerung (naturalization), or for skilled workers, students and apprentices.
If none of the topics apply to your situation, then search for your nationality and the first letter of your surname.
In the next step, choose a subject. The subject “Eiliger Termin/Notfall” (Urgent appointment/Emergency) should only be selected if:
- you urgently need to travel within the next four weeks and can prove this with a booking confirmation
- you will lose your job or apprenticeship without a valid document and can prove this with a letter from your employer or apprenticeship institution
- you are at risk of losing your benefits without a valid document and you can prove this with a letter from the Jobcenter or Sozialamt (Social Welfare Office)
If none of the requirements are met, select another suitable subject.
Fill in the contact form and upload all documents. All documents should be complete and clearly legible, and uploaded as single PDF files. This will help you get a response faster.
LEA will then check your documents and send you an invitation to an appointment.
Important:
At the end of the online application or contact form, you'll receive a confirmation. Save the confirmation as a PDF—not just as a screenshot—and keep it with you at all times.
What happens after I submit the application?
Waiting times vary. Expect at least 2-3 months. If any documents are missing from you application, LEA (State Office for Immigration) will contact you again. Don’t worry—you can submit the missing documents later. However, this may extend the time until a decision is made.
Tip: During the waiting period, regularly check your email inbox (including your spam folder) and your mailbox.
Is my stay still legal during the waiting period?
With the confirmation, your Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) remains valid as long as the application was submitted on time. "On time" means no later than the last day of the current Aufenthaltstitel . The confirmation is considered a Fiktionsbescheinigung (temporary certificate confirming your legal stay). The Nebenbestimmungen (additional provisions) relating to your residence (e.g. whether and where you are allowed to work) also remain valid. This applies to any Aufenthaltstitel .
Attention: This does not apply to a Duldung (temporary suspension of deportation) , an Aufenthaltsgestattung (temporary permission to stay during the asylum procedure), or a Schengen-Visum (Schengen visa)!
Present the Fiktionsbescheinigung (temporary certificate confirming your legal stay) if requested by your employer, landlord, or a public authority.
If the confirmation is not accepted, show this page as an explanation or seek help at a counseling center.
How will I receive a decision?
You receive the decision on your application by email or by post. In most cases, you will receive a short-notice appointment invitation, for example to come to LEA (State Office for Immigration) to apply for your new Aufenthaltstitel (residence title). Make sure to attend the appointment on time and show your appointment letter at the entrance. If not, you will not be allowed to enter.
If you are unable to attend the proposed appointment, you must cancel it. You will find a link to cancel the appointment in your invitation. If the link does not work, use the contact form instead. Please make sure you select the correct department. You should only cancel in urgent cases, as it may take just as long to get a new appointment
The following documents may be useful for this topic:
Termine beim LEA
Fiktionsbescheinigung (certificate of fictional right of residence)
A Fiktionsbescheinigung (certificate of fictional right of residence) can be used to prove your legal stay in Germany until LEA has made a final decision on your application for a residence title.
Sometimes you do not have a Fiktionsbescheinigung, but a similar rule applies to you: the Fiktionswirkung (fictional legal effect). In this case, you do not have an official document, but your stay in Germany still remains legal until LEA makes a decision.
You receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung (certificate of fictional right of residence) from the LEA. For example, you may receive one if you apply to extend your current residence permit. You may also receive one if you were allowed to enter Germany without a visa and apply for a new residence title within the first 3 months.
You only receive a Fiktionsbescheinigung if you submit your application on time. The document is only valid until a decision has been made on your application.
A Fiktionsbescheinigung is a green folded card. It is also called a "förmliche Fiktionsbescheinigung". See the example below.
The Fiktionswirkung (fictional legal effect) is not a separate document. You can prove it through a:
- PDF summary at the end of the online application: If you apply online for a residence title before your current residence title expires, you must save the confirmation at the end of the application as a PDF. Together with your passport and your current residence title, this PDF can be used to confirm that the Fiktionswirkung (fictional legal effect) applies to you.
- Confirmation at the end of the LEA contact form: Some residence titles cannot be applied for online. In that case, you use the LEA contact form. If you apply for a residence title through the contact form before your current residence title expires, you must save the summary at the end as a PDF. Together with your passport and your current residence title, this PDF can be used to confirm that the Fiktionswirkung (fictional legal effect) applies to you.
You can find more information about extending your residence title here.
Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit)
With an Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit), you are allowed to live in Germany for a limited period of time. For example, you may need an Aufenthaltserlaubnis to:
- work in Germany
- do vocational training
- live with your family
An Aufenthaltserlaubnis is for people from countries outside the European Union (EU).
The Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) (State Office for Immigration) is responsible. You can submit the application in person, and in some cases also online.
You can often submit the application online using a digital form, for example if you want to study in Germany.
An Aufenthaltserlaubnis is a plastic card or a sticker. It contains important information about you. For example:
- your photo
- your nationality
- your passport number
© Bundesministerium des Innern
211210_eAT_mediacard_id1_vs_V03_ohne NULL.jpg
© Bundesministerium des Innern
211210_eAT_mediacard_id1_rs_V03_ohne NULL.jpg
Aufenthaltstitel (residence title)
An Aufenthaltstitel (residence title) is an official document. It allows you to live in Germany.
There are different types of Aufenthaltstitel. They can be temporary or permanent. For example:
- an Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit)
- a Niederlassungserlaubnis (settlement permit)
- a visa
Aufenthaltstitel are generally for people from countries outside the European Union (EU).
The Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA; State Office for Immigration) is responsible for Aufenthaltstitel in Berlin.
Appointments at LEA
You must apply for a visa before entering Germany. You can do this at the German embassy in your country.
Electronic residence title (eAT)
The Aufenthaltstitel is usually a plastic card. If the card has a small chip symbol, then it is an elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel (eAT; electronic residence title). Your data is stored on the chip. Important information about you is written on the residence title. For example, your:
- photo
- name
- date of birth
Sticker
Sometimes, your Aufenthaltstitel is not a card, but a sticker in your passport. In this case, you do not have an elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel (eAT).
What do I need to pay attention to?
Often, you also receive an additional document with your Aufenthaltstitel. It contains important information, such as whether you are allowed to work and what kind of work you are allowed to do.
Do you still have questions? Here you can find free counseling and support in multiple languages.
The information about the counseling services comes from the Berlin Counselling Network for Immigrants (BfZ) and is automatically imported.
Locations in this map
Willkommenszentrum Berlin
Show on mapThe Counselling Centre for Migrants, which has existed since 1981, and the Welcome Centre Berlin, which was founded in 2016, were merged in April 2021.
People with a history of migration and their relatives continue to receive competent advice on all questions of migration as well as arrival and advancement from a single source. The grown team of the Welcome Center and the cooperation partners, including the networks Integration through Qualification (IQ) and bridge, inform, advise and support individually and multilingually.
The following concerns are covered by the Welcome Centre - Counselling Centre of the Integration Officers:
- Legal advice in migration law
- Hardship counselling
- social counselling
- Advice on the recognition of professional qualifications from abroad
- Advice on training and further education, German courses and job search - Advice on setting up a business
- Advice on labour law
Language overview: https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentru…
Consulting hours of the partners: https://www.berlin.de/willkommenszentru…
Potsdamer Str. 61
10785 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] Our consulting takes place on site, by telephone and digitally.
Opening hours:
Mon 9:00-13:00
Tue 9:00-13:00 + 15:00-18:00
Wed 9:00-13:00
Thu 9:00-13:00 + 15:00-18:00
Consultation by e-mail and arrangement of consultation appointments: beratung@intmig.berlin.de
Appointments for consultation by phone:
Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00-12:00 at (030) 9017-23172.
Personal consultation in Ukrainian and Russian
Monday 09 - 13 h
Tuesday 09 to 13 h, 15 to 18 h
Thursday 09 to 13 h, 15 to 18 h
Al Muntada & Al Muntada Plus
Show on mapAl Muntada supports migrants of Arab descent living in Berlin. Many of them come from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The counselling is aimed at people of all ages and takes place in Neukölln.
At Al Muntada Plus, a lawyer offers legal advice. He provides support and information on asylum procedures and questions about migration law.
Morusstraße 18 A
12053 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] The open office hours are held on Thursdays from 14.00 - 16.00. Outside these hours by appointment. Please feel free to contact us by phone (030/68247719 and 01590/4072228) or e-mail and briefly describe your concerns.
AWO Asylberatung
Show on mapFree, confidential advice and assistance on topics including:
- Asylum application
- Preparing for hearings
- Explanation of decisions and legal action
- Dublin procedure
- Family reunification
- Right of residence
Prinzenstr. 14
10969 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] Current consultation hours and contact details can be found under "Current consultation hours of the asylum counseling projects":
https://awo-mitte.de/gefluechtete-asyl/
It is currently necessary to make an appointment by email (asyl@awo-mitte.de) for counseling.
AWO Asylberatung
Show on mapFree, confidential advice and assistance on topics including:
- Asylum application
- Preparing for hearings
- Explanation of decisions and legal action
- Dublin procedure
- Family reunification
- Right of residence
Exerzierstraße 16
13357 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] Current consultation times and contact details can be found under "Current consultation times of the asylum counseling projects":
https://awo-mitte.de/gefluechtete-asyl/
It is necessary to make an appointment by email (asyl@awo-mitte.de) for counseling!
Berliner Rechtsberatungsstelle
Show on map[DeepL:] Our specialist unit supports Afghan people seeking protection by providing qualified legal advice (individual and group advice) and by establishing a network of actors who support refugees from Afghanistan.
We offer Afghan people seeking advice a contact point for asylum and residence law advice on the following main topics: Asylum, prospects under residence law as well as safe and legal escape routes (family reunification, local force procedures and state and federal admission programs). The project supports Afghan refugees in knowing and asserting their rights and thus leading a self-determined life.
Exerzierstr. 16
13357 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] By appointment only
KuB Beratung und Unterstützung für Geflüchtete
Show on mapFree, confidential advice and assistance on the following topics:
- Counselling on asylum law, residence law, social law.
- Psychosocial counselling (problems, crises, conflicts)
- Advice for women in special circumstances (pregnancy, single parenthood, domestic violence, sexualised violence)
- Making forms understandable: Translations of official forms for applying for social benefits in different languages.
- Art projects for young people
If necessary and on request, language mediation is organised.
Oranienstraße 159
10969 Berlin
Germany
[DeepL:] Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00-17:00
Migrationsrechts- und Flüchtlingsberatung
Show on mapWe offer:
- Advice on issues relating to residence law and related areas of law, such as citizenship law
- Cooperation with other projects, such as the Integrationslots:innen, the Stadtteilmütter project, the migration advice service for adults (Migrationsberatung) and the social advice service at tam (Sozialberatung) Referral to other specialist advice centres if required
Please make an appointment for a consultation in advance by e-mail or telephone.
Counseling is available in German, English and Chinese. Mediation for other languages is possible by prior arrangement.
Wilhelmstraße 115
10963 Berlin
Germany
Please make an appointment for a consultation in advance by e-mail or telephone.
Migrationsrechtsberatung für Migrant*innen und Geflüchtete
Show on mapKarl-Marx-Straße 172
12043 Berlin
Germany
Rechtsberatung für Geflüchtete
Show on mapAdvice on the following concerns:
- Legal and procedural advice: advice on all legal and practical issues prior to and during the asylum procedure.
- preparation for the interview
- on questions concerning work permits
- on questions concerning social benefits during the asylum procedure
- counselling after completion of the procedure
- family reunification
- questions on return
Oldenburger Straße 45
10551 Berlin
Germany
Opening hours: Tuesday from 9-12 and Thursday from 14-17 and by appointment.
Currently there are no open office hours. Please contact us using the contact details provided.
Romano Sfato
Show on mapTrautenaustraße 5
10717 Berlin
Germany
