Consultation Service

When can a visa or a residence permit be extended?

You can extend your visa (i.e., change a student visa to a student residence permit) any time after you enter Germany and before it expires. Although you can work with a visa, some employers prefer it when a student already has a residence permit before they accept the job. If you already have a residence permit, it can be extended no earlier than 8 weeks before it is scheduled to expire.

What are the benefits of your student residence title?

Live in Germany: The student residence permit allows you to live in Germany for the duration of your studies.

Work in Germany: According to German law, international students can work during their studies only for a certain number of hours. You can work full-time for 120 days per year, or part-time for 240 days per year. Long-term contracts are prohibited during this period.

In addition: If you graduate from a German university, you can apply for a job-seeking residence permit for another 18 months.

Aborting studies: what happens to my residence permit / title?

The residence permit is always tied to a specific purpose. In the case of §16b AufenthG, the residence permit is issued for the purpose of studying. If the course is discontinued, the purpose of the issued residence permit does not apply. As a result, the residence permit will be withdrawn or you will not be able to renew it. If you drop out of your studies, you should always take into account the legal residence perspective.

My residence title will expire before my appointment. Is that a problem?

If your residence title was still valid on the date you booked your appointment, it will be considered as continuing in the federal territory until the scheduled date of your appointment.

This means that you can continue to work or study until your appointment. You can present your booking confirmation to the authorities and employers as appropriate proof. However, you cannot travel outside of Germany.

Important

This applies only on the condition that you attend the appointment you have booked.

I am a British national, where can I find information about Brexit?

As a British national, you are now allowed to enter Germany for long-term purposes such as studying without a prior visa procedure. However, once you are here, you need to apply for a residence permit.

I entered Germany without a visa (only possible for certain nationalities), how do I apply for a residence permit?

You can apply the same way as students who have a visa before the expiration of your 90-day stay. More information.

A visa in Germany is for entry purposes only, and, therefore, the residence permit is mandatory for all those staying for a longer period. If you are allowed to enter Germany without a visa, you might be able to apply for a residence permit directly in Germany. Check here to learn if you are eligible. The immigration authority is now issuing the electronic residence permit – eAT (card). It is highly advised to apply for the residence permit as early as possible, as there are currently long processing times.

Important:

• Only non-European citizens need this document
• It is bound to a specific purpose (either §16b or §20)
• It is bound to a German address registration. Unless you decide to give up your residence title and leave Germany completely, you must still be registered. Otherwise, your residence permit expires.

Application for a student residence permit (§16b)

You can extend your visa (i.e., change a student visa to a student residence permit) any time after you enter Germany, but it must be extended before it expires. Both, your student visa and residence permit, allow you to work 120 full-time days or 240 part-time days within a calendar year (this does not include an internship if it is a mandatory part of your degree).

Important:

• Your temporary residence permit in principle lapses if you stay abroad continuously for longer than 6 months (Section 51 (1 No 7) Residency Act).
• If you need to leave Germany for longer than 6 months, you need to receive permission from the immigration authority to keep your temporary residence permit before you leave. It is only allowed for a valid reason such as an internship or a semester abroad.

Berlin

Learn more about a student residence permit and book an appointment here. We would also recommend reading the FAQs, in case some of your questions are answered here.

The International Affairs team can also support you with the residence permit application in Berlin. If you would like to proceed through university services, please send us an email via service.center@ue-germany.de with the subject: Application residence permit (use your UE email).

Potsdam

Learn more about a student residence permit here.

You can book an appointment via Auslaenderbehoerde@Rathaus.potsdam.de or (03312)89-1113. Please include the following:

• Last name, first name and date of birth as stated in Passport,
• The reasons for your interview (e.g., first issue/extension of a residence permit).

Hamburg

Learn more about a student residence permit here. Book an appointment here.

Iserlohn

Learn more about a student residence permit, find the correct contact and book an appointment here.

The job-seeking residence permit allows you to seek gainful employment in Germany after the successful completion of your studies. You can apply for it only if you are present in Germany. It is granted for 18 months. During the 18 months, you can work in any job, either for a company or self-employed. Please learn about tax payment (especially when working on your own, for example as a freelancer). After 18 months, you will need to have a job related to your studies and your degree (Bachelor’s / Master’s).

Berlin

Learn more about a job-seeking residence permit and book an appointment here. We would also recommend reading the FAQs, in case some of your questions are answered here.

The International Affairs team can also support you with the residence permit application in Berlin. If you would like to proceed through university services, please send us an email via service.center@ue-germany.de with the subject: Application job-seeking residence permit (use your UE email).

Potsdam

Learn more about a job-seeking residence permit and how to book an appointment here.

You can also book an appointment via Auslaenderbehoerde@Rathaus.potsdam.de or (03312) 89-1113. Please include the following:

• Last name, first name and date of birth as stated in Passport,
• The reasons for your interview (job-seeking residence permit).

Hamburg

Learn more about a job-seeking residence permit here. Book an appointment here.

Iserlohn

Learn more about a job-seeking residence permit, find the correct contact and book an appointment here.

The following documents are required:

• Registration form
• ORIGINAL confirmation of move-in from the landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
• ORIGINAL Passport / ID (both if you are a German citizen)
• Supplement to registration/declaration of the main residence (if there are several apartments in Germany)

Book an appointment in BERLIN | POTSDAM | HAMBURG | ISERLOHN.

Address registration through university services (only in Berlin)

The International Affairs Team can support you with the address registration in Berlin. The process is shown below:

1. Send all the documents for review to service.center@ue-germany.de in PDF format with the subject: Registration at the Citizen Centre (use your UE email) – make sure all the information is clearly visible

2. Expert International Affairs check your documents

3. If everything is complete, then you hand over the documents including your passport / ID to us in person on the appointment given

4. We hand over your document to the Citizen Centre

5. Your passport will be available for pick-up the day after at UE Service Center (please see your appointment email for the pick-up time)

6. Pick up your Anmeldung / address registration at UE Service Center (takes around 2 weeks).

Important:

• This service is only available once a month for the first three months of each semester.
• If you send your documents on the last day, you might not receive an appointment as there are a limited number and will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Important:

If you start working in Germany, your employer will need your Tax ID to calculate your income tax.

If you have statutory health insurance, you will get your SIN (Sozialversicherungsnummer) 2-4 weeks after you apply for health insurance. Additionally, you will receive a letter with Sozialversicherungsausweis from the Public Pension Fund (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) that contains your SIN. You can also ask for a membership confirmation document (Mitgliedsbescheinigung) from your health insurer. This document also contains your SIN.

If you have private health insurance, and you never had public health insurance before, you must request the SIN from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung. This can take 2-3 months by post or you can get it the same day if you visit their office when it is open.

You can also request your SIN via email, which will take approximately 1 week. Please write in the German language, stating your first name, last name, phone number, name of university and the reason you need your SIN (e.g., part-time job). Also attach colour copies of:

• Passport
• Residence Permit
• Address Registration (Meldebestätigung)

Berlin kundenservice@drv-berlin-brandenburg.de

Potsdam service.in.potsdam@drv-berlin-brandenburg.de

Hamburg beratungsstelle-in-hamburg@drv-nord.de

Iserlohn ab-dortmund@drv-westfalen.de

Important

Your employer must have your social insurance number before they can pay you.

After address registration, you will receive a letter from ´Rundfunk ARD, ZDF, DRadio´ about your broadcasting fees (‘Rundfunkgebühren’). Every household in Germany is obliged to pay this contribution. The broadcast fee is 18.36 EUR a month for an apartment and is regulated by law.

If you live in a shared flat, broadcasting fees are covered by the entire household, you do not have to pay separately. You still have to inform the Beitragsservice. More information can be found here.