Residence Permit Application Germany

You received a long-term national 90-day visa to enter Germany. This visa is valid for only 90 days and has to be converted into a Aufenthaltsgenehmigung zu Studienzwecken (residence permit for study purposes) at the Ausländerbehörde (Alien’s Office) before its expiration (please check your visa expiration date).

Since September 1^st 2011, there are two types of residence permits.

1) The new electronic residence permit (eAT) issued to third-country citizens who are enrolled in a 3-year Bachelor or 2-year Master Program including Tripartite Master Program.

It is a residence permit in credit card format with contact-free chip, biometric features (photograph and two fingerprints) and online identification function. Your address and personal data (height and eye colour among others) are registered on the chip.

Please refer to the information sheet of the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees).

2) The old adhesive stamp entered directly into your passport issued to third-country citizens who are exchange or ERASMUS students.

On this residence permit no personal data is registered electronically.

Please note that those two different types of residence permits result in two different processes.

Before you can start your residence permit application, you must register at the Bürgeramt (Registration Office) in Berlin. Take the completed registration form, your passport and your lease to the Bürgeramt to receive your Anmeldebestätigung (confirmation of registration). If you don’t know any German, you may want to ask a friend for help. The registration form for the Bürgeramt is only available in German and the Bürgeramt staff usually speaks German only.

Here you find general information (only available in German) about the registration as well as addresses for the different Bürgerämter in Berlin.

As a SRH student, you have two possibilities to start the process: You handle this process on your own (you submit the documents in person to the Alien’s Office and do all the administrative steps alone) or via the Visa Service (the Visa Service submits your documents to the Alien’s Office and picks up your residence permit).

Be aware that the residence permit application process may take 2 months minimum or more to complete. During this time, students are somewhat restricted as far as travelling and working goes.

For both types of residence permits, your will need the following documents:

• fully completed, readable and signed Residence Permit Application Form
• valid passport
• copy of your study visa for Germany
• 1 up-to-date biometric photo
• Anmeldebestätigung from the Bürgeramt (confirmation of registration)
• Immatrikulationsbescheinigung from SRH University (confirmation of enrollment)
• proof of financial support: You have to show that you have at least 685 € per month at your disposal (excluding tuition fees). For example, if you are applying for a residence permit for 6 months, you must show proof of 685 € x 6 months + tuition fees.
• processing fee
• additional documents may be required

All documents should be in German.

Important Notice

SRH University recommends that you bring all the documents with you to Germany that you already submitted for your study visa application at the German Embassy.

Working or Interning as a Non-EU Citizen

As a non EU-citizen you are allowed to work 90 full days or 180 half days per year. This could also be an internship. However, freelance work is not permitted. These regulations are registered on your visa as well as on your German residence permit on an additional paper.

Travelling With Your German Residence Permit

As a German residence permit holder, you can move freely within the following states of the Schengen area, within the residence permit’s term of validity, for a total stay of up to three months within a six-month period:

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

This regulation applies only to visits for touristic purposes. When travelling, make sure to take your passport and residence permit with you.