Booking an appointment

FAQ about making an appointment

• When should I book an appointment?

  As a rule, residence titles can be extended at the earliest 8 weeks before they expire.

  The appointment itself should preferably be 4-6 weeks before the residence title expires. The appointment can be booked earlier.

  In some departments, you may not be able to get an appointment at short notice, but may have to wait a few months. Therefore, try to find an appointment well before your residence title is due to expire.

  Important: Book your appointment before your residence title becomes invalid.

  Your residence title is about to expire and you are unable to book an appointment? Please note the information under “No appointments available?”

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

  Was your residence title still valid on the date on which you booked your appointment?

  If so, your residence title will be considered as continuing in the federal territory until the scheduled date of your appointment. This also applies to the ancillary provisions for your visa.
  This means: You can continue to work or study until your appointment.

  You can present your booking confirmation to the authorities and employers as appropriate proof. Please use this service to avoid long waiting times.

  Important:

  • This applies only on condition that you attend the appointment you have booked.
  • Moreover, you can travel abroad only within the scope of validity of the residence title most recently granted to you.
• My query is not covered by the options offered in the appointment booking system. What should I do now?

  For certain residence titles and services, it is not possible to book an appointment.
  If the service that you require is not offered in the online appointment booking system, please contact department responsible.
  For some services (e.g. EU Blue Card) please use the special online applications.

  Important: Do not book an appointment for a “false” service. If you book an appointment despite the fact that the service that you require is not offered in the online appointment booking system, we cannot serve you, even though you have made an appointment.

• Can I change or delete my appointment?

  Appointment slots are in short supply, so please delete your appointment if you do not need it. Many thanks.

  You can also change your appointment if other slots are available.

  To change or delete your appointment, please use the online appointment booking system of the Berlin Immigration Office.

• No appointments available?

  It happens regularly that the appointmentsare fully booked. This does not mean that there is a technical fault.

  If no appointments can be booked, we ask you to try the booking again the next day. New appointments are activated every day.

  You tried to get an appointment online several times unsuccessfully and your residence title expires in few days? In this case, please apply for an extension via e-mail.
  For this purpose, please contact the department responsible for you.

  Your message will count as an application. This means that your previous residence permit will be considered as still valid (see above under “My residence title will expire before my appointment. Is that a problem?”).

• You hold a national visa (D-Visa) issued for 12 months?

  Holders of this sort of long-term D-Visa are issued with a different residence title (residence permit, EU Blue Card) six weeks before the visa expires at the earliest.

  Is your stay not expected to be longer than the period for which the visa is valid?
  Then an application does not have to be made. An interview at the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung) is also unnecessary.

  Is your stay expected to be longer than the period for which the visa is valid?
  Then apply within the validity period of your visa for the residence title to be issued. This application should be made four to six weeks before the expiry of the visa.

  Working with the national visa?
  It says in your visa whether and to what extent you are permitted to work.
  You can begin to work to the permitted extent immediately after entry, even if you still do not have a residence permit or an EU Blue Card.
  Holders of a one-year visa for study purposes are permitted to work in accordance with Section 16b paragraph 3 AufenthG. This means that, with this visa, you are permitted to work a maximum of 120 whole days or 240 half days per year as well as to undertake part-time student work.

• You hold a residence permit for employment purposes that is valid for even longer?
  If you have a residence permit for employment purposes that is still valid for a longer period of time (for example, Blue Card):

  • You want to change companies or are looking for a new job?
  • Or your employment has changed in some way, for example the name of the company or your job description?

  If so, you may not need an appointment to change or reissue your residence permit at all. Please read

  • our information on applying for a change of employer and
  • our Information sheet for foreign employees.
• Can I come even without an appointment?

  No, for the time being service will in general only take place by appointment.

• Will an appointment be sent to me?

  The Berlin Immigration Office does not send out any invitations to extend residence titles.

  Therefore, you need to ensure that you book an appointment in a timely manner.

• What should I bring to my appointment?

  After the appointment booking procedure, you will receive per e-mail an appointment confirmation, which you must print out. This confirmation lists all the required documents and fees. Please bring all of these in full – together with your appointment confirmation.

  Important: Please do not cling, staple or stick the documents you bring with you. This helps us to save time with your operation.

• When can you be refused a service?

  We can only attend to you if a binding appointment has been booked for the correct service through the LEA’s online appointment system.

  We will not be able to attend to you in the following cases:

  • if you are unable to present an appointment confirmation or if this confirmation is forged, or
  • if the appointment was evidently and mistakenly booked for a completely different issue (for example, for the extension of a permission to remain pending an asylum decision (Aufenthaltsgestattung) instead of the residence permit for employment purposes actually needed).
• I have a Schengen visa. Can I book an appointment for the extension?

  A Schengen visa (Visa Category C) is issued for short stays, e.g. for visits, tourism purposes or business trips.
  A visa of this kind always expires as soon as its expiry date has ended.
  Schengen visas can be extended only in exceptional cases, e.g. in the event of serious illness.

  • Information about the prerequisites, documents and fees
  • Please note: The extension of a Schengen-Visa is only possible at the location Keplerstraße
  • Please make an appointment by e-mail: b5@lea.berlin.de

  As a rule, a Schengen visa cannot be converted into a residence permit.
  Therefore, with a Schengen visa, you cannot extend your permitted stay by booking an appointment or applying for a residence permit. More information

• I would like to travel but my temporary residence permit expired or expires very soon. What can I do?

  If possible, please book an appointment to extend your residence permit.

  If there are no available appointments before your travel and you are in possession of a valid travel document (passport or an equivalent), please send an email including your travel dates and the reason for your travel to the unit responsible for you.

  We will process your request promptly and check if you can receive a certificate that enables you to travel.

  Please notice that due to the long production we cannot issue travel documents for tourist travel.

• The Federal Office of Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has granted me asylum or refugee status or complementary protection. I do not yet possess a residency permit and my electronic residency permit (eAT) has not yet been ordered. Can I make an appointment to order an eAT?

  No, please do not seek unasked an appointment.

  If the Federal Office of Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has granted you asylum or refugee status or complementary protection and you do not yet possess a residency permit, the matter will be examined on the circumstances of the case.

  The responsible office department will then invite you to attend an appointment as soon as possible.