Ausländerbehörde Berlin (Foreigners Authority)

As a general rule, foreign citizens must apply for a visa for entry and residence in the Federal Republic of Germany at a German embassy or consulate in their home country. Certain nationals are eligible for a visa waiver, if they are planning to stay no more than 3 months and they abstain from any form of employment. For a list of all countries with visa requirements or those eligible for visa waivers, please visit: Auswärtiges Amt - Staatenliste Visumpflicht
In case the applicant is planning to stay longer than 3 months or the applicant intends to seek employment in Germany, he/she must apply for a visa regardless of his/her nationality; unless he/she is a citizen of the following countries:
Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the United States of America.
Citizens from these countries may apply for the relevant residence permit or working permit within 3 months after their entry to Germany.
In case there are any questions, German embassies or consulates abroad provide the necessary information.

The Embassy or Consulate-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in the country of origin or the country of residence of the applicant is responsible for the application process and the issuing of visas.

As a rule, an applicant submits a visa application together with all necessary documents in
person to the German Embassy or Consulate-General, where the applicant received the
application documents. The application form must contain the purpose for entry and
residence as well as the place of residence and the length of time the applicant wishes to stay. Depending on the purpose of residence, further detailed information might be required.

The applicant’s documents must be truthful and complete. Inaccuracies may lead to the revoking of the visa or residence permit and the person has to exit the country.

If any entry blockade due to eviction or deportation exists before applying for a visa it is mandatory that the applicant seeks revocation of the blockade. The authority that enacted the blockade is responsible for this application of revocation.

Before the expiration of a visa or for those nationalities that do not require a visa within 3 months one can apply for a residence permit with the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde).

Procedure without involvement of the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde):
In the case of a visa, which does not require the approval office for aliens affairs (e.g., for a 3 month visit or less), the embassies and consulates-general of the Federal Republic of Germany decide on the application process independently.

Procedure with involvement of the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde):
In cases where the visa application must be approved by an Office of foreigner authority (Ausländerbehörde) (particularly when the duration of the stay is indefinite) the German Embassy or General-Consulate abroad transmits the visa application to the regional foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) in order to give them the possibility of a written opinion. Normally the forwarding is carried out by the express service of the foreign affairs office. As
visa applications contain confidential information, the dispatch is complicated. Necessary security measures make the process take up to 2-3 three weeks. Although the applications are announced to the the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) per fax to the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) in Cologne beforehand, they normally can only be processed if a completed application including all documents is at hand.

The the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde) checks the documents and investigates the relevant facts. It is often necessary that the persons of reference residing in Berlin (e.g., spouse, future employer) hand in further documents or provide for further information.

When the process is completed, the the foreigners authority (Ausländerbehörde), provides the German Embassy or General-Consulate abroad with a written opinion of the visa application.
The German mission abroad then decides in sole competency whether or not a visa will be granted. The written opinion of the Office of Alien Affairs (Ausländerbehörde) is a
solely internal administrative proceeding that does not address itself to the applicant or the reference person, but exclusively to the German Embassy or General-Consulate abroad. Therefore normally the result will not be communicated to the applicant. Only the German Embassy or General-Consulate abroad informs the applicant of their decision. If a visa application is rejected, the applicant has the option of making a legal appeal to the German Embassy or General-Consulate abroad.

This pamphlet is tailored for the typical visa application process. In certain individual cases there can be deviations.

The visa requirements for: family reunification (subsequent immigration of spouses) for foreigners or Germans, taking up employment, business trips, study purposes and work purposes or work as an au pair can be found in separate information sheets.

Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten
– Ausländerbehörde –
Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24
13353 Berlin

Last updated : March 2006