Getting or extending a residence permit at Berlin's immigration office (LEA)

Before you start

• A registered main address in Berlin (Anmeldung), or at least a signed lease plus the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
• A valid passport, with a visa or entry stamp if this is your first permit
• Health insurance that is valid in Germany (statutory, or a private policy that meets German requirements)
• An email address you check regularly, including the spam folder
• Your documents scanned or photographed (PDF, JPG or PNG; at most 7 MB per file and 100 MB in total)
• A credit card or PayPal account to pay the fee online

Documents you need

• Valid passport (data pages; for a first permit also the visa or entry stamp)

  required

• Registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)

  Alternatively your lease plus the landlord confirmation if you are not yet registered.

  required

• Proof of German health insurance

  Copy of your health insurance card or a confirmation from your insurer.

  required

• Your current residence permit or eAT card

  Only for extensions or changes of purpose.

  optional

• Employment contract or binding job offer

  For work-related permits; the LEA also uses the form Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis completed by your employer.

  optional

• Recent salary slips

  Usually for extensions of work-related permits.

  optional

• University degree or vocational qualification

  Plus a ZAB statement of comparability if your degree is not listed in anabin, or a recognition notice for regulated professions.

  optional

• University admission or enrolment certificate

  For study permits.

  optional

• Proof of funds

  For example a blocked account, scholarship or formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung), depending on the permit.

  optional

• Lease or other proof of your housing (size and monthly cost)

  optional

• Digital biometric photo

  Bring a QR code from a photo studio or drugstore, or have it taken at the office terminal (€6 in 2026). Paper photos are no longer accepted for the eAT.

  required

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Identify your permit and the right channel

   Find your service in the LEA's list of services or on service.berlin.de. Each service page lists requirements, documents, fees and the correct way to apply. As of 2026 there are three channels:

   • Online application (most permits). Available among others for employment-related permits (skilled workers with vocational or academic training, EU Blue Card, research, Opportunity Card, job seeking after studies or training, working holiday, au pair, voluntary service), study permits, family-related permits (online since March 2026), extensions of humanitarian permits, and permanent titles such as the settlement permit and the EU long-term residence permit. Where an online application exists, it is mandatory - applications sent by email, letter or contact form are only processed afterwards.
   • Contact form. For services without an online application, use the contact form of the responsible LEA department to request an appointment.
   • Business Immigration Service. If your employer (or its relocation agent or lawyer) is registered with the BIS, they arrange your case there. You cannot walk in or register yourself as a private person.
2. 2

   Step 2: Register your address first

   The LEA is only responsible if your main residence is in Berlin. Register your address at a Bürgeramt first if you can (see the Anmeldung guide). If you have not been able to register yet, the LEA generally accepts your lease together with the landlord confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) as proof of residence.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare your documents digitally

   Collect everything the service page lists and save it as PDF where possible; photos taken with a phone are also accepted. Each file may be up to 7 MB, and all files together up to 100 MB. Typical documents are your passport, proof of residence, proof of health insurance, the documents for your specific purpose (employment contract and employer declaration, admission letter, marriage certificate and so on) and proof of how you support yourself. Foreign-language documents usually need a German translation - check the service page.

   Incomplete applications are the most common reason for delays. If the LEA has to ask for missing documents, your case waits until they arrive.

4. 4

   Step 4: Submit the online application and pay

   Fill in the online form, upload your documents and pay the fee by credit card or PayPal before submitting. At the end you receive a PDF confirmation. Save it and print it.

   If your current permit or national (D) visa was still valid when you applied, this PDF certifies that your existing title continues to be valid in Germany beyond its expiry date until the LEA decides, including the right to work or study that it gave you. It does not work for Schengen (C) visas or for titles that had already expired when you applied. Carry it with your passport and old permit and show it to employers or other authorities if needed.

5. 5

   Step 5: Wait for the LEA to contact you

   After reviewing your file, the LEA either asks for further documents or emails you an invitation to an appointment, listing the originals to bring. Check your spam folder. Because of the volume of applications, the reply can take a while; sending the same application repeatedly does not speed it up.

   The LEA considers a request urgent in three situations: you must travel soon (proof of booking), you risk losing your job (letter from your employer), or your benefits would stop (letter from the paying agency). If one applies, say so in the contact form and attach the proof.

6. 6

   Step 6: Attend your appointment (biometrics)

   Bring your passport, the invitation, and the originals of every document you uploaded. At the appointment the LEA takes two fingerprints (from age six), your signature and a digital photo. Since 1 May 2025 paper photos are no longer accepted for the electronic residence permit: bring a QR code from a photo studio or drugstore that transmits photos securely, or use the self-service terminal at the LEA for a fee of €6 (2026).

   If your permit is approved, the LEA orders your card from the Bundesdruckerei and gives you a PIN letter for the card's online ID function. If your current status is about to run out before the card is ready, you may also receive a formal Fiktionsbescheinigung (see below).

7. 7

   Step 7: Collect your residence card (eAT)

   The electronic residence permit (elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel, eAT) is a credit-card-sized card with a chip storing your photo, fingerprints and the conditions of your permit. It is usually ready for collection about 4-6 weeks after your appointment. Collect it at the same LEA location, bringing your passport and your previous eAT if you have one. Someone aged 14 or older can collect it for you with a written power of attorney and their own ID. There is no separate fee for collection.

   Keep in mind that the card alone is not an identity document: when you need to prove your identity, show it together with your passport.

8. 8

   Step 8: Plan your next extension

   The LEA does not send reminders. Note your expiry date and apply online again no earlier than four months and no later than the day before your permit expires. If you hold a national (D) visa, the LEA issues the follow-up permit at the earliest six weeks before the visa expires.

   Between extensions, contact the LEA if your situation changes in a way that affects your permit - for example a change of employer while your permit is tied to a specific job, or a change in the purpose of your stay. If you move within Germany while your permit is valid, you only need to register at your new address; the new local immigration office becomes responsible for your next extension.

Fees in 2026

What protects your status while you wait

If you entered visa-free

The Business Immigration Service

Watch out

Common mistakes

• Uploading an incomplete application and waiting for an appointment that cannot come until the missing documents arrive.
• Bringing paper passport photos to the appointment - they are no longer accepted for the eAT.
• Sending the same application several times by email, contact form and online form, which only adds to the backlog.
• Forgetting to bring originals of the uploaded documents to the appointment.
• Missing the LEA's email because it landed in the spam folder.

Tips

• Save the PDF confirmation in several places and keep a printout with your passport; employers and the Jobcenter may ask for it.
• Set a calendar reminder five months before your permit expires so you can collect documents and apply four months ahead.
• Get a digital photo QR code from a photo studio or drugstore before your appointment, especially if you are attending with children.
• Keep a folder with copies of every document you submitted and every letter from the LEA - you will need them again for the settlement permit and naturalisation.
• If you need independent advice, the Berlin Welcome Center (Willkommenszentrum) offers free, multilingual counselling on residence questions.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Official links

In your plan

• Apply for your residence permit online at the LEAAdd to plan
• Renew your residence permit before it expiresAdd to plan
• Plan your residence permit application after visa-free entryAdd to plan
• Note the end date of your visa or visa-free periodAdd to plan
• Attend your LEA appointment and collect your residence cardAdd to plan
• Collect originals, apostilles and translationsAdd to plan
• Switch to an employment permit when you find a jobAdd to plan
• Apply for residence cards for non-EU family membersAdd to plan

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 3 Jan 2027.