Residence Permit After Arrival – From Your Visa to the Aufenthaltstitel Card

The national visa you used to enter Germany is issued for three to twelve months and is designed solely for entry and your first few months in the country. The document that actually authorizes you to live and work here is the Aufenthaltstitel – a residence permit issued by the local immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) in the city where you are registered, in the form of a chip card (elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel, eAT). For healthcare professionals, this is typically a skilled worker permit (§ 18a or § 18b of the Residence Act), a recognition permit (§ 16d) valid for the duration of the Anerkennung process, or an EU Blue Card (§ 18g) for physicians.

When to Book Your Appointment

As soon as you have completed your registration (Anmeldung), and no later than six to eight weeks before your visa expires. Immigration offices in major cities can have waiting times of several months; in Berlin and Munich, applications are submitted online and an appointment is assigned afterwards. The key point is that your application must be submitted before your visa expires – if it is, your stay remains legal even after expiry, until a decision is made.

What to Bring

• Your passport with the visa
• The application form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels), usually completed online
• A biometric photograph
• Meldebescheinigung (proof of registration)
• Your employment contract and, as a rule, your employer's declaration form (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis)
• Your diploma recognition decision or proof that the process has been initiated (for § 16d), along with your professional authorization to practice (Berufserlaubnis, Approbation, or Urkunde)
• Proof of health insurance (confirmation from your insurer)
• Recent payslips, if you have already received a salary
• Your rental agreement

The immigration office may request additional documents; check their website for the full list.

Fiktionsbescheinigung – If Your Visa Expires Before Your Appointment

If you have submitted your application but your visa expires before the card is ready, the immigration office will issue a Fiktionsbescheinigung – a temporary certificate confirming that your right to reside and work in Germany remains valid while your application is being processed. You are permitted to work with this document, but travel outside Germany is restricted. Travel outside the Schengen Area only with a Fiktionsbescheinigung issued under § 81(4) – the one that extends an existing permit – and always check with the immigration office before traveling. Do not travel abroad on an expired visa without this document.

Processing Time and Costs

The card is produced by the Federal Printing Office within four to eight weeks of your appointment and must be collected in person, along with a PIN letter delivered by post. The issuance fee is €100 for adults and €50 for children; renewal costs €93 to €96 (2026 rates). A skilled worker permit is issued for a maximum of four years, or for the duration of your employment contract plus three months; the EU Blue Card is issued for four years.

What the Card Shows

The card and its supplementary sheet (Zusatzblatt) state the legal basis on which it was issued and whether employment is permitted ("Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet") or restricted to a specific employer. When changing employers during the first years, you will often need to notify or obtain approval from the immigration office – check before signing a new contract, especially if you hold a § 16d permit, which is tied to the employer with whom the recognition process is taking place.

The Path to Permanent Residency

Skilled workers can apply for a permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 36 months of pension insurance contributions, EU Blue Card holders after 27 months, or 21 months with German language skills at B1 level. For more details, see our article Permanent Residency and Citizenship in Germany.

Sources: Residence Act (AufenthG §§ 16d, 18a, 18b, 18g, 81), make-it-in-germany.com, immigration office websites for Berlin and Munich.

We help the candidates we place submit their Aufenthaltstitel application on time and with complete documentation. Learn more about our post-relocation support.