Red Tape Translation loves helping expats from all around the world with their visa appointments at the Ausländerbehorde in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt. While the majority of our clients leave the immigration office with a smile on their face and a shiny new German work permit in their hands, sometimes it doesn’t always go to plan. Here are some really common mistakes that we hope you’ll avoid when you’ve got plans to visit the friendly grey building in Wedding.
1. Not registering your address before you go.
You won’t get past the doorman if you’re not registered in the city. Get your address registered at the Bürgeramt (or the KVR in Munich) and do it before your appointment, or they will send you away. Talk to Red Tape Translation and take an interpreter with you if you’re not sure how to go about it.
2. Not having the right type of health insurance.
There are lots of different types of health insurance out there, so how are you supposed to know which kinds are accepted? Talk to a broker who knows what they’re doing. They don’t even take a commission, so you have nothing to lose. Make sure the health insurance you buy is recognized in Germany and accepted by BaFin, and bring the certificate and all accompanying documents with you.
3. Showing up on a Wednesday without an appointment or on a Friday (Berlin only).
The Ausländerbehoerde, like many public offices in Germany, has limited working hours. The Berlin hours are as follows: Mon – Tues 7am til 2pm, Thurs 10am til 6pm, Wed with appointment only, Friday closed. The Munich Ausländerbehörde is always open in the morning, but not always in the afternoon. But wherever you’re going, if you book with Red Tape Translation, we’ll set you straight!
4. Incomplete application forms
If you’re dropping off your application for a German work permit without an appointment, please make sure it’s complete. Expect delays and back and forth postal correspondence should you forget to sign it, for example.
5. Not bringing cash for the payment machine.
Once your visa has been approved, you have to pay for it using an automated payment machine, which usually only accepts cash or German EC cards, no credit cards. If you don’t have cash on you, the closest ATM could be a fairly long walk away. Don’t get caught out.
6. Expecting to get your permit on the spot
Red Tape Translation is always thrilled when this does happen, and sometimes it does. But don’t be distraught if something goes wrong or if there’s a processing time. Sometimes, they’ll want to see an extra document you don’t have with you, even if it’s not listed on your appointment information sheet. Sometimes, the rules change. And for some types of permits, the office has to send them away to the Senate Administration for approval.
7. Anxiety
We know the feeling! It feels like your whole fate is hanging on this one appointment. Red Tape Translation has seen quite a few tears, shaking hands, and even a panic attack or two. Whatever happens, the police won’t come to the office and escort you into quarantine. You can always revisit the office, drop in a missing document, or try for another visa type if things don’t go to plan the first time around.
Hello! I am an American living in Berlin and the company I signed a contract with applied for a work permit on my behalf. They said they have received the form and that I have to come pick up the original copy and drop it off at the Ausländerbehörde. Does anyone know what type of appointment I must book with them now, and where on the site I book it?
Thank you!
Hi Loretta,
It’s probably this one: https://service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/305304/en/ (a residence permit to start an employment) and the form they’re talking about is probably the “Stellenbeschreibung” (job description) or, if you are super lucky, your company has already organised advance approval from the Federal Job Agency which means you might even be able to get the permit on the spot instead of waiting weeks. Either way, at the bottom of the link I sent, you can click on “Make an appointment”, switch the language to English and then choose the title that contains “§18” in it.
Only other type of permit it could be is a Blue Card, which would be the case if you have a university degree and earn over ca. 50,000 EUR per year (in some shortage professions, just over 40,000 but you still need a relevant uni degree). If you’re not sure, ask HR to tell you which type of work permit they have applied for. Cheers, Kathleen.
Hi! I lost my job, but I am not sure how I approach the Auslanderbehörde to notify them them of my change in job status and request to extend my time in Berlin to look for a new job. Do I walk in? make an appointment? which forms do I need to fill out? I am US citizen who has worked here for under 12 months. Can you please advise?
Thanks!
Hi Freda,
Sorry I wasn’t able to respond very promptly, I have a new baby in the house. I would walk in. They might give you 3 or 6 months to find something new. But I suspect your situation has probably resolved itself by now. What did you end up doing, and did it work out?
hi there,
I am in Munster and on job seeker visa from Pakistan. Got a job contract and submitted in Auslanderbehorde on 22.11.2018 and still waiting. Since then I have been following up but they say 2 week more. I have been approached by other employers but they are asking for work permit which is still pending. Yesturday an employer interviewed and ask me to go to Auslanderbehorde and ask them for some paper which he would sign and send it back.
Just to know what would that oaor be and do the agency takes this much time or what I must have done something wrong that causes delay?
Hi Usman, No, I don’t think you’ve done anything wrong. I think things just take their time. My first permit took 11 weeks to be approved. I’ve heard of over 3 months. I’m sorry this is happening to you and I hope it gets sorted soon! I think the paper the employer might have been talking about is the Stellenbeschreibung, where the employer describes your job and lets them know why he/she needs you specifically, and not a European or German. You can download it here.
Hello Friends,
I am on job seeker visa, I did not find any job within a six months. I went to the Auslanderbehorde before my visa getting expired. Luckily, I have got the extension for 9 months until March,2020. But the problem here is, they gave me an appointment in September to visit the Auslanderbehorde office along with the required documents that they mentioned in the Appointment letter. My question here is
1) What happens if I did not turn up myself on the appointment date. Will my existing visa gets expired/invalid after some days??
2) I’m planning to go back to India and stay for six months and then return back to Germany two months before my visa get expired. Will this work? Will they allow me at the immigration?
Your comments/thoughts are highly appreciated . Thanks in advance.
Hi Kumar,
1) My feeling is that you should definitely show up at that appointment or have a good reason why you couldn’t (e.g. you end up in hospital and can provide proof). Your extension will remain valid until the day of that appointment, but not beyond it.
2) And I would also advise against travelling outside of Germany while you are waiting for that appointment, as I think you could run into trouble at border control when you try to re-enter Germany. I am not an immigration lawyer, but that’s my two cents.
Cheers,
Kathleen
Hello Friends,
I have a working visa and i have arrived in Germany, Stuttgart. I have satrted the new job just for one week, i have an offer in Berlin can i change the my job , which steps i must complete not to make any mistake???
Regards
Hi Semi, if your work permit is tied to your current job, visit the Ausländerbehörde with your new job contract and a “Stellenbeschreibung” to be filled out by your new employer so that you can apply for permission to do the new job. If you move to Berlin and register there, you’ll have to do it at the Berlin Ausländerbehörde, but you might prefer to do it in Stuttgart before you make the move, because it might take a few weeks to get approved. Kathleen
Hello there,
I have a situation here. I was living in Münich until December,2019 and moved to Mannheim in January,2020. I registered myself in Mannheim on 4th Feb,2020. Now the problem is, I had got my blue card in Munich in September,2019 and with it I had received zusatzblatt. Zusatzblatt is supposed to be changed if I change my employer withing one year of receiving my blue card. I thought after moving to Mannheim I can get it changed but in Mannheim auslaenderbehoerde says until Munich auslaenderbehorde send my documents here in Mannheim, they can’t change my zusatzblatt. It’s been more than 5 weeks since I register myself here in Mannheim, Munich has not yet sent my documents. How long do they take to send the documents and what are the consequences that I am working in Mannheim without changing my zusatzblatt?? Please help me..
It takes a while, yes. Don’t worry, you’ve done everything right – you went to the office in the city in which you are registered. They told you they need Munich to transfer your file first. It’s out of your hands. Just sit tight and keep working until they tell you your file has arrived. If you haven’t heard anything in a couple of months, just write them an email in Mannheim following up.
Hi, my wife applied for family reunion visa at German consulate in Bangalore on 2nd March 2020. At that time I was living in Munich so she gave my Münich address. On 23rd March lockdown started everywhere. And on May 1st I moved to Dachau. So my auslanderbehorde changed to Dachau. But my wife visa application still has my Münich address. I checked at Munich auslanderbehorde and they told me on 21st August, that they don’t have her visa files. Even Dachau immigration office doesn’t have her files. What normally happens in such situation?
Utter confusion! I’m used to one foreigner’s office saying that they have to get a file from another foreigner’s office, but I am not used to both offices claiming not to have the file! I’d be questioning the consulate in Bangalore to find out what went wrong. At least they will have her file and can resend it if necessary.
Thank you so much for the reply Kathleen. So my scenario is: I came to Germany in January 2020 for the very first time. And just after 1 month my wife applied for family reunion visa. I still don’t have my resident permit (appointment is on 27th October 2020). I came on Blue Card entry visa which expired in July2020 and I now have fiktionsbescheinigung till dec. As my wife applied within such a short time after I entered Germany, do such cases are different from usual Family reunion visa cases?