How to get an Ausländerbehörde appointment: Booking tips and required documents

Ausländerbehörde appointment procedures differ by city: In Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg, you should submit your application online at least four months before expiration. Then, the authority assigns you an in-person appointment date. In this guide, we cover the rules in these three cities, as well as some general tips that will work everywhere.

Getting an Ausländerbehörde appointment in major German cities

In 2026, Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg use an online-first system: submit your application digitally and wait until the authority tells you to visit them. The old "grab a slot" system rarely works anymore.

The process typically looks like this.

1. You submit an application and documents online through the city-specific portal.
2. The authority reviews your case.
3. They send you an appointment slot.

You don't need to repeatedly refresh an online portal anymore, trying to catch the slot.

“We are ensuring that the possibilities of digitalisation are used consistently to make our authorities even more effective and efficient.” – Nancy Faeser,  former Federal Minister of the Interior.

Berlin: the old booking system is gone forever

Berlin's Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) has permanently shut down its Online-Terminvereinbarung (OTV). The reason? Third-party providers were scraping available slots and reselling them for profit. Now, the system works differently.

• For most services (employment, study, Blue Card, freelance, permanent residence): submit application with documents and payment through the online portal.
• If no online portal exists for your service: use the department's contact form (Kontaktformular).
• For some simple services (passport transfer, child registration with two parents holding valid permits): go to any Bürgeramt.

After submitting your application, you receive a PDF confirmation. This document serves as proof that your residence title remains valid until the appointment booking.

Munich: Submit first, get a date later

In Munich, you also don’t need an appointment to submit a residence permit application in 2026.

1. Applications go through the online form or by post.
2. The authority reviews everything and then emails you an appointment.

Munich recommends submitting the application four months before your current residence title expires.

Later, you may need to book an appointment (Terminvergabe) to collect your residence permit in person, unless you choose direct delivery from Bundesdruckerei. Pickup appointments are released every morning: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 AM, and Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 AM (as of 2026). The collection itself is free and usually takes around 15 minutes. If you select direct delivery instead, Bundesdruckerei sends the eAT by post, which usually takes around 3 weeks after it is ordered.

Hamburg: Procedures similar to Munich

Hamburg also uses the "apply first, appointment second" model, like Munich.

1. Submit your application online through the Aufenthaltserlaubnis Hamburg  service and upload the required documents.
2. Wait for the authority to review your application. If documents are missing or your circumstances change, you can submit additional documents before the appointment.
3. Receive an appointment from the Ausländerbehörde. The authority sends you a date after reviewing your application.
4. Attend the appointment with your original documents. The authority checks your documents and identity, takes your fingerprints and signature, and uses a digital biometric photo. If everything is complete, you can order your electronic residence permit (eAT) from Bundesdruckerei.
5. Pick up your residence permit later. Once the eAT has been produced, you receive a separate appointment to collect it.

“With the Hamburg Welcome Centre, we have created a state-of-the-art and powerful service structure to promote the targeted immigration of skilled workers who are structurally needed in many industries.” – Andy Grote, Hamburg Senator for the Interior.

Hamburg publishes estimated waiting times:

These are estimates that vary with demand, but they give you a realistic planning horizon.

Once you have your residence permit and start earning money in Germany, you may want to send funds home. Profee can help you transfer money internationally fast and safely – 95% of our transfers arrived within minutes in 2026 (transfer speed depends on destination and payment method). You can check the exchange rate, transfer fee and the exact amount your recipient receives on  the transfer page or in the Profee app.

Things to know about Ausländerbehörde appointment

Key rules: never pay a third-party service (appointments are free), apply at least 4–8 weeks before expiry and save your PDF confirmation immediately.

Apply before your residence title expires

If you apply for an extension before your existing title expires, the old title generally continues to be valid until the final renewal (Section 81(4) of the German Residence Act, as of 2026, verify current regulations because they may change). Apply 4–8 weeks or more before expiry. Authorities in Munich recommend 4 months; in Berlin – minimum 8 weeks, but earlier is always safer. While waiting for a decision:

• you can continue working or studying under your existing conditions;
• your application confirmation (PDF) plus your old residence title serve as proof of legal residence;
• you can show these to employers, landlords, and other authorities.

There are important limitations.

• This does NOT apply to Schengen visas (Category C) for short stays.
• International travel is restricted – you can only travel within the validity period of your old physical document.
• If you need to travel, contact your Ausländerbehörde about a Fiktionsbescheinigung (official certificate).

Save your application confirmation immediately

When you submit online, you receive a PDF confirmation. Save it, print it, store it in your phone. This document certifies your legal residence status. If you can’t find it, check your spam folder too, as government replies may end up there. If confirmation is nowhere to be found, contact the authority.

Apply for emergency appointments only when you really need it

Every city offers some form of emergency procedure, for example, in Berlin, you qualify only if:

• you have a provable trip within the next 4 weeks (booking confirmation required);
• your employer confirms in writing that you'll lose your job without a valid document;
• your Jobcenter/Sozialamt confirms benefits will be cut off without valid papers.

While Hamburg defines an emergency as needing a document urgently to avoid serious consequences, for example, travelling urgently within the next 10 days or entering visa-free and having no residence permit yet.

Not having a passport, needing a travel document for foreigners (Reiseausweis), or having lost your residence card do NOT count as an emergency.

Required documents for Ausländerbehörde appointment

Most Ausländerbehörde applications require a valid passport, biometric photos, health insurance, proof of address, and a completed application form. Required documents vary by permit type and whether it’s a first application or renewal – there is no single universal checklist.

Core documents for Ausländerbehörde applications

Requirements are subject to change.

Documents specific to permit types

Employment permits require a signed contract and employer declaration; study permits require proof of enrollment and financial resources – as you can see, your permit type determines which documents you need beyond the standard set.

For employment/skilled worker permits (§18b AufenthG)

• Employment contract or concrete job offer
• "Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis" (form filled by employer which describes the position)
• Recognition of qualifications: Anabin database entry (H+ for university and degree) or ZAB evaluation
• Rental agreement + proof of current rent (Warmmiete, e.g., bank statement)
• For renewals: employer confirmation (not older than 14 days!) + salary slips for first 2 and last 2 months
• If over 45: minimum gross salary of 4,647.50 EUR/month (2026 threshold; verify with your local authority before application, as salary requirements may be indexed annually) or proof of pension provision

Find the full list and more details on the ServicePortal Berlin website.

For EU Blue Card (§18g AufenthG)

Everything above for employment, plus:

• Minimum gross salary: 50,700 EUR/year (standard) or 45,934.20 EUR/year (shortage occupations or recent graduates, rates subject to change; verify with your local Ausländerbehörde before application)
• Contract duration: minimum 6 months
• IT specialists without a formal degree: proof of 3 years' experience in the last 7 years + CV

Find the full list and more details on the muenchen.de website.

For study (§16b AufenthG)

• Certificate of enrolment or conditional admission
• Financial proof: 992 EUR/month = 11,904 EUR/year (2026 rate; verify current threshold with your local authority, as rates may be adjusted). Via Sperrkonto, scholarship, Verpflichtungserklärung, or part-time employment contract
• Health insurance (statutory mandatory, foreign insurance doesn't count)
• For renewals: academic performance overview (Leistungsübersicht) or study progress forecast from the university

Find the full list and more details on the ServicePortal Berlin website.

For freelance/self-employment (§21 Abs. 5 AufenthG)

• CV documenting qualifications and experience
• Revenue forecast (Umsatzprognose, specific form from the local authority)
• Client contracts, fee agreements, or at least 2 letters of intent describing the collaboration
• Proof of other income (for artists/language teachers)
• Practice permit if required (Approbation for doctors, etc.)
• If over 45 (from July 2025): pension of 1,612.53 EUR/month for 12+ years OR savings of 232,204 EUR

Find the full list and more details on the ServicePortal Berlin website.

More about Aufenthaltstitel

• Residence permit in Germany: Aufenthaltstitel types, requirements and application process.
• Electronic Aufenthaltstitel explained: Biometric card, PIN and collection process.
• How to renew your Aufenthaltstitel – documents, fees and processing times.
• What to do if your Aufenthaltstitel expires before your appointment.

FAQ: Ausländerbehörde appointment