Would you like to apply for a residence permit in Hamburg or extend your existing permit, but don't know which documents you need? We inform you how to submit your application. We have also prepared checklists for you, which list exactly which supporting documents you need to submit. You can also download important forms and templates directly from this page.
To find out which documents you need to collect, take a look at our checklists (see below).
You can submit your application at the Hamburg Welcome Center or at the Hamburg Service locations for foreigners' affairs. If you have all the necessary documents, please use the online service “Residence Permit Hamburg” to upload your documents and submit your application.
The responsible immigration office will send you an appointment once they have reviewed your application. Depending on the volume of requests, this may take some time.
But don't worry: if you have submitted your application before your current residence permit expires, your stay remains legal and you may continue in your current employment. If the appointment cannot take place until after your current residence permit has expired, the immigration office will issue you with a fictional certificate.
If you need to complete your application or if something changes before the appointment, please submit the latest documents. If your appointment is at the Hamburg Welcome Center, please use the service portal “Address my concerns about my residence permit” and select the function “Submit additional documents.”
Please arrive on time for your appointment. You can have a biometric photo taken at our biometric stations on site. Please also bring all the original documents you have submitted with you. If everything is complete, we will take two fingerprints and your signature and can order the residence permit.
The residence permit is produced by the Bundesdruckerei (Federal Printing Office) and will be ready for collection after a few weeks. You will receive an appointment for collection. You can also authorize another person to collect it for you if you are unable to do so yourself.
Depending on the purpose of your stay (work, study, language course, etc.), various documents are required to apply for a residence permit.
Foreign documents must always be submitted in German or English. The translation must be carried out by an officially sworn translator. To find a translator, please use the interpreter and translator database.
Further detailed information on the use of foreign documents in Germany can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
Detailed information on the respective requirements can be found in the section on residence permits.
Checklists:
Do you have a valid residence permit and have received a new passport?
In this case, you must have a new card (electronic residence permit, eAT for short) issued. This is called a "transfer" ('Übertrag'), as the new passport number will be transferred to your new card (eAT). The current card still refers to the old passport.
Antrag auf Übertragung:
Additional Form for transfer
You can find more information in our article Transfer your residence permit to a new passport.
Foreign nationals without statutory health insurance must prove adequate private health insurance coverage.
Further information can be found in the article on proof of sufficient health insurance cover.
