Residence Permit Application

Residence Permit Application

Once you are in Germany, you will need to replace your visa with a residence permit. Here you can find out how.

Living and working in Germany beyond the time specified in your visa is not possible without a residence permit. The government authority responsible is the Immigration office (Ausländerbehörde, see below). You can set the appointment at the Immigration office in person, by phone, or by email. When setting an appointment for the residence permit, please take into account that those are scheduled with a variable delay. Also, once you've handed in the documents, it will take about 3 weeks to obtain your residence card.

Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic-caused restrictions, the submission of documents to the Immigration office is done via the general email () or post. You should request the information about the required documents at least 3 months before the expiry of your current residence permit. Upon submission, you will receive a temporary residence permit (Fiktionsbescheinigung) per post, which valid for 3 months. During these 3 months, the Immigration office will make a personal appointment for you, after which you will receive the 1-year residence. All documents needed for this process are available here.

Which visa should I apply for? You can find more information and a comprehensive overview of all possible visa types in the website of German Rectors' Conference (HRK).

To apply for the residence permit, in most cases you will need the following documents:

  • Residence permit application form - download the form in German and fill it in
  • Valid passport
  • 2 Biometric photos
  • Proof of financial support (e.g., work contract)
  • Rental agreement plus registration certificate
  • Proof of health insurance (insurance card is not sufficient)
  • Certificate of matriculation or an evidence regarding the purpose of residence (e.g., copies of your diplomas and graduation certificates)
  • For your spouse, a marriage certificate, for your children, birth certificates.

You will find the Ausländerbehörde Marburg in the building of the Stadtbüro, Frauenbergstraße 35, 1st floor, room 123.

By phone: 06421/201-1010
Fax: 06421/201-1837
General e-mail:
E-mail for appointments:

Office hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 08:00 - 12:00 h
Thursday: 14:30 - 18:00 h

Foreign citizens who do not live in the city of Marburg but in the district Marburg-Biedenkopf will have to apply at the Foreigners' office of the administrative district Marburg-Biedenkopf (Im Lichtenholz 60, 35043 Marburg; by phone: 06421/405-0)

Having questions about the residence permit application? Please contact the International office!

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