Extending a Visa
You need to apply for a residence permit at your local Foreign Nationals Registration Office (“Ausländerbehörde") before your entry visa runs out. If you are a national of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea or the USA who entered Germany without a visa but is intending to stay for a longer period of time, you also have to apply for a residence permit within three months of entering the country.
We advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. You will usually have to present the following documents to the Foreign Nationals Registration Office:
- Completed application for a residence permit (Form)
- Valid passport (please note that it must be valid for the entire duration of the proposed stay)
- Biometric passport photo (please observe the requirements set out by the Federal Foreign Office)
- Fellowship award letter, employment contract or hosting agreement with the university (stating the amount of the monthly fellowship or salary as proof that you can support yourself financially)
- Letter of invitation from your host institution (in German)
- Proof of health insurance cover which is valid in Germany
- For spouses: certified German or English translations of marriage and birth certificates
- For children: certificate of enrolment (at a German school)
- Proof of registration (“Anmeldebescheinigung”) from the Resident Registration Office
- Fees: a maximum of €120 for the original permit, €80 for extensions (children only pay half of the standard fees)
- Your height has to be stated in metres and centimetres. Please have the converted figures at hand
Tutor Service
Every Tuesday, 8:00am (meeting point by arrangement).
If you require assistance when dealing with formalities or would like someone to accompany you to the various authorities, you can call on our team of student tutors who will be pleased to help you. The tutor service includes:
- assistance in dealing with the officials at the Foreign Nationals Registration Office
- assistance in opening a German bank account
- assistance in taking out a health insurance policy
For appointments, please contact Ms. Alexandra Redel, counsellor for guest researchers (phone: +49 (0)234 / 32-25408). Please contact us at least 3 days in advance.
Guide for international researchers, chapter 5:
Concerning visa extension. Read more here (page 90) (2.3 MB)Source: passages taken from EURAXESS partly translated by Dr. Lynda Lich-Knight, ResearchComm Ltd.
