If you have successfully established the equivalence of a foreign professional qualification or have obtained a license to practice your profession, you may be granted a temporary residence permit to look for work.
The residence permit will be issued to you immediately after your previous recognition procedure. An extension of the residence permit is only possible if the maximum period was not exhausted when it was first issued. If you do not find a job during this period, an extension of the residence permit is not possible. You are then obliged to leave the federal territory.
This residence permit allows you to work without restriction.
You already hold a residence permit for the purpose of seeking employment following a successful recognition procedure for your foreign professional qualification in Germany, and the maximum 12-month period for this permit has not yet expired.
Additional general requirements for granting a residence permit include, in particular:
- a secure means of support,
- a verified identity,
- possession of a valid national passport.
You can only apply for a residence permit in person at the immigration office responsible for your place of residence.
- You must submit the required documents in their original form and pay the application fee.
- The Foreigners’ Registration Office will review whether the requirements for issuance have been met.
- If all requirements are met, the Foreigners’ Registration Office will collect your biometric data (photo, fingerprints) and order the electronic residence permit (eAT) from Bundesdruckerei GmbH.
- As soon as the eAT is ready, the Foreigners’ Registration Office will issue it to you.
Section 20(3)(4) and (4) sentence 2 of the Act on the Residence, Employment, and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory (Residence Act – AufenthG).
Section 8 (1) AufenthG.
Detailed information on how to file an appeal can be found in the notice rejecting your application.
- Administrative Court Action
Submit your application before your current residence permit expires. We recommend that you visit the office 4 to 6 weeks before your current residence permit expires.
The residence permit is limited to a maximum of 12 months, including the extension period.
The processing time depends on the workload at the local immigration office.
The immigration office responsible for your place of residence.
