LumenHow much does a residence permit cost in Germany?
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Under Germany's Residence Ordinance (AufenthV), issuing a residence permit, EU Blue Card or ICT card costs €100. Extending one costs €96 for up to three more months or €93 for longer. A settlement permit generally costs €113. Express issuing adds €35, and minors pay half.
Key facts
| What | The law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing a residence permit, EU Blue Card or ICT card | €100 (the same for validity up to one year or more than one year) | AufenthV § 45 no. 1 |
| Extending it, for up to three more months | €96 | AufenthV § 45 no. 2(a) |
| Extending it, for more than three more months | €93 | AufenthV § 45 no. 2(b) |
| Changing the permit because your purpose of stay changes (including extension) | €98 | AufenthV § 45 no. 3 |
| Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) | €147 for highly qualified persons (§ 18c(3) AufenthG), €124 for self-employment (§ 21(4) AufenthG), €113 in all other cases | AufenthV § 44 |
| EU long-term residence permit (Daueraufenthalt – EU) | €109 | AufenthV § 44a |
| Express issuing of the card | €35 on top of the fee | AufenthV § 45a |
| Fiktionsbescheinigung (certificate while your application is pending) | €13 | AufenthV § 47(1) no. 8 |
| New card because your passport expired, the card was lost or your data changed | €67 | AufenthV § 45c(1) |
| National (D) visa, applied for before entry | €75 | AufenthV § 46(2) no. 1 |
| Minors | Half of these fees | AufenthV § 50(1) |
What you pay for a residence permit
The fees are set by federal law, in the Residence Ordinance (Aufenthaltsverordnung), so they are the same at every immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). The law sets €100 for issuing a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), an EU Blue Card or an ICT card. The validity of the permit doesn’t change the fee.
An extension costs €96 if it covers up to three more months and €93 if it covers more. If your permit changes because your purpose of stay changes (for example from study to work), the fee for that change, including the extension, is €98.
Permanent permits
A settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) costs €113 in general. The law sets €147 for the settlement permit for highly qualified persons (§ 18c(3) of the Residence Act) and €124 for the settlement permit for self-employed people (§ 21(4)). The EU long-term residence permit costs €109.
Extra fees
- Express issuing of the card: €35 more.
- The Fiktionsbescheinigung, the certificate you get while an application is pending: €13.
- A new card when your passport expires, the card is lost, the chip stops working or the data on it changes: €67. The law drops this fee for a broken chip if you didn’t cause the defect (§ 45c(2)).
- Changes to a permit that only concern the condition about employment are free (§ 47(2)).
Who pays less
The law halves the fees for minors (§ 50(1)). Spouses, registered partners and minor unmarried children of Germans, and parents of minor Germans, don’t pay for a national visa (§ 52(1)). People who can’t support themselves without benefits under Social Code II or XII or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act are exempt from the fee for issuing or extending a residence permit (§ 53(1)). Recognised refugees, holders of publicly funded scholarships and Turkish nationals covered by the EU–Turkey association agreement have their own exemptions or reductions (§§ 52(3), 52(5), 52a).
Related questions
- Appeal fee: an objection (Widerspruch) against the refusal of a fee-based decision costs half of that decision’s fee (AufenthV § 51(1) no. 1).
Sources
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This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.