1. Open the (German-language) Hamburg Administration Guide
2. Enter your registered address (street name and house number) in Hamburg
3. Press the red button (“Weiter”)
The Hamburg Administration Guide will now show you the relevant department’s contact details and opening hours.
Alternatively, qualified professionals and managers, students and their families may also contact the Hamburg Welcome Center. You can make an appointment at the Hamburg Welcome Center if you are a foreign employee or freelancer and your anticipated income exceeds the minimum stated in section 2, paragraph 2, sentence 1 of the Employment Regulation (until March 1st, 2020: section 2, paragraph 18b, sentence 2 of the Residence Act) (currently 43,056 Euro).
Application | Please submit your application by e-mail, telephone or in writing to your responsible immigration office. They will then get in touch with you. If your residence permit expires after the application has been submitted, the residence permit will remain valid after the application has been made. |
Departure | If you need a formal temporary extension, for example for departure purposes, please inform your responsible immigration office by e-mail, telephone or in writing. |
Entry/6 month deadline | Foreigners who are abroad and currently have no opportunity to return to Germany within the six-month period should submit an (informal) application for an extension before the end of the period to their responsible immigration office. |
Entry/expired residence permit | If the residence permit (e.g. entry visa) has expired abroad, please contact your local German mission abroad. |
Expiring residence permit | Please submit your application by e-mail, telephone or in writing to your responsible immigration office. They will then get in touch with you. If your residence permit expires after the application has been submitted, the residence permit will remain valid after the application has been made. Upon request, the Immigration Office can confirm receipt of the application by means of an informal certificate. |
Expiring C-Visa (Schengen-Visa) | Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on the possibility of leaving the country and the accessibility of the foreigners authorities, holders of Schengen visas are exempt from the requirement of a residence permit until 30.09.2020. The exemption applies only if the Schengen visa was still valid on 17 March or if entry took place after 17 March and before 10 April. It is not possible to leave and re-enter the country. |
Expiring D-Visa (national Visa) | Please submit your application by e-mail, telephone or in writing to your responsible immigration office. They will then get in touch with you. If your residence permit expires after the application has been submitted, the residence permit remains valid after the application has been made. Upon request, the Immigration Office can confirm receipt of the application by means of an informal certificate. |
Short-time compensation (Kurzarbeitergeld) | The payment of short-time working benefits have no effect on the validity of a residence permit. If the short-time working benefit falls below the salary limits for the Blue Card EU residence permit, this should not have a negative effect on the validity of the residence permit, as long as the short-time working is a measure related to Covid-19. |
Temporary extension | On request, the immigration offices can confirm receipt of the application by means of an informal certificate. The residence title is considered to be valid after the application has been submitted.
If you require a formal temporary extension, for example for departure purposes, please inform your responsible immigration office by e-mail, telephone or in writing. |
Visa-free residence (90 days) | Persons who were allowed to enter the country without a visa for 90 days are asked to return to their country of origin if possible. If this is not possible, please contact your responsible immigration office before the expiry of the 90 days, giving your personal details, and ask them to legalise your stay. The responsible immigration office will then contact you. If your residence title expires after the application has been submitted, the residence title will remain valid after the application has been made. |
It should be noted that this information is subject to continuous adaptation and therefore subject to constant change.