The Foreigners' Authority in the city of Magdeburg is responsible for issuing residence permits for foreigners in Magdeburg, including international students and doctoral candidates at OvGU. The authority's other functions include issuing passport replacement documents and extending residence permits.

The Foreigners’ Authority in Magdeburg is located on Lübecker Str. 53-63, which can be accessed via tram lines 1 and 9. Get off at the “Bebertaler Straße” stop.

Opening hours
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 12 noon | 2 to 5 pm

Making an appointment

An appointment is required to visit the Foreigners’ Authority office, which will be sent to you after your documents have been checked. At the beginning of the semester, the Foreigners’ Authority often offers special consultation hours for which you can register at the residents registration offices and the International Office.

The Magdeburg Foreigners’ Authority offers an online appointment booking service for urgent matters and emergencies as soon as documents are needed at short notice, for example after losing a residence document. You can find the exact requirements and more information here. If no appointment is available, please contact the relevant post office box by e-mail.

Which documents do I need to bring to the emergency appointment?

1.     Residence permit (except in the case of lost documents)
2.     Passport or passport replacement
3.     Current biometric photo
4.     Financial means for the fees (cash or EC card)
5.     If applicable, proof of the emergency (e.g. proof of illness, death certificate, business trip certificate, travel documents)

Provisions under immigration law

Depending on their country of origin, different immigration rules apply to international students from different countries.

A distinction is made between:

1. students from the EU (European Union), the EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland,
2. students who require a student visa for entry or for conferral of a doctorate in accordance with §16b Abs.1 of the German Residency Act (AufenthaltG) and
3. students who may enter the country without a visa, such as people from Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the USA (may always enter without a visa). Equally, citizens of Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino may enter the country without a visa, provided that they do not intend to take up paid employment.

Information on entry formalities can be found on the website of the German Foreign Ministry.

When they register in the residents’ registration office, students in category 1 will be given a form in which they must enter certain data about themselves. This must be completed and returned to the Foreigners’ Authority with a copy of their certificate of enrolment. Students in category 2 must apply for a study residence permit from the Foreigners’ Authority in their place of residence within the validity period of their visa. Students in category 3 must apply for a study residence permit from the Foreigners’ Authority in their place of residence within the first three months of their stay.

Study residence permit

Your study visa or student applicant visa must be converted into a study residence permit by the Foreigners’ Authority in your place of residence. This visa conversion must be undertaken after you arrive in Germany and before your entry visa expires. If you have entered the country without a visa, you must apply for a residence permit before the end of the first three months of your stay. Due to the processing time, it is recommended to apply for an extension or a new residence permit three months before the previous residence permit expires.

Originals and simple copies of the following documents must be presented:

• Completed application form: Issue/extension of a residence permit
• Copy of passport with a valid visa
• Current biometric photograph
• Certificate of enrolment, eventually Certificate according to §9 BaföG
• Current written proof of health insurance stating the monthly contribution amount in € (not a copy of the insurance card), if applicable with a confirmation from your health insurance company that your health insurance covers the benefits to which persons with statutory health insurance are entitled in accordance with Section 11 (1 - 3) SGB V
• Proof of financial means for the stay in the amount of the current monthly BaföG rate for the 1st year (new: also for each extension for the past 6 months)
• rental agreement including the living space in m² or rental certificate
• original declaration of consent (in German) on collecting documents via document pick up station
• money for fees:
  • initial application after entry from abroad: 100 EUR
  • extension of residence permit: 93 EUR
  • change of purpose of stay (e.g. new course of study, job search after successful completion of studies): 98 EUR
  • Eventually ficticious certificate: 13 EUR

These fees are waived for recipients of a scholarship who are sponsored by a German university or academic organisation

Applications for the Foreigners’ Authority can be downloaded online here.

Proof of financing

In order to obtain a visa and residency permit, foreign students must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to finance their first year’s stay. At present, the amount required is set at 934 EUR/month or 11,208 EUR/year. Such proof may be documented in one of the following ways:

• account with notice of restriction
• a formal letter of commitment with credit check in accordance with §68 of the Residency Act (this is submitted by a third party at the Foreigner's Authority office or a representation abroad and must last for the entire duration of the course of studies)
• proof of a scholarship from a recognized organisation
• bank guarantee
• statement of income and assets of the student’s parents with proof of creditworthiness through notarization (in the case of a notarial declaration of income and assets of the student’s parents, it must be ensured that all information can be verified in the Federal Republic of Germany. Contradictory information or lack of proof of creditworthiness will mean that the statements given will be deemed implausible.)
• university or academic research facility contract for research employees (only in the case of doctoral students)

It is required to proof the funding of the past six months to receive an extension (e.g. by bank statements, account with notice of restriction, proof of a scholarship, contract of employment with proof of salary)

Purpose of stay and employment during studies

The residence permit is issued for a particular purpose (study on a particular course, German language course, doctoral studies in the faculty) and is limited to the duration of the course of study. Provided that sufficient funding is confirmed, the Foreigners’ Authority may issue the residence permit for two years. The study resident permit and duration of studies (including conferral of doctorate) may not generally exceed a maximum of ten years.

It is possible to change the subject that you are studying within the first 3 semesters, or later in exceptional cases. You must notify the Foreigners’ Authority in good time (and in advance) of your change of course. In the case of a change of degree programme, university or location, a corresponding change of residence permit is required. The notification of the discontinuation of studies must be made within 2 weeks of becoming aware of it (§ 82 Para. 6 AufenthG).

A study residence permit is only valid for studying in Germany and does not entitle the holder to take up paid employment. Foreign students do, however, have the right to work for 140 days or 280 half days per year without a work permit. Student jobs do not count in the sense of this provision. Part-time jobs according to §16b para. 3 AufenthG will be counted in the most favourable way for the student.

Important information for employers: If foreign nationals apply for the extension or issue of another residence title before the residence title expires, the previous residence title is deemed to be valid from the time of its expiry until the decision of the immigration authority. The same applies to the conditions of employment. In this case, fictitious certificates are issued by the foreigners authority, the effect of which does not expire with the expiry of the certificate, but with the decision on the residence title. The legal basis for this is § 81 para. 4 sentence 1 AufenthG.

Residence permit for EU / EEA citizens

EU and EEA citizens who meet the requirements of EU freedom of movement legislation have, by law, a right of residence in the Federal Republic of Germany. To fulfil the requirements students must have:

• a letter of admission
• appropriate health insurance
• adequate means of subsistence

EU/EEA students must present themselves in person to the residents’ registration office and provide the following documents:

• a valid identification document (passport or ID)
• a biometric photo
• their accommodation provider’s confirmation

In some cases, you may also need to provide additional documentation such as

• a certificate of enrolment or letter of admission
• European health insurance card and
• proof of adequate means of subsistence.

Proof of an adequate financial situation for EU/EEA citizens may include

• written confirmation of a scholarship/grant award
• a university or academic research facility contract for research employees
• a written declaration from the student themselves or their parents, which attests that adequate financial means are available
• a bank statement showing adequate means of subsistence

EU/EEA citizens who have resided in the Federal Republic for more than five years may apply for a certificate of permanent residency.

Information from the Foreigners` Authority Magdeburg on collecting documents via document pick up station

 Video Instruction: Document dispenser of the Foreign Office | Youtube (external Link)

Apart from the personal pick up there is the option to pick up your documents at the document station from the Magdeburg Foreigners' Authority Offic. Please carefully read the original leaflet (in German) or the translated leaflet (in English) with information on collecting documents via the document pick up station as well as the original declaration of consent (in German) or the translated declaration of consent (in English) under data protection. Please send the completed and signed declaration of consent in the original (German version) to the Foreigners' Authority when applying for the renewal of your residence title.

Information for refugees from Ukraine

• Here you may find current information about your residence permit according to §24 AufenthG