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Ordinance Governing Residence
(Aufenthaltsverordnung – AufenthV)

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Übersetzung durch den Sprachendienst des Bundesministeriums des Innern und für Heimat.

Translation provided by the Language Service of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community.

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 8 des Gesetzes vom 8. Mai 2024 (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 152)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthv/BJNR294510004.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 8 of the Act of 8 May 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 152)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthv/BJNR294510004.html.

Zur Nutzung dieser Übersetzung lesen Sie bitte den Hinweis unter "Translations".

For conditions governing use of this translation, please see the information provided under "Translations".

           
Chapter 1
General provisions
Section 1Definitions
Chapter 2
Entry into and residence in the federal territory
Division 1
Passport requirement for foreigners
Section 2Fulfilling the passport requirement by means of an entry in the passport of a legal representative
Section 3Approval of non-German official identity documents as passport substitutes
Section 4German passport substitutes for foreigners
Section 5General conditions for issuing travel documents for foreigners
Section 6Issuing the travel document for foreigners in Germany
Section 7Issuing the travel document for foreigners abroad
Section 8Period of validity of the travel document for foreigners
Section 9Territorial scope of the travel document for foreigners
Section 10Other restrictions in the travel document for foreigners
Section 11Procedure for issuing or extending the travel document for foreigners
Section 12Permit for cross-border commuters
Section 13Emergency travel document
Section 14Exemption from the passport requirement in rescue operations
Division 2
Exemption from the requirement for a residence title
Subdivision 1
General provisions
Section 15Provisions pertaining to short stays under Community law
Section 16Priority of older visa conventions
Section 17Non-exemption for economic activity during a short stay
Section 17aExemption for the provision of services by long-term residents
Subdivision 2
Exemptions for holders of certain types of identity documents
Section 18Exemption for holders of travel documents for refugees and stateless persons
Section 19Exemption for holders of official passports
Section 20Exemption for holders of identity documents issued by the European Union, intergovernmental organisations or Vatican City
Section 21
Section 22Exemption for pupils on collective lists
Subdivision 3
Exemptions in the area of cross-border transport
Section 23Exemption for civilian flight personnel
Section 24Exemption for seafarers
Section 25Exemption in international civilian inland waterway shipping
Section 26Transit without entering the federal territory; airport transit visa
Subdivision 4
Other exemptions
Section 27Exemptions for members of missions of foreign countries
Section 28Exemption for Swiss nationals entitled to freedom of movement
Section 29Exemption in connection with rescue operations
Section 30Exemption for transit journeys and transit operations
Section 30aExemption for foreigners whose application for long-term mobility pursuant to Directive (EU) 2021/1883 has been rejected
Division 3
Visa procedures
Section 31Approval from the foreigners authority for issuing a visa
Section 31aFast-track procedure for skilled workers
Section 32Approval from the supreme Land authority
Section 33Waiver of approval for ethnic German resettlers
Section 34Waiver of approval for scientists and students
Section 35Waiver of approval for certain work-related stays and internships
Section 36Waiver of approval for residence by members of foreign armed forces
Section 37Waiver of approval in other cases
Section 38Competence of the foreigners authority in lieu of a mission abroad
Division 3a
Recognising research organisations and concluding hosting agreements
Section 38aConditions for recognising research organisations
Section 38bRevoking recognition
Section 38cNotification requirements for research organisations
Section 38dAdvisory Board on Immigration by Researchers and Skilled Workers
Section 38ePublications by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Section 38fContent of and conditions for signing a hosting agreement or equivalent contract
Division 4
Obtaining a residence title in the federal territory
Section 39Extending a stay in the federal territory for longer-term purposes
Section 40Extending a short stay which does not require a visa
Section 41Privileges for nationals of certain countries
Division 5
Residence for reasons of international law or on humanitarian or political grounds
Section 42Application to relocate
Section 43Procedure when the other member state agrees to the relocation
Chapter 3
Fees
Section 44Fees for the permanent settlement permit
Section 44aFees for the EU long-term residence permit
Section 45Fees for the temporary residence permit, the EU Blue Card, the ICT Card and the Mobile ICT Card
Section 45aFees for expedited proceedings
Section 45bFees for residence titles in exceptional cases
Section 45cFees for issuing a new document
Section 46Fees for visas
Section 47Fees for other official acts relating to the right of residence
Section 48Fees for measures related to law on passports and identity documents
Section 49Processing fees
Section 50Fees for official acts for the benefit of minors
Section 51Fees for administrative appeals
Section 52Exemptions and reductions
Section 52aExemptions and reductions based on the EU–Turkey Association Agreement
Section 53Exemptions and reductions on grounds of equity
Section 54Intergovernmental agreements
Chapter 4
Administrative provisions
Section 55Substitute identity document
Section 56Obligations related to identity documents
Section 57Obligation to present papers when several identity documents exist
Section 57aObligations of holders of documents which have a chip in accordance with section 78 of the Residence Act
Chapter 5
Procedural provisions
Division 1
Models for residence titles, passport substitutes, substitute identity documents and other documents
Section 58Model forms
Section 59Model for residence titles
Section 59aIndication of international protection status for holders of an EU long-term residence permit
Section 59bIndication of international protection status for holders of an EU Blue Card
Section 60Photograph
Section 60aHanding out and sending electronic residence titles and blocking codes
Section 61Security standard, technical procedure for issuance
Division 2
Recording, processing and protecting data
Subdivision 1
Recording and transmitting application data to produce documents having a chip in accordance with section 4 and section 78 of the Residence Act
Section 61aTaking fingerprints during the application process for documents having a chip
Section 61bForms and procedures for recording and checking data and for local quality assurance
Section 61cTransmitting data to the document producer
Section 61dProof of having met requirements
Section 61eStatistics on quality
Section 61fAutomated searching of file systems and automated storage by public agencies
Section 61gUse in the private sector
Section 61hApplication of the Ordinance on Identity Cards and Electronic Identification
Subdivision 2
Foreigners files kept by the foreigners’ authorities and missions abroad
Section 62File-keeping obligation of foreigners authorities
Section 63Foreigners File A
Section 64Data record of Foreigners File A
Section 65Extended data record
Section 66File on passport substitutes
Section 67Foreigners File B
Section 68Deletion
Section 69Visa files of the missions abroad
Section 70(repealed)
Subdivision 3
Transmitting data to the foreigners authorities
Section 71Obligation to transmit data
Section 72Notifications by the registration authorities
Section 72aNotifications by the authorities concerned with passports and identity documents
Section 73Notifications by the authorities concerned with matters of nationality and certifying authorities according to section 15 of the Federal Expellees Act
Section 74Notifications by the prison authorities and secure psychiatric hospitals
Section 75(repealed)
Section 76Notifications by the supervisory authorities for trade and industry
Section 76aForms and procedures for transmitting data related to foreigners
Subdivision 4
Identification measures under section 49 (6), (8) and (9) of the Residence Act
Section 76bTechnical guidelines of the Federal Office for Information Security
Section 76cNational safety and quality statistics
Chapter 6
Administrative offences
Section 77Administrative offences
Section 78Administrative authorities within the meaning of the Act on Administrative Offences (Gesetz über Ordnungswidrigkeiten)
Chapter 7
Transitional and final provisions
Section 79Application to persons entitled to freedom of movement
Section 80Transitional provision for certain provisional residence documents related to a model document
Section 80aTransitional provisions for United Kingdom nationals in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union.
Section 81Continuing validity of passport substitutes issued under the current law
Section 82Transitional provision on foreigners files
Section 82aTransitional provision due to the entry into force of the Act to Implement Residence- and Asylum-Related Directives of the European Union
Section 82bTransitional provision on section 31 (1) sentence 1 nos. 1 and 2
Section 83Fulfilment of obligations related to identity documents
Section 84Recognition of research organisations