Costs and fees for residence permits
All information on the costs and fees that may arise under the right of residence in Germany.
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Here you learn ...
what the biggest costs for foreigners are in visa law
how high the legal fees are in immigration law
how high the court costs are in immigration law
what exceptions to the administration fee exist
Table of contents
1. Legal fees for immigration and visa law
2. Court fees Immigration and visa law
3. Administrative fees Immigration and visa law
4. Special features of the administrative fees
5. FAQ Costs of Residence Rights
6. Conclusion Costs of residence permit
Residence law generally entails various costs for those affected. These include attorney fees if legal representation is retained – for example, when applying for a residence permit or in a dispute with the immigration authorities. The amount is based on the Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG) or a fee agreement. If legal proceedings are initiated, additional court costs are incurred. These are based on the value in dispute and the Court Fees Act (GKG) . Finally, immigration authorities and embassies also charge administrative fees – for example, for issuing, extending, or amending a residence permit. The exact amounts are regulated in the Residence Ordinance (AufenthV) . In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the cost structure of immigration and immigration law in Germany.
1. Legal fees for immigration and visa law
Anyone who needs legal assistance in the area of residence law – for example, when applying for a visa, when having problems with the immigration authorities or in the context of legal proceedings – will sooner or later be faced with the question of legal fees . Lawyers' fees in Germany are based on the
Lawyers' Remuneration Act (RVG). For most cases involving immigration law—whether out of court or in court—either the statutory fees under the RVG apply or an individual fee agreement is made. The statutory legal fees in court proceedings (including out-of-court representation) are:
Legal fees of EUR 542.25 for a court case concerning a fictitious certificate (value in dispute: EUR 2,500)
Legal fees of EUR 804.24 for legal proceedings concerning a visa and residence permit (value in dispute: EUR 5,000)
Legal fees of EUR 1,459.18 for a naturalization court case (value in dispute: EUR 10,000)
Legal fees of EUR 572.21 for purely out-of-court representation (value in dispute: EUR 5,000)
For people with low incomes, legal aid for out-of-court proceedings or legal aid for court proceedings are often available. These government support services enable even low-income individuals to access legal assistance.
2. Court fees Immigration and visa law
Anyone who files a legal action against decisions made by the immigration authorities under residence law – for example, before an administrative court – must expect to incur court costs. These primarily consist of the so-called procedural fee. Court fees under residence law are as follows:
Court costs of EUR 376.50 for a court case concerning a fictitious certificate (value in dispute: EUR 2,500)
Court costs of EUR 511.50 for a court case concerning a visa and residence permit (value in dispute: EUR 5,000)
Court costs of €849 for a naturalization court case (value in dispute: €10,000)
3. Administrative fees Immigration and visa law
The following fees apply in the administrative procedure for residence permits:
Costs/fees for the residence permit, the EU Blue Card, the (mobile) ICT card (Section 45 of the Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for the issuance of a residence permit, EU Blue Card and (mobile) ICT card:
100 euros for the issuance of a residence permit , an EU Blue Card or an ICT card
96 euros for an extension of a residence permit, an EU Blue Card or an ICT card for less than 3 months (93 euros for an extension of more than 3 months)
98 euros for the change of residence permit due to a change in the purpose of residence, including its extension
80 euros for issuing a Mobile ICT card
70 euros for the renewal of a Mobile ICT card
Costs/fees for the visa (Section 46 Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for issuing a visa:
75 euros for the issuance of a national visa (category “D”) , also for multiple entries
25 euros for the extension of a national visa (category “D”)
60 euros for a Schengen visa . Fees for issuing and extending Schengen visas and airport transit visas are governed by Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009.
60 euros for the extension of a Schengen visa in Germany for more than 90 days
as a national visa (Section 6 Paragraph 2 of the Residence Act)
411 euros for the implementation of the accelerated skilled worker procedure according to Section 81a of the Residence Act (Section 47 Residence Ordinance)
Costs/fees for the settlement permit (Section 44 Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for the granting of a settlement permit:
147 for the granting of a settlement permit for highly qualified persons (Section 18c Paragraph 3 of the Residence Act)
124 euros for the granting of a settlement permit for the exercise of self-employment (Section 21 (4) of the Residence Act)
113 euros for the granting of a settlement permit in all other cases
109 euros are to be paid in fees for the EU permanent residence permit (§ 44a AufenthV)
Costs/fees for express procedures and exceptional cases (§ 45a, b, c Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for issuing the licence using the express procedure and in exceptional cases:
35 euros for the issuance of an electronic residence permit (Section 78 of the Residence Act) in urgent cases (express procedure, Section 35a of the Residence Act)
44 euros for the issuance of a residence permit according to Section 78a Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 of the (reduced fee, Section 45b Residence Ordinance)
67 euros for the reissue of an electronic residence permit if the eAT has expired or been destroyed, or if a new passport is available, or relevant information has changed, or if the eAT has been lost (fee for reissuance, Section 45c Residence Ordinance)
Costs/fees for entry and residence bans (Section 47 Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for procedures concerning an entry and residence ban:
169 euros for the subsequent lifting or shortening of the limitation of an entry and residence ban according to Section 11 paragraph 4 sentence 1 of the Residence Act
169 euros for the subsequent extension of the period for an entry and residence ban according to Section 11 paragraph 4 sentence 3 of the Residence Act
100 for the granting of an entry permit (Section 11 Paragraph 8 of the Residence Act)
Costs/fees for toleration (Section 47 Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for issuing a temporary residence permit:
62 euros for issuing a certificate of suspension of deportation (tolerated deportation) (Section 60a, Paragraph 4 of the Residence Act) with a carrier form (37 euros for the extension)
58 euros for issuing a certificate of suspension of deportation as an adhesive label (33 euros for the extension)
50 euros for the lifting or amendment of a condition for the suspension of deportation upon application
Costs/fees for freedom of movement documents
The following costs apply for issuing freedom of movement documents:
37 euros for the issuance of a residence card (Section 5, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1 and Paragraph 7 of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU), a permanent residence card (Section 5, Paragraph 5, Sentence 2 of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU), a residence document (Section 16, Paragraph 2, Sentence 1 of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU) and a residence document for cross-border commuters (Section 16, Paragraph 3 of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU)
10 euros for issuing a certificate of permanent residence (Section 5, Paragraph 5, Sentence 1 of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU)
Costs/fees for passport and ID card measures (Section 48 Residence Ordinance)
The following costs apply for passport and ID card measures:
100 euros for the issuance of a travel document for foreigners (Section 4, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, Number 1)
97 euros for the issuance of a travel document for foreigners (Section 4, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, Number 1) up to the age of 24
70 euros for the issuance of a travel document for refugees, a travel document for stateless persons or a travel document for foreigners who are beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees
38 euros for the issuance of a travel document for refugees, a travel document for stateless persons or a travel document for foreigners who are beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees up to the age of 24
67 euros for the issuance of a temporary travel document for foreigners (Section 4, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1, Number 1)
26 euros for the issuance of a travel document for refugees, a travel document for stateless persons or a travel document for foreigners who are beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees
14 euros for the issuance of a travel document for refugees, a travel document for stateless persons or a travel document for foreigners who are beneficiaries of subsidiary protection or resettlement refugees up to the age of twelve
20 euros for the extension of a travel document for foreigners, a travel document for refugees or a travel document for stateless persons issued as a temporary document (Section 4 (1) Sentence 2)
Costs/fees for other documents
The following costs apply for other documents:
61 euros for issuing a cross-border commuter card (35 euros for renewal)
18 euros for the issuance of an emergency travel document (Section 4, Paragraph 1, No. 2, Section 13)
12 euros for confirmation on a student collective list (§ 4 para. 1 no. 5) per person
Other official acts relating to residence law
The following costs apply for other official acts relating to residence permits:
13 euros for the issuance of a fictitious certificate according to Section 81 Paragraph 5 of the Residence Act
29 euros for the recognition of a declaration of commitment (Section 68 of the Residence Act)
219 euros for the recognition of a research institution (Section 38a (1)) whose activities are not predominantly financed from public funds
50 euros for the revocation or modification of a residence permit condition upon request. 0 euros for changes to the residence permit if these relate to a secondary condition for pursuing employment.
21 euros for a notice, consultations and hearings on the integration course requirement
18 euros for issuing a certificate of residence or other certificates upon request
18 euros for issuing a residence permit on a separate sheet
12 euros for the transfer of residence permits to another document
10 euros for the issuance of a pass (§ 23 para. 2, § 24 para. 2)
11 Euro file inspection fee
4. Special features of the administrative fees
Reduced fees for minors
According to Section 50 of the Residence Ordinance, minors generally pay only half the regular fees for processing their residence permits. A flat fee of €55 is due for a settlement permit under Section 35 of the Residence Act. The extension of a temporary travel document costs only €6 for children up to 12 years of age.
Appeal fees in residence law
According to Section 51 of the Residence Ordinance, various fees may apply for appeals against rejections or ancillary provisions – usually a flat rate of €50 to €55. Specific fixed fees are provided for certain cases, such as appeals against integration course orders or deportation threats. An exception applies if the appeal is directed solely against the legal basis for the obligation to leave the country.
Fee exemptions for certain groups of people
According to Section 52 of the Residence Ordinance, certain groups are fully or partially exempt from fees. These include family members of German citizens, Swiss citizens, recognized refugees, persons granted subsidiary protection, and persons granted residence for humanitarian or political reasons. Scholarship holders, researchers, students, and their families also benefit from exemptions or discounts.
Special arrangements for association holders (EU-Türkiye)
Reduced fees apply to Turkish nationals with association status under the EU-Turkey Agreement (Section 52a of the Residence Ordinance). In many cases, only the fee charged for German identity cards is due. For certain services, such as the issuance of residence permits or fictitious residence certificates, the fee is waived entirely.
Exemption from fees for reasons of equity
According to Section 53 of the Residence Ordinance, individuals receiving benefits under Book II of the Social Code (SGB II), Book XII of the Social Code (SGB XII), or the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG) can be exempted from a variety of fees—particularly for applications for a residence permit, toleration of status, or replacement identity card. Even economically disadvantaged applicants can request a reduction or complete exemption from fees. Fees are also waived if an application is withdrawn early or rejected due to lack of jurisdiction.
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FAQ on costs and fees in residence law
How much does a residence permit in Germany cost?
The initial license typically costs €100, while changes or renewals can cost between €93 and €98. Reduced rates often apply to minors.
How much does a visa for Germany cost?
A national visa costs €75, a Schengen visa €60. Extensions are usually cheaper (e.g., €25 for a D visa).
What are the costs for toleration permits or fictitious certificates?
The issuance of a temporary residence permit costs between €33 and €62, and a temporary residence permit costs €13.
How expensive is a court case in residence law?
Court costs depend on the value in dispute. Examples include €376.50 (€2,500 in dispute), €511.50 (€5,000), or €849 (€10,000). Attorney fees may also apply.
How much do immigration lawyers cost?
Attorney fees are generally governed by the German Lawyers' Act (RVG). For example, out-of-court representation for a claim value of €5,000 costs around €572, while court proceedings can cost up to €1,459, depending on the case. However, many attorneys do not charge the statutory minimum fees set forth in the RVG, but instead enter into additional fee agreements.
Is there financial support for those affected?
Yes. Those with low incomes can apply for legal aid (out of court) or legal costs aid (in court). The costs will then be fully or partially covered.
Conclusion on the cost structure in migration law
Under German residency law, those affected face many different types of costs – from legal and court fees to administrative fees. However, not everyone has to pay the full fee: Minors, those in need, refugees, or those entitled to association benefit from statutory reductions or complete fee exemptions. Those who check early enough whether they are entitled to support or benefits can often save hundreds of euros.
