German Immigration News

Since the change of government at the federal level, German immigration law has primarily moved in one direction: tightening. The federal government under Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt abolished the so-called turbo naturalization after three years and the Family reunification for those granted subsidiary protection has been suspended. The government has also become stricter towards immigrants in many other areas. This has led to increased internati

Many HR departments are currently receiving the same recurring notification: According to the card, the Ukrainian employee's residence permit expires on March 4, 2027. Is an appointment with the immigration office now necessary? Can the employment continue beyond this date? The short answer is: No application is required, and the work can continue. However, the longer answer is still worthwhile. In our view , the extension until 2028 is less of a safety net and more of a wind

Turkish business owners who regularly visit customers, suppliers, or trade fairs in Germany know the problem: The business appointment is scheduled, but... But not a visa . Long waiting times for an appointment, extensive lists of required documents, and ultimately a possible rejection due to alleged lack of willingness to return – this is not uncommon at German embassies and consulates in Ankara and Istanbul. Now, politicians have announced some easing of the requirements.

On October 3rd, Germany celebrates 36 years of reunification . Borders were dismantled, currencies unified, and administrations merged. One area, however, has remained remarkably untouched by this unification to this day: immigration law in practice. Anyone who, as an international Skilled workers coming to Germany, or HR departments hiring talent from abroad, don't encounter "the German immigration administration." They encounter a patchwork of around 550 different regulat

Anyone wishing to apply for a German visa previously had to register on a waiting list at many German embassies. Then the real problem often began: waiting weeks or even months until an appointment for an in-person application was finally granted. This system is changing increasingly. The Foreign Office's international portal is becoming more and more the central starting point for national visa procedures. We are also encountering this more and more in our legal practice. A

Germany is extending border controls at its land borders once again. The current control period ends on September 15, 2026. Immediately afterwards, the controls will continue from September 16, 2026, until March 15, 2027. The affected areas are Germany's land borders with France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland. For most people with clearly documented residency rights, little will change. However, the checks c

The German government intends to work towards further restrictions on Schengen visas for Russian nationals at the European level. The Federal Foreign Office explicitly stated in early September 2026 that, from Germany's perspective, too many so-called C visas are still being issued to Russian nationals within the European Union. This could further exacerbate the already difficult situation for Russian visa applicants. From our legal practice, we have observed for some time no

Since August 18, 2026, the Ukraine has been officially added to Annex 11 of the German Driving Licence Regulations (FeV) – the list of countries whose driving licences can be converted into German licences without a driving test. This is a significant relief for Ukrainian refugees. Less well known is that this same list has also been used for years to... USA (depending on the state), Canada and Great Britain includes. Who as skilled worker , within the framework of a

A candidate from Belgrade has signed the contract, the logistics position is urgently needed, the business plan is ready – and then suddenly: quota exhausted, next application not possible until the new year at the earliest. What has long been standard practice for many HR departments in Germany could soon become even more difficult. In August 2026, the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) presented a position paper warning of precisely this scenario: The Ger

Schengen visa fees could rise again. A recent document from the Council of the European Union shows that the relevant Council working group on visas will address a possible increase in visa fees. A discussion paper on a visa fees increase to support the EU Common Visa Policy was explicitly published on September 4, 2026, for the meeting on September 14, 2026. No decision has yet been made regarding a specific fee increase. However, the issue is officially on the European agen

German hospitals, medical practices, and pharmacies are more urgently than ever seeking doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and midwives from abroad – but until now, one thing in particular has deterred many qualified applicants: a recognition process that often takes months and varies from state to state, with unclear document requirements. With the regulation to accelerate the recognition procedures for foreign professional qualifications in healthcare professions ( Federal Cou

On July 30, 2026, Germany and Colombia signed a new social security agreement in Berlin . It was signed by the Colombian Ambassador Yadir Salazar Mejía, the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Lilian Tschan, and Dr. Wiebke Rückert from the Federal Foreign Office. What at first glance sounds like a diplomatic administrative act has far-reaching consequences for thousands of Colombians. Skilled workers , their employers and their Families in

A single erroneous data entry in the digital system, a discrepancy in job title on LinkedIn, or incomplete automated data collection – and the visa application stalls. What sounds like a futuristic scenario is already a tangible reality in German authorities. With the new AI Migration Administration Act (KIMVG), the German government is paving the way for comprehensive digitalization and automation in immigration law. While politicians promise to accelerate application proces

The accelerated skilled worker procedure was intended to simplify the path to Germany, but bureaucratic hurdles and formal uncertainties have repeatedly slowed down the process in the past. With the recent amendments to the Residence Act, the legislature has now made two crucial adjustments: firstly, regarding the requirement to provide proof of authorization in the accelerated procedure according to Section 81a of the Residence Act, and secondly, regarding the residence peri

Naturalization procedures in Germany have always been characterized by bureaucratic hurdles and regionally varying administrative practices. For highly qualified foreign professionals , academics, and expats who have relocated their lives to Germany, it's about far more than just a document: it's about legal certainty, political participation, and long-term life planning. Recent developments in Rhineland-Palatinate are now causing considerable unease among applicants. The sta

Weeks of empty driver's cabs, canceled trips, customers switching to the competition: The driver shortage in the logistics, transport, and bus industries is no longer just an abstract statistic for many companies, but a daily operational risk. Those looking to hire international professional drivers have so far quickly encountered a bottleneck of language barriers during exams, lengthy recognition procedures for foreign driver's licenses, and complex residency requirements. T

Anyone coming to Germany as an international professional , expat, or highly qualified academic, or wishing to extend their stay, knows the challenges: long waiting times for appointments at the immigration office , documents that have to be submitted twice, and bureaucratic hurdles often characterize daily life. The Migration Administration Digitization Development Act ( MDWG ) , passed by the Bundestag on July 9, 2026, aims to comprehensively digitize migration administrati

The news from Brussels in mid-July 2026 brought a collective sigh of relief to millions of people affected and many HR professionals: EU member states had agreed to extend temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine until March 4, 2028. This theoretically granted almost 4.5 million people another two years of legal security. However, a closer look quickly reveals that this formal protection status is a deceptive security – especially for highly skilled professionals , acad

For weeks, uncertainty reigned among all those who wanted to voluntarily register for an integration course: The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) had rejected almost all applications for voluntary participation since February 2026. Now, a reversal is taking place. From August 1, 2026, the federal government will reopen the integration courses – at least for certain, newly prioritized groups of people. For international For skilled workers , their families an

Germany is facing a profound turning point in its labor market. The federal government has launched a comprehensive reform package intended to fundamentally change daily operations in companies and the legal framework for employees. For international academics , expats, and young professionals from the USA , Great Britain , or Canada living in Germany with a visa or EU Blue Card , however, changes in labor law always have a dual relevance: every modification to labor law pote