German Immigration News

A government employee who professionally decided on residency rights is alleged to have been part of a network that organized sham marriages for payment. The case from Cologne sheds light on an issue that unsettles many binational couples. The good news first: Those in genuine marriages generally have a right to spousal reunification. However, authorities will be scrutinizing the authenticity of relationships even more closely after this case. We explain when a marriage is co

Applications were deferred, rejection was threatened, and those affected were asked to sign unconditional waivers. This is how it works at The Berlin State Office for Immigration ( LEA ) has been at least partially shut down. This was achieved by lawyer Dr. Sebastian Klaus , author and lecturer in immigration law. He submitted a petition to the Berlin House of Representatives and simultaneously filed a complaint with the supervisory authority. The key outcome: The LEA add

A three-month-old girl was to be deported to Turkey. Her parents are allowed to remain in Germany while their asylum applications are pending, meaning the baby was to leave without them. The Wiesbaden Administrative Court prevented this: The deportation order against the baby has been temporarily suspended. The preliminary injunction of September 25, 2026 (Case No. 7 L 2405/26.WI.A) is final. The case illustrates the potential consequences for families of the new European asy

One Residence permits after one or two weeks instead of many weeks of waiting: What sounds like a dream for many applicants is currently occupying the Bavarian justice system. A case worker from the Munich The immigration office at the district administration office (KVR) is alleged to have issued numerous residence permits in exchange for bribes. They have been granted under Section 38a of the German Residence Act . For anyone seeking a residence permit in Germany, the

The application was submitted in full weeks ago, the temporary residence permit is about to expire, and three emails to the KVR ( Citizen Service of the Persons) haven't even received an acknowledgement of receipt. Anyone who... Anyone waiting for a decision from the Munich immigration office knows this feeling of powerlessness. For skilled workers whose employers are waiting for them to start work, and for HR departments that can no longer afford to leave a key position

Foreign fathers who wish to join their German child in Germany generally have strong legal standing regarding their residency rights. However, in practice, family reunification with a German child can become considerably more complicated if the parents are not married and paternity must first be legally established. Of particular importance is a change in the law that has been relevant since July 29, 2026 : In certain immigration-related situations, the notarization of the ac

For years, it was one of the more reliable pathways in Berlin's immigration law: Anyone living and working in Germany with a residence permit for another reason – even in jobs without special qualifications – could relatively easily switch to a residence permit for employment under Section 19c of the German Residence Act (AufenthG ) at the State Office for Immigration ( LEA ). This pathway is no longer as reliable as it once was. Our ongoing cases and professional discussions

The German Embassy in Caracas has resumed in-person visa appointments since October 5, 2026. Following temporary restrictions on consular services, Venezuelan applicants can once again schedule regular appointments for German visas. At the same time, the visa application process is becoming increasingly digitalized: In particular, work visas, the EU Blue Card, and the Opportunity Card can be applied for via the Federal Foreign Office's online portal. The resumption of visa op

A letter of termination lies on the table, and with it a question that many Turkish people have. Skilled workers in Germany caught off guard: Must the loss of their jobs be a consequence of the pandemic? When should I register with the immigration authorities ? Those who have lived and worked in Germany for years with a residence permit under the EEC-Turkey Association Agreement (ARB 1/80) rarely find a clear answer in the authorities' information leaflets, because the re

Who his Anyone who needs to renew their residence permit in Berlin knows the ritual: find an appointment, wait for weeks, appear in person – and then submit fingerprints, a photo, and a signature that the authorities already recorded two years ago. This is precisely where a law comes in that sounds like pure administrative procedure and, with its name "Migration Administration Digitalization Development Act" (MDWG), isn't exactly inviting to read. The Bundestag passed it on

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

Most applications at The State Office for Immigration ( LEA ) fails not due to a lack of qualifications, but due to misunderstandings. As a law firm specializing in immigration law in Berlin, we have handled hundreds of cases and are familiar with the pattern: A highly qualified skilled worker from the USA , Great Britain or Canada meets all the conditions for their Residence permit . Despite this, she waits for months, receives one inquiry after another, or in the

The semester is underway, the tuition fees have been paid, the The residence permit is only supposed to be extended – and then, instead of the appointment, a hearing notice arrives in the mailbox. We are currently receiving further reports from lawyers about precisely this situation: Immigration authorities , currently in the Barnim district of Brandenburg, are informing students of the Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI) that BSBI is merely a franchise of a f

Anyone who checks the appointment calendar of a German embassy or consulate abroad is familiar with the sobering message: a waiting period of six, sometimes twelve months, before a visa appointment is even available. Skilled workers who have a fixed start date with their new employer in Germany, for HR departments that urgently need a new employee to begin work For those who rely on skilled workers or for students with a fixed semester start date, this is not merely an in

Anyone involved in the Skilled immigration as highly qualified professionals skilled worker from the USA , People from Great Britain or Canada who come to Germany usually know their goal exactly: a permanent residence permit as soon as possible. The EU Blue Card promises exactly that – a permanent residence permit after just 27 or 21 months, instead of the usual five years. But what happens if the Was the EU Blue Card not available from the outset, but was the emp

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

The European Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational. Since April 10, 2026, the system has replaced the previous manual passport stamping for millions of travelers at the Schengen external borders. However, there is an important misunderstanding: The EES does not apply to every third-country national entering Germany . In particular, persons with a corresponding residence permit or long-term national visa from a state participating in the EES are generally not regist

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

Many Somali nationals face a dilemma when applying for naturalization that seems absurd at first glance: The authorities require the procurement of a Passport to clarify identity – but also explains that precisely this A passport is deemed unsuitable for identity verification. Those caught in this predicament often lose months or years without any progress being made in the actual application process. The Administrative Court of Mannheim has recently clarified that this p