Application not submitted: IT problems at the State Office for Immigration (LEA) in March 2026

Anyone who applied for a residence permit online with the Berlin State Office for Immigration (LEA) in March 2026 should urgently check their documents. A technical malfunction in the ePayment system caused significant problems with the transmission of online applications. This particularly affects individuals who attempted to process services such as residence permits for study or freelance work online between March 11th and 12th, and between March 14th and 16th, 2026.

Am I affected? The check-up

The disruption occurred during two specific time windows. Please check if all four of the following apply to you:

1. The timeframe: You submitted your application within one of these timeframes:

   • Wednesday, March 11, 2026 (from 8:00 PM) to Thursday, March 12, 2026 (8:30 AM)

   • Saturday, March 14, 2026 (from 7:45 pm) to Monday, March 16, 2026 (3:45 am)

2. Payment: You have successfully paid the fee via credit card or PayPal .

3. The error message: After the payment process, an error message was displayed and you were unable to complete the process properly.

4. No response: You have not yet received a confirmation, a notification, or an automatic refund.

The problem: Money gone, application gone

Because the technical error occurred directly at the interface between payment and data transmission, the relevant authorities were unable to fully capture your personal data. This means that in many cases, the LEA (State Office for Migration and Refugees) is unaware that you have submitted an application , even though the money has been debited.

Technical problems with the LEA

The core problem of the disruption was that applicants, although able to successfully pay by credit card or PayPal at the end of the process, subsequently received an error message . This resulted in the applications not being forwarded to the responsible authorities despite payment having been made. Since personal data could not be recorded in the system in many of these cases, the LEA (State Office for Migration and Refugees) is often unable to contact the affected individuals proactively. Therefore, anyone who made a payment during the aforementioned periods but has not received confirmation or a notification must now take action themselves .

Proactive action by applicants is required

The most important step for those affected is to request a refund of the fees already paid. Since automatic crediting against new applications is technically impossible, customers must contact antragsservice@itdz-berlin.de by email with proof of payment, such as a bank statement or PayPal receipt . At the same time, it is essential to resubmit the actual application for the desired residence permit online so that processing by the relevant authority can begin.

Although the disruption was reportedly resolved quickly, it is recommended that, in case of any uncertainties or lack of response, you also use the LEA contact form on the Berlin Service Portal to clarify the matter with the relevant department. For general technical problems with ePayment, the State Office also offers an information sheet in PDF format that provides assistance with error messages. Those affected should act promptly to avoid delays in their residency status.

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According to the IT service provider, the disruption has now been resolved. Nevertheless, the situation is frustrating for those affected. Please check your emails promptly (including your spam folder), as the LEA is attempting to contact all identifiable individuals directly.

Do you have questions about other ePayment errors?

The LEA has a [something] here An informational PDF is provided, offering general assistance with problems encountered during the online transaction.

Note: This article provides information about the specific disruption in March 2026. Current status updates can always be found on the Berlin Service Portal.