Dortmund · Aufenthaltstitel verlängern

Extend your residence permit in Dortmund

Residence permits in Dortmund are issued for a fixed period, and you must apply to extend yours at the Ausländerbehörde before it expires. Appointments are scarce, so start early — if your permit runs out before the office can see you, ask for a Fiktionsbescheinigung, which keeps your stay and usually your right to work legal in the meantime.

⏱️Fee typically ~€93–100. Apply 6–8 weeks before expiry; big-city appointment waits can be much longer.

💡Extend your Aufenthaltstitel before it expires — book the Ausländerbehörde 8+ weeks ahead because slots fill up. If your appointment lands after the expiry date, that's fine as long as you applied in time: ask for a Fiktionsbescheinigung, which bridges the gap and keeps your residence and work rights valid.

What you need to bring

• PassportRequired

  📋 Bring the original, not a copy

  How to get it: Issued by your home country. Renew at your country's embassy or consulate in Germany — appointments can take weeks, so check the expiry early.

• Current residence permitRequired

  📋 Bring the original, not a copy

  How to get it: Issued by the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office) of your city after your application appointment. Renewals: apply well before expiry — slots are scarce.

• Biometric photosRequired

  How to get it: Photo booths (often inside Bürgeramt buildings, stations and drugstores) or any photo studio — ask for 'biometrisches Passfoto'. Many offices now also have photo terminals on site.

• Current job contract / proof of incomeRequired

  How to get it: From your employer — the signed contract. If you only have a digital copy, a printout is usually accepted; ask HR for a signed original if an office insists.

• Proof of health insuranceRequired

  How to get it: Request a membership certificate (Mitgliedsbescheinigung / Versicherungsbescheinigung) from your insurer — most issue it instantly in their app or by email.

• MeldebescheinigungRequired

  📋 Bring the original, not a copy

  How to get it: You receive it at your Anmeldung appointment at the Bürgeramt. Lost it? Request a new copy at the Bürgeramt (small fee, often bookable online).

• FeeRequired

Good to know

• Book the extension appointment as soon as you can — many Dortmund offices are booked weeks or months ahead, so don't wait until the permit is nearly expired.
• If the appointment falls after your permit expires, request a Fiktionsbescheinigung: it bridges the gap and preserves your legal status and work rights.
• Bring current proof of the purpose of your stay — job contract and payslips, enrolment certificate, or marriage documents — plus your passport, Anmeldung and a biometric photo.
• Changed jobs, finished studies or married since your last permit? Flag it early, because it may change which permit you should now hold.
• Never let your permit lapse without either an extension or a Fiktionsbescheinigung — an illegal gap can jeopardise future applications, including permanent residence.

Frequently asked questions

Checklist last verified 2026-06-12. Rules vary by office and change over time — always confirm with the official source linked above.