Residence title for former Germans
Aufenthaltstitel für ehemalige Deutsche
Official English page German-only parts machine-translated, 2026-09-15
Issuing and extending a residence title for former Germans. Naturalised persons that have applied for and obtained foreign nationality after 01/01/2000 and have therefore lost their German nationality shall require a residence title.
A former German is granted
• a permanent settlement permit if he or she had been habitually resident in the federal territory for five years upon losing German nationality or
• a temporary residence permit if he or she had been habitually resident in the federal territory for at least one year upon losing German nationality.
The application for a residence title must be filed within six months of obtaining knowledge of the loss of German nationality.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• Acquisition of foreign nationality (after 01/01/2000) and simultaneous possession of a German ID card and/or passport.
• Main residence in Berlin
• Personal appearance by appointment is required
Documents you need
• The form "Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels" (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - filled out
Application form is only to required when applying for the first time.
• Valid foreign passport
• German Id-Card (Personalausweis), German passport
A notice of loss must be obtained if German ID documents are lost. It is issued by any district office in Berlin.
• 1 current biometric photo www.berlin.de/labo/_assets/kraftfahrzeugwesen/foto-mustertaf
35mm x 45mm, frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, light background
• Proof of registered periods of residency in Berlin from 01/01/1995 service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120702/
• You can obtain the extended certificate of registration (at a charge) from any district office (Bürgeramt) in Berlin or from the State Office for Residents’ and Regulatory Affairs (Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten). If possible, submit a print-out of this service description for this purpose.
• Other documents confirming your residency are necessary if you have lived at one or several locations in another federal state in the meantime. They may be employment contracts, rent contracts or references.
Proof is only necessary for first-time applications.
• Proof of acquisition of foreign nationality
• In original, with translation: e.g. naturalisation certificate, excerpt from the civil registry or certification from the consulate general or embassy, also the Nüfus Kayit Örnegi for Turkish nationals
• Only required when applying for the first time
• Proof of acquisition of German nationality
Naturalisation certificate
• Proof of good conduct (Führungszeugnis; not older than 3 months) service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120926/
Proof of good conduct can be applied for (at a charge) with any district office (Bürgeramt) in Berlin. A certificate of good conduct for personal reasons is sufficient.
Proof of good conduct is only necessary when applying for a residence title for the first time.
• Proof of a secure livelihood
All documents must be presented in original:
• Employees: Employment contract, Certificate of employment, salary slips of the last 6 months
• Entrepreneurs and self-employed: audit report form prepared by a tax consultant, auditor or a lawyer with relevant professional experience (e.g. a specialist lawyer for tax law), last tax assessment
• Freelancers: Tax assessments, bank statements, Invoices,e.g. from galleries and auction houses and the like that show a regular inflow
• Retirees: Notice of pension approval
• Lease or proof of home ownership
Original
• Living costs
Rental cost / expenses for property
• Health insurance
Proof of a secure livelihood must also include sufficient health insurance. Those with statutory health insurance are sufficiently insured. Those with private health insurance must consider the type and extent of their health insurance. For more information, please read the leaflet "Information on adequate health insurance".
• Proof of main residence in Berlin
• Certificate of registration at the main residence or
• lease and written confirmation of occupancy from the landlord
More on the topic in the section "More information".
Forms
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, English, French, Italian www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Greek, Turkish, Vietnamese www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Serbian, Bosnian www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
• Leaflet "Health insurance" www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
• Audit report form (Prüfungsbericht) for entrepeneurs, self-employed persons and freelancers www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zuwanderun
Fees
For the first issuance of the residence permit:
• Adults: 100.00 euros
• Minors: 50.00 euros
For the extension of the residence permit:
• Adults: 93.00 euros
• Minors: 46.50 euros
For Turkish citizens:
• From the age of 24 years: a maximum of 46.00 euros
• Until the age of 24 years: a maximum of 27.60 euros
Legal basis
• Aufenthaltsgesetz (Residence Act, AufenthG) § 38, paragraph 1 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__38.html
• Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (Nationality Act, StAG) § 25 www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__25.html
Processing time
Around 5–6 weeks
A personal visit four to six weeks before the existing temporary residence title expires is best. If possible you should book an appointment for this.
Further information
• Bescheinigung über die Anmeldung einer Wohnung (Meldebestätigung) (Dienstleistung) service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/120686/
• Example: confirmation of occupancy from the landlord www.berlin.de/formularverzeichnis/?formular=/labo/zentrale-e
Who is responsible
This service can only be used at the Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA, State Office for Immigration) at the Friedrich-Krause-Ufer location.
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA)
- LEA, Friedrich-Krause-Ufer
Original
German originalOfficial English page
Service number 325675 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/325675/