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I am an international student and I had a German student visa for one year. My visa ends at the beginning of 2025 so I applied residence permit through SERS.

Yesterday I have been informed that my application is approved and on 21.11.2024 (two days later) I have an appointment. I received a document from "Landesamt für Einwanderung". One problem is in that document it mentions that I should bring the Aufenthaltstitel alongside with a passport and a biometric photo.

I am confused as to why they ask for a Aufenthaltstitel. When I look it up on the internet it says that Aufenthaltstitel means residence permit. I applied for a residence permit application, so I cannot understand why they ask for this. I payed the charged amount for the residence permit card before I received the application as well. Does that have something to do with this? What should I do?

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  • It doesn't say gegebenfalls or ggf. in this sentence by any chance?
    – Relaxed
    Commented Nov 19 at 13:56
  • @Relaxed no it doesn't say it anywhere. It asks me to bring all of them.
    – Nick
    Commented Nov 19 at 14:06

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English-language terminology and even German use by official sources aren't always as specific as they should be but Aufenthaltstitel actually covers both visas and various type of residence permits (Aufenthaltserlaubnis). From the FAQ of the federal ministry of the interior:

Für die Einreise und den Aufenthalt bedürfen Ausländer grundsätzlich eines Aufenthaltstitels. Das Aufenthaltsgesetz sieht insgesamt sieben verschiedene Aufenthaltstitel vor: die Aufenthaltserlaubnis, die Blaue Karte EU, die ICT-Karte, die Mobiler-ICT-Karte, die Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt – EU, die Niederlassungserlaubnis und das Visum.

In most cases, it is necessary to hold another permit or a long-stay visa to apply for a residence permit (i.e. you cannot switch from a short visit to a residence permit) so it makes sense to ask you to present it when picking up your residence permit.

Alternatively, this could also be some boilerplate meant for renewals that somebody used without thinking. Either way, your student visa ought to be enough.

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    Ohh now it makes more sense. I recevied a one year long visa. It was issued to my passport. Just like you said I guess it should be enough if I bring my passport, since it has long lasting visa issued on it.
    – Nick
    Commented Nov 19 at 14:12
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    A one year visa is, for Germany, not the norm. In most cases a 3 month visa is issued, which later is changed into a residence permit. The standard reply letter uses that phrase which covers most cases. For your renewal they want to see the previous authorisation to stay in Germany. As far as the AufenthG is concerned, they are one and the same.
    – Mark Johnson
    Commented Nov 19 at 16:11
  • In Switzerland we use such name also for the "resident" permit of Swiss students. And now things are confusing: legal residence remain on old municipality (so canton must contribute to university), but the university city requires a permit. -- So maybe in such case it may just be the previous permit to stay on that municipality.
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Nov 19 at 16:21

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