Foreigners' Authority

The Foreigners' Authority in the city of Magdeburg is responsible for issuing residence permits for foreigners in Magdeburg, including international students and doctoral candidates at OVGU. The authority's other functions include issuing passport replacement documents and extending residence permits.

Visitor address	Contact
Ausländerbehörde (ABH)	Phone: +49 (0)391 540-4389
Neustädter Höfe
Lübecker Str. 53-63	Email:
Haus 1	Contact form for students, doctoral candidates, job search or via e-mail:
39124 Magdeburg	Contact form for scientists, employees, self-employed persons or via e-mail:

The Foreigners’ Authority in Magdeburg is located on Lübecker Str. 53-63, which can be accessed via tram lines 1 and 9. Get off at the “Bebertaler Straße” stop.

Opening hours
Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 12 noon | 2 to 5 pm

An appointment is required to visit the Foreigners’ Authority office, which will be sent to you after your documents (e.g. after applying for a student residence permit) have been checked.

From now on, online applications can be used to apply for a residence permit to study or work. If applications are submitted via the online service, the documents do not have to be sent to the Foreigners' Authority office again by post or e-mail. Further information can be found here.

Provisions under immigration law

Depending on their country of origin, different immigration rules apply to international students from different countries.

A distinction is made between:

students from the EU (European Union), the EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland,
students who require a student visa for entry or for conferral of a doctorate in accordance with §16b Abs.1 of the German Residency Act (AufenthaltG) and
students who may enter the country without a visa, such as people from Australia Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Unted Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the USA (may always enter without a visa). Equally, citizens of Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and San Marino may enter the country without a visa, provided that they do not intend to take up paid employment.

Information on entry formalities can be found on the website of the German Foreign Ministry.

When they register in the residents’ registration office, students in category 1 will be given a form in which they must enter certain data about themselves. This must be completed and returned to the Foreigners’ Authority with a copy of their certificate of enrolment. Students in category 2 must apply for a study residence permit from the Foreigners’ Authority in their place of residence within the validity period of their visa. Students in category 3 must apply for a study residence permit from the Foreigners’ Authority in their place of residence within the first three months of their stay.

Study residence permit

Your study visa or student applicant visa must be converted into a study residence permit by the Foreigners’ Authority in your place of residence. This visa conversion must be undertaken after you arrive in Germany and before your entry visa expires. If you have entered the country without a visa, you must apply for a residence permit before the end of the first three months of your stay. Due to the processing time, it is recommended to apply for an extension or a new residence permit two months before the previous residence permit expires.

Application for permit at the Foreigners Authority

The application for a study residence permit can be done here. On the website of the Foreigners' Aufthority you may find all important information regarding documents, fees and deadlines.

Proof of financing

In order to obtain a visa and residency permit, foreign students must be able to demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to finance their first year’s stay. Since 1 September 2024, the required amount has been €992 per month or €11,904 per year. Such proof may be documented in one of the following ways:

German bank account with notice of restriction
a formal letter of commitment with credit check in accordance with §68 of the Residency Act (this is submitted by a third party at the Foreigner's Authority office or a representation abroad and must last for the entire duration of the course of studies)
proof of a scholarship from a recognized organisation
bank guarantee
university or academic research facility contract for research employees (only in the case of doctoral students)

It is required to proof the funding of the past six months to receive an extension (e.g. by savings/bank statements, account with notice of restriction, proof of a scholarship, contract of employment with proof of salary)

Purpose of stay and change of studies

The residence permit is issued for a particular purpose (study on a particular course, doctoral studies in the faculty) and is limited to the duration of the course of study. Provided that sufficient funding is confirmed, the Foreigners’ Authority may issue the residence permit for two years. The study resident permit and duration of studies (including conferral of doctorate) may not generally exceed a maximum of ten years.

It is possible to change the subject that you are studying within the first 3 semesters, or later in exceptional cases. You must notify the Foreigners’ Authority in good time, at the latest 2 weeks after the begin of the semester, of your change of course via the contact form and the application for modification of conditions regarding the residence permit. In the case of a change of degree programme, university or location, a corresponding change of residence permit is required. The notification of the successful completion or discontinuation of studies must be made within 2 weeks of becoming aware of it (§ 82 Para. 6 AufenthG).

Employment during your studies

A study residence permit is only valid for studying in Germany and does not entitle the holder to take up paid employment. Foreign students do, however, have the right to work for 140 days per year without a work permit. Student jobs do not count in the sense of this provision. Part-time jobs according to §16b para. 3 AufenthG will be counted in the most favourable way for the student.

Important information for employers: If foreign nationals apply for the extension or issue of another residence title before the residence title expires, the previous residence title is deemed to be valid from the time of its expiry until the decision of the immigration authority. The same applies to the conditions of employment. In this case, fictitious certificates are issued by the foreigners authority, the effect of which does not expire with the expiry of the certificate, but with the decision on the residence title. The legal basis for this is § 81 para. 4 sentence 1 AufenthG.

Information from the Foreigners` Authority Magdeburg on collecting documents via document pick up station

Video Instruction: Document dispenser of the Foreign Office | Youtube (external Link)

Apart from the personal pick up there is the option to pick up your documents at the document station from the Magdeburg Foreigners' Authority Offic. Please carefully read the original leaflet (in German) or the translated leaflet (in English) with information on collecting documents via the document pick up station as well as the original declaration of consent (in German) or the translated declaration of consent (in English) under data protection. Please send the completed and signed declaration of consent in the original (German version) to the Foreigners' Authority when applying for the renewal of your residence title or during the appointment at the forreigners' authority.

Information for refugees from Ukraine

Here you may find current information about your residence permit according to §24 AufenthG