Residence permit for attending a language course

Issuance of a residence permit for attending a language course which is not for the preparation of studying. The residence permit can be issued for the maximum of one year.

Prerequisites

• Intensive language course
  
  A residence permit for learning the German language can only be issued for the participation in an intensive language course.
  An intensive language course requires that its duration is limited from the start, and generally comprises daily lessons (a minimum of 18 lesson-hours per week) and directed towards acquiring comprehensive German language skills. Night and weekend courses do not meet these requirements.
• Main residence in Berlin
  
• A personal interview is required
  

Documents required

• Valid passport
• 1 current biometric photo
  35mm x 45mm, frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, light background
• Form "Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels" (filled out)
• Proof of intensive language course
  • Certification of the language school over a booked language course of at least 3 months
  • Contract with the language school
• Health insurance (insurance card)
  Any statutory health insurance will do. Travellers’ health insurance will also suffice for the duration of the language course.
• Proof of secure livelihood
  • Blocked account (Sperrkonto) at a German Bank with more than 11,959.00 Euros (current amount in the year 2023) or
  • Submission of a declaration of commitment by a third party on an official form (Verpflichtungserklärung) or
  • Notarized declaration from parents securing the livelihood for the duration of the studies with proof of the income of the parents in the last six months
• 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
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Greek, Turkish, Vietnamese
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian
• Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) - in German, Serbian, Bosnian

Fees

Legal basis

• Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG) § 16f Abs. 1

Average time to process request

More information

• Certificate of registration at the main residence (Meldebestätigung)
• Example: confirmation of occupancy from the landlord
• Information from the German Federal Foreign Office on the blocked account (Sperrkonto)

Responsible authorities

This service can only be taken advantage of in the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung – LEA) at Keplerstrasse.