Residence permit on humanitarian grounds - extension at the location Berlin Immigration Office, Friedrich-Krause-Ufer

Additional information

• Payments are also possible by credit card (VISA, Mastercard) and contactless via smartwatch or smartphone.
• Photo booth and copier (fees apply) are available in the cash desk area (Building A, 1st floor).

Payment options

• Cash payment
• girocard (with PIN)

A residence permit granted on humanitarian grounds may be extended if these grounds continue to exist.

The main reasons for granting a humanitarian residence permit may include:

• admission under a resettlement program,
• recognition by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees as entitled to asylum or as a refugee under the Geneva Refugee Convention,
• the existence of a ban on deportation, an obstacle to departure, or a case of hardship.

Procedure
1. Carry out the online application.

• Please have all the necessary documents ready for this in PDF format if possible. However, you can also still photograph and upload the documents during the application process using your smartphone or tablet. The following file formats are accepted: PDF, JPG, JPEG, and PNG. The total size of your files must not exceed 100 MB. A single file must be a maximum of 7 MB in size.
• If you have a travel document for foreigners, refugees, or stateless persons, you can also apply for its renewal in the online application.
• The online application is extensive, so it takes some time to complete. However, you can interrupt the application at any time, save it temporarily and resume it at a later time.
• At the end you will receive a PDF document to confirm your application. This document will certify that your current residence permit remains valid in the federal territory beyond the previous validity date. This does not apply if your current residence permit has already expired on the day of application.
• Please therefore make sure to save this document and print a copy if possible.
• Important note for families: The application can only be submitted for one person at a time. Does your spouse and child or children live with you in Berlin and also need to extend their residence permit? If so, separate applications must be submitted for each of them.

2. Once you have carried out the online application, we will check it and then contact you as soon as possible.

• Where necessary, we will request further documents.
• If you have to pay fees for your residence permit and/or the reissuance of a travel document, you will receive a payment request by email. Please pay the fees within 14 days.

3. If your application is considered to be successful, you will be given an appointment. Please bring the originals of all the necessary documents with you to this appointment.

Prerequisites

• Possession of a valid residence permit on humanitarian grounds
  
  • Your residence permit was issued on one of the following legal bases: Section 22, Section 23, Section 23a, Section 25, Section 25a, or Section 25b of the Residence Act (AufenthG).
  • The application for extension can be submitted at the earliest 8 weeks before the residence permit expires.
  • If you have a residence permit for refugees from Ukraine pursuant to Section 24 AufenthG, you cannot use this application. For information on the residence permit procedure, please visit the Ukraine portal of the Senate Chancellery of the Governing Mayor of Berlin (see section “More information”).
• Humanitarian ground continues to apply
  
  The residence permit cannot be extended if the humanitarian ground no longer applies, for example because recognition as being entitled to asylum or as a refugee by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) has been withdrawn or there is no longer an obstacle to departure.
• Possession of a valid passport or passport substitute
  
  • Holders of a humanitarian residence permit must also have a recognized and valid passport or passport substitute from their country of origin. However, this does not apply if it can be proven that a passport or passport substitute from the country of origin cannot be obtained in a reasonable manner.
  • In particular, it is considered reasonable to apply to the competent authorities of the country of origin in good time for the issuance or renewal of the passport or passport substitute and to pay the fees specified for this. In the case of foreigners who have been recognized as entitled to asylum, refugees, or stateless persons, it is generally unreasonable to expect them to obtain a passport.
  • If you already have a travel document for foreigners, refugees, or stateless persons, you can apply for its renewal using the online application form.
• Main residence in Berlin
  
  • You live in Berlin. A second residence in Berlin is not sufficient.
  • Your residence permit was issued by another immigration office and includes the requirement to take up residence in the area covered by that other immigration office? In this case, your residence permit cannot be extended by the Berlin Immigration Office.
• Current email adress
  
  The Berlin Immigration Office will contact you via your current email address. Please also check your spam folder regularly.
• For the payment of fees: Consent to the electronic payment process
  
  The following methods of payment are available to you:
  

  • Credit card (Visa, Mastercard)
  • Paypal

Documents required

• Application for extension of residence permit on humanitarian grounds
  
  • only possible online
  • You will receive a PDF document to confirm your application. This document will certify that your current residence permit remains valid in the federal territory beyond the previous validity date. This does not apply if your current residence permit has already expired on the day you apply.
  • Please therefore make sure to save this document and print a copy if possible.
• In the case of an application being filed by an authorised representative: power of attorney stating the subject matter of the procedure
• When parents apply on behalf of a minor child: Documents relating to the legal guardians
  
  • If a parent with sole custody submits the application: a copy of the passport or identity card of the parent with sole custody
  • If the parents have joint custody, additionally: a signed declaration of consent and a copy of the passport or identity card of the other parent with custody
• Copies of your passport, passport substitute, or travel document (in color)
  
  Copies of the data pages containing your photo and personal details are required.
• Copy of your current residence permit on humanitarian grounds
• If you or your spouse/life partner are employed: Proof of livelihood
  
  • Employment contract,
  • Proof of net salary for the last 6 months (earnings statements, bank statements),
  • Current certificate from your employer (not older than 14 days
• If you or your spouse/life partner work self-employed or freelance: Proof of livelihood
  
  • last tax assessment statement
  • completed audit report form (Prüfungsbericht) together with the documents specified therein (the audit report must be completed by a tax consultant, auditor or tax agent) and
  • certificate in tax matters from the tax office (see section "More information") and
  • For self-employed persons: extract from the commercial register or business registration (if no entry in the commercial register is required)
  • For freelancers: Registration as a freelancer with the tax office and chamber of commerce entry (if required)
• If you are not gainfully employed: Proof of livelihood
  
  For example:
  

  • Assessment notice for Unemployment Benefit I (Arbeitslosengeld I)
  • Pension assessment notice
  • Proof of assets
  • Notification of receipt of benefits according to SGB II (Bürgergeld) or XII (Sozialhilfe) or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act
  • Receipt of BAföG or vocational training allowance (Sozialhilfe)
• Proof of other benefits
  
  Depending on your life situation, you may need to upload further proof for the online application, for example: Parental allowance, child benefit, housing benefit, child supplement, orphan's pension, integration bonus (Einstiegsgeld), proof of maintenance payments
• For pupils, trainees, students: Proof of education
  
  School certificate, training certificate and training contract or certificate of enrollment
• Proof of health insurance in Germany
  
  • If you have statutory health insurance: electronic health card (copy front and back) or a current confirmation from the health insurance company
  • In the case of private health insurance: certificate from the insurer regarding the scope and costs of the insurance in accordance with § 257 Para. 2a SGB V. V. Please point out to your insurer that you need the certificate for a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.

Forms

• Prüfungsbericht (Audit report form)
• Sample: Declaration of consent from the other parent with custody

Fees

For the extension of the residence permit

• 93.00 euros: for adults
• 46.50 euros: for minors
• 37.00 euros: for Turkish citizens aged 24 and over
• 22.80 euros: for Turkish citizens under the age of 24

Free of charge:

• when presenting current proof of receiving benefits according to SGB II or XII or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act
• for holders of a residence permit in accordance with section 23 sub-sections 2 and 4 of the Residence Act
• for holders of a residence permit in accordance with section 25 sub-sections 1 and 2 of the Residence Act

Reissue of a travel document
Please note:

• There is always a fee for issuing travel documents, even if you are receiving benefits under SGB II, SGB XII, or the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.
• The fee must be paid in full even if the application for a new travel document is rejected.

The following fees apply for the reissuance of a travel document for foreigners:

• Over the age of 24: 100.00 euros
• Over the age of 24 for foreigners with a subsidiary protection status within the meaning of Section 4 (1) of the Asylum Act. Subsection 1 or resettlement refugees: 70.00 euros
• Up to the age of 24: 97.00 euros
• Up to the age of 24 for foreigners with a subsidiary protection status within the meaning of Section 4 (1) of the Asylum Act. Subsection 1 or resettlement refugees: 38.00 euros

The following fees apply for the reissue of a travel document for refugees or stateless persons:

• Over the age of 24: 70.00 euros
• Up to the age of 24: 38.00 euros

For creating a digital passport photo at the self-service terminal on site: 6.00 euros extra
(We recommend having your digital passport photo taken before your appointment at a photo studio (or drugstore) that can send photos to our office via a secure photo cloud. Please refer to the information on our website, see section "More information.")

Legal basis

• Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG) Abschnitt 5
• Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthVO) § 4 - Deutsche Passersatzpapiere für Ausländer
• Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthVO) § 5 - Allgemeine Voraussetzungen der Ausstellung des Reiseausweises für Ausländer

Average time to process request

• You will receive an appointment for an interview after your application has been approved and any processing fees have been paid.
• After the interview, it takes approximately 4-6 weeks for the residence permit to be issued as an electronic residence title and ready for collection. This also applies to the issuance of a travel document.

More information

• Digital passport photos for residence documents from 01.05.2025 (Berlin Immigration Office)
• Information for refugees from Ukraine (Berlin Senate Chancellery)

Notes on responsibility

The service can only be used at the Berlin Immigration Office (LEA) at the Friedrich-Krause-Ufer premises.

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