Residence permit for the recognition of a foreign professional qualification in connection with a qualification measure at the location LEA, Keplerstr.

Information on the address of this location

The postal address differs from the address of the location.
Therefore, please always send letters to:
Landesamt für Einwanderung, Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24, 13353 Berlin.

Additional information

• Fee payments are also possible by credit card (VISA, Mastercard) and contactless via smartwatch or smartphone.
• Photo booth available on the ground floor. Photos cost 5 euros. Please pay cash with coins or 5-euro notes (no change or card payments accepted at the photo booth).

Payment options

• girocard (with PIN)

Are you a foreign skilled worker who wishes to work in Germany but your professional qualifications have not yet been fully recognised by the competent body in Germany?

If so you will usually be granted a temporary residence permit for the purpose of completing qualification measures and examinations in order to make up for technical, practical and linguistic deficiencies and thus obtain

• recognition of your professional qualification (establishment of the equivalence to a domestic professional qualification),
• the issuance of the professional practice permit (occupational access) or
• permission to use the professional title.

The qualification measures include offers from vocational or technical colleges, company or supra-company offers with practical and theoretical components, preparatory courses for knowledge or aptitude examinations as well as general or occupation-oriented language courses.

The temporary residence permit is granted for the specific duration of the respective qualification measure and as a maximum for up to a total of two years.

Upon successful completion of the qualification measure a further temporary residence permit may be granted, particularly for the purpose of job-seeking or for employment as a skilled worker.

Prerequisites

• Your professional qualification has not yet been recognised
  
  The body competent for the recognition of your professional qualification in Germany has established with a decision (a so-called “deficiency decision”)
  

  • technical, practical occupational or linguistic deficiencies and
  • in the case of a regulated profession (for example in healthcare) the need for adaptation measures or a language course.
• The qualification measure must be suitable
• In the case of a school-based qualification measure: The educational institution must be appropriately qualified
  
  The educational institution must be either a state institution, state-recognised or certified according to “Recognition and Approval Regulation for the Promotion of Employment (Anerkennungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung – AZAV).” This requirement is also considered to be fulfilled if the qualification measure is funded through funding programmes of the federal government or the Länder.
• In the case of a predominantly workplace-based qualification measure: Approval of the Federal Employment Agency
  
  A qualification measure is considered to be predominantly workplace-based if more than half the time is spent on company work/practical activities.
• Secured livelihood
  
  For the costs of general subsistence, rent and health insurance you must be able to dispose of own funds in the amount of € 1,091.20 per month (current amount in the year 2025).
• Elementary knowledge of German at GER level A 2
  
  See section „More information“
• Main residence in Berlin
• Personal appearance by appointment is required
  
  • To arrange an appointment, please contact the relevant units B 1 - 4 using the contact form (see section “More information”).
  • Please send your appointment request at least 8 weeks before your current residence permit expires.

Documents required

• Form "Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels" (filled out)
  
  (see ‘Forms’)
• Valid passport
• 1 current biometric photo
  
  Please note:
  

  • Since May 1, 2025, biometric passport photos may only be taken digitally at government offices or photo studios and transmitted via a secure electronic channel.
  • Please check the website of the Berlin Immigration Office (see “More information”) for the latest information in good time before your appointment.
• Deficiency decision of the recognition body
• Proof of elementary knowledge of German at GER level A 2
• Supporting documents on the planned qualification measure
• In the case of school-based qualification: Documentary evidence on the educational institution
• In the case of workplace-based qualification: Documents for the participation of the Federal Employment Agency
  
  • Employment contract or traineeship contract
  • Filled in form „Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis“ (job description)
  • Filled in form “Zusatzblatt A” (Additional Sheet A) and the training schedule specified therein
• Proof of secured livelihood
  
  If your subsistence is not covered by income from employment:
  

  • Setting up a blocked account with a German bank, or
  • Signing a formal undertaking at the Land Immigration Office
• Health insurance
  
  in the case of statutory health insurance:
  

  • electronic health card with photograph
  • current confirmation of the health insurance

  in the case of a private health insurance scheme:
  

  • proof that you have paid your contributions, for example through account statements
  • certificate issued by the insurer
• Proof of your residence
  
  for example through
  

  • Certificate of registration at the main residence (see section "More information") or
  • lease and written confirmation of occupancy from the landlord (See section "Forms")

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
• Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis (job description)
• Zusatzblatt A zum Formular "Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis"
• Example: confirmation of occupancy from the landlord (Wohnungsgeber-Bestätigung)
• Information on adequate health insurance (leaflet)

Fees

• 100.00 euros: For the initial issuance
• 96.00 euros: For an extension of up to three months
• 93.00 euros: For an extension of more than three months

Turkish citizens (both for the first issue and for the extension):

• 22.80 euros: Up to the age of 24
• 37.00 euros: From the age of 24

For creating a digital passport photo at the self-service terminal on site: 6.00 euros

Legal basis

• Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG) § 16d Abs. 1

Average time to process request

After the appointment, it takes approximately 4 weeks for the residence permit to be issued as an electronic residence permit and ready for collection.

More information

• Contact forms for making an appointment in units B 1 - 4 (Berlin Immigration Office)
• Digital passport photos for residence documents from 01.05.2025 (Berlin Immigration Office)
• Anerkennungsfinder (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung)
• Certificate of registration at the main residence (Melde-Bestätigung)
• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

Notes on responsibility

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

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