LEA is fundamentally changing the procedure for allocating appointments with immediate effect. Appointments can no longer be booked via the previous Online Appointment System (OTV). The OTV, which was initially shut down for maintenance work, has now been permanently decommissioned.
The main reason for this decision is that, in particular, providers operating on the Internet had increasingly siphoned off the dates available on OTV in order to sell them. Many appointments were not available to our customers or were only available at a fee. This abusive business model is now being deprived of its basis.
Online application or contact form
LEA is consistently converting the majority of its services to digital applications. Appointments are allocated directly to the applicants by the departments after the application has been checked. For initial services, such as declarations of commitment and the EU Blue Card residence permit, appointments are allocated directly to applicants by the relevant departments after the documents submitted online have been checked.
You can find an overview of the existing online applications here
Should an online application not yet be available for the required service, appointments can be made with the relevant departments using the contact forms.
Please note the following information on the new procedure.
Your residence permit, residence authorisation or temporary suspension of deportation expires within the next 4 weeks or has already expired?
- Please use the contact forms to make an appointment with the department that is responsible for you.
- Your message will count as an application. This means that your previous residence permit will be regarded as valid. This also applies to the ancillary provisions of your residence permit. This means: You can continue to work or study until you attend the appointment allocated by the department.
- Your message to the department, together with your previous residence permit, are valid proof of your authorised residence and can be presented to authorities and employers as appropriate proof. A Schengen visa (type C) always expires at the end of its validity date. An appointment booking or an application to the Landesamt für Einwanderung [Berlin Immigration Office] does not extend the authorised stay with a Schengen visa.
- Travel abroad is only possible within the validity of the last residence permit you received.
- We recommend that you save the contact form you have sent as proof, or print it out if necessary.
Do you have an emergency and need an urgent appointment?
On the Internet, you are being offered an appointment with the LEA for money?
The switch to the new procedure means that those providers who have been operating to date no longer have technical access to the LEA appointments. Any appointments offered on special websites or in social networks can therefore not originate from the LEA and are also not stored in the internal database for appointment management. Please do not buy such an appointment; we will not be able to provide you with our services.
Please contact the department responsible for you for a free appointment using the contact forms.
