Antrag Auf Erteilung Eines: Fill & Download for Free

Looking to jump-start your career in Germany but don’t know where to begin? Lucky for you, now is the time because Germany passed The Skilled Immigration Act on June 28th, 2019. This Act makes it easier for skilled professionals to move to and find a job in Germany. Check this article out if you’re wondering if you fall into the “Skilled Professional” category Germany is looking for.Back to my initial question; which, if you're still reading, can be assumed that you are in fact interested in obtaining a job seeker visa. With that being said, I have some great news for you, I went through this exact process, so I can help!You basically have two options to obtain a German job seeker visa:1. You can apply from abroad, or…2. You can apply from within GermanyIf you would like to apply from abroad, you can find the nearest German embassy or consulate here. You can then skip to Step 3 to see what you will need to complete and bring to your appointment.I decided to roll the proverbial dice and move to Germany first, then apply for the visa (I thought this would help my chances of obtaining the visa but have no evidence to back this theory up — I did successfully obtain the job seeker visa).I had been passionate about moving to Germany (Berlin) for quite some time but I was clueless as to where to even begin. After some (a lot) research (good and bad) and the mental challenge of leaving friends, family, and a well-paying job; I finally moved from the United States (Minnesota) to Berlin in April of 2019. In June I applied for and obtained a job seeker visa, allowing me to stay in Berlin, Germany for 6 more months to search for a job.Below the four stages I went through to obtain my job seeker's visa in Germany.Step 1: Entering GermanyTL;DR:If you come from a country that doesn’t need a Schengen Visa to enter Germany, purchase a one-way ticket to Germany and you’re all setIf you’re from a country that does need a Schengen Visa, make sure to apply for one hereIf you don’t know if you need a Schengen Visa to enter Germany, you can check herePhoto cred: Getty ImagesI was lucky enough to come from one of the countries allowed to enter the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days without having to apply for a tourist visa. If you’re one of the unlucky persons whose country does not have this agreement with the EU, then you will need to apply for a tourist visa at the nearest German embassy or consulate in your country. You can find more information on the requirements, process, and application here. It is recommended to apply for Schengen Visa (tourist visa) at least three weeks before your planned departure.Step 2: Setting Up the AppointmentTL;DR:If you need to book an appointment in Berlin, you can book your appointment hereIf you need to book an appointment in another German city, just Google “Auslanderbehörde” + “city name”The alternative to booking an appointment is to queue in a line, which can take hours and is not guaranteed to get you an appointmentYou will receive a confirmation email with where your appointment is and what your appointment number is, print these out and bring to the appointmentAusländerbehörde — Berlin website where I made my appointmentSchedule your appointment early! I would even recommend scheduling it before you leave for Germany. I was lucky when I scheduled my job seeker visa appointment, I was miraculously able to get an appointment within 3 weeks.Side Note: I was not as lucky when I needed an appointment for my Blue Card, if I hadn’t had help from a professional agency, I would have had to wait more than 5 months for my appointment. Luckily the agency helped me get an appointment in 5–6 weeks.If you plan on living in Berlin as I did, you can find information here to book your appointment with the ausländerbehörde. If you are having difficulties finding an appointment slot, you can download a browser extension that auto-refreshes the appointment page to help you look for dropped appointments by other people.If you plan on living in another city within Germany, you should Google “Ausländerbehörde” + “city name.” This will then bring your results for the closest auländerbehöde to your location. Following the website instructions to book your appointment. Once you book your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email, print this out and bring to the appointment as it has the location and appointment number on it.There is one more thing you can do if are not able to book an appointment in time, you can queue in line before the ausländerbehörde opens. You will need to show up extremely early (at least a couple of hours in larger cities) and there is no guarantee you will get an appointment. However, if it's your last option, it's worth a try!Step 3: What You’ll Need for the AppointmentTL;DR:Make sure you have everything on the checklist completedFor a biometric photo, Fotofix=good, photoautomats=badIf you don’t know German, make sure you bring someone with who can speak GermanRequired documents can be found hereMake sure you have everything on the checklist coveredNow to the nitty-gritty! Below is what you will need for your appointment. I highly recommend bringing a translator to your appointment if you do not know German. I hired a translator through a company in Berlin called Expath and only paid €50. Expath is also a great resource for other German related topics you might have questions on.Prerequisites:University QualificationPossession of a qualification from a German Hochschule, an accredited foreign university or university college qualification, or a foreign university or university college qualification comparable to a German Hochschule qualification — You can check here if your university degree qualifies with ZAB (it must be H+). Make sure you print out the page that shows your degree satisfies this prerequisite and bring to your appointment.2. Main residenceYou will need to find a place to live during your time in Germany.3. A personal appointment is requiredNationals of these states can book an appointment online for the interview:Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand and the United States of America.Documents:Valid Passport2. 1 Biometric photoAccording to http://Berlin.de, this is a 35mm x 45mm photo, frontal shot with neutral facial expression and closed mouth, looking straight into the camera, light background. If you’re moving to Berlin, there are booths all over the city where you can get these. Just make sure the booths say “Fotofix” and that they take official passport photos (it will say it on the booth). There are other general photo booths called “photoautomats” around the city that I thought satisfied this requirement….they don't.3. University or university college qualification (original and copy) and certificationsThis is in addition to the evaluation/statement of the ZAB if applicable (see ‘Prerequisites’). Also, if you have job-related certifications, bring those to bolster your case.4. Health insuranceTravelers’ health insurance will satisfy this requirement. I went through a company called Mawista and was happy with them. I selected the “Expat Care” package which was €59 per month.4. Proof of Secure LivelihoodYou need to have bank statements printed out to show that you have enough money to support yourself for the next 6 months. The minimum you will need is €720 per month or €4.320 for 6 months. Having lived in Germany since April, I can guarantee you that you will need more. I would plan for at least €1.200 per month, or €7.200. Again, this all depends on how you are with your money and which city you move to, but to be on the safe side I would bring more than the German recommended amount.5. The form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels” (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit)A residence permit may only be issued upon formal request so you will need to complete the formal request form, you can find this form below.6. Proof of main residence in BerlinCertificate of registration at the main residence or a lease and written confirmation of occupancy from the landlord. WHEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY, MAKE SURE YOUR LANDLORD CAN GIVE YOU THE RESPECTIVE FORMS TO GET AN ANMELDUNG. If they can’t, then you cannot get an Anmeldung, which won’t allow you to get a job seeker visa. Once you find a place to stay, you will need an anmeldung (meaning — register your address) to satisfy this requirement and you will need to register for an anmeldung at the bürgeramt, within 14 days of finding a new residence. At your anmeldung appointment, you will receive your anmeldebestätigung, keep this and bring to your visa appointment.You will also receive your tax-id in the mail a couple of weeks later, or better known as a steueridentifikationsnummer, in German. While this tax-id isn’t necessary for your visa. bring it just in case. This is a nice introduction to German bureaucracy to test you for the real thing at the auländerbehörde.If your moving to Berlin, these forms can be found here…Formsthe form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) — in German, English, French, Italianthe form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels” (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) — in German, Greek, Turkish, Serbo-Croatianthe form “Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels” (Application for Issuance of a Residence Permit) — in German, Spanish, Portuguese, RussianYou can view the entire list of prerequisites and documents in detail here.Common misconceptions:I will need to write a motivation letter — This is false. It was not required that I had to write one. What I would do is have a plan for how you are going to find a job in Germany (LinkedIn, job boards, etc.) and if they ask you, tell the plan to them.I need my birth certificate — This is false. I did not need my birth certificate for my meeting, I even specifically asked when I was at the appointment and they said no.Step 4: The AppointmentTL;DR:Make sure you bring your appointment number with you, this will come in your confirmation email you received when booking the appointmentShow up 10–15 minutes earlyMake sure to bring cash (at least €56) or debit card (Girocard with PIN)Picture credit goes to All About BerlinI didn't sleep much the night before, but that was probably because I did not have a plan B if I didn't get the visa. Well, I sort of had a plan B; my plan was to fly to Tbilisi, Georgia and figure out what was next for me. Anyhow, things went off without a hitch and everything worked out. If you satisfy all the above requirements, you will do just fine!Judgment day! Dress somewhat nice and make sure you show up at least 10–15 minutes early as navigating the ausländerbehörde can potentially be confusing. Showing up this early will also allow you to meet with your translator beforehand if you arranged for one.Make sure you have your appointment number, as there will be an electronic board that displays the queue order. Once it is your turn, the display will show your number. You will then proceed to the room where you will sit down to answer a few questions and to give the ausländerbehörde employee your completed forms and necessary paperwork. If you don't know German, I would recommend remembering the following phrase in German:“Hallo, es tut mir leid, aber mein Deutsch ist nicht gut. Ich habe einen Übersetzer mitgebracht.”After they have what they need from you, they will ask you to leave the room. After about 20 minutes of waiting in the waiting room, they will call you back into the office. This signals that they have made a decision.They will then put a sticker and stamp in your passport, which is when you will know that you are staying in Germany for up to 6 months to find a job! If they don’t give you a stamp, it's not the end of the world. They will most likely tell you why they didn't give you the visa and will allow you to re-apply at a later date.That doesn't sound too bad, does it? Are you ready to make the move? What are you waiting for!?This may seem like a huge mountain to overcome but believe me, it is not. The most difficult thing for me was not having anyone to bounce questions off of, so if you have any further questions — please ask away.