Apply at your Ausländerbehörde 6–12 weeks before your current permit expires, with proof of enrolment, study progress, €992 per month in funds and health insurance. If your appointment comes after the expiry date, an application filed in time keeps you legal through a Fiktionsbescheinigung.
Your residence permit card (eAT) shows an expiry date, often tied to your blocked-account period or the expected end of your degree. Start the extension 8–12 weeks before that date. Many cities (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne) now take extension applications online or by email first and give an appointment later.
What matters legally is that your application reaches the office before the permit expires. If it does, your stay is treated as continuing (§81(4) AufenthG) even if the appointment is weeks later. If you apply after expiry, you are without a valid title, the office can refuse continuation and you may have to leave and re-apply for a visa from India. Keep a screenshot or email confirmation of the date you applied.
Permits for students are issued for at least one year and normally at most two years per extension.
If money is short, tell the office early. Funds can sometimes be shown in instalments or by a parent's sponsorship; a refusal for missing funds is much harder to fix later.
The fee for extending a residence permit is set by §45 AufenthV: €93 for an extension of more than three months and €96 for up to three months. Some cities waive or reduce fees for scholarship holders. You pay by card or at a machine during the appointment.
If the office cannot finish your card before your old one expires, it issues a Fiktionsbescheinigung (fee €13). It is a paper certificate confirming that your previous permit, including its work rights, continues until a decision. You can work, study and usually travel back into Germany with it, but travelling abroad on a Fiktionsbescheinigung issued under §81(3) can be risky. Ask the officer which paragraph is ticked before booking a flight to India.
The new eAT card is produced by the Bundesdruckerei and takes about 4–6 weeks; you collect it in person.
| Type of work | Rule in 2026 |
|---|---|
| General student job | Up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year (half day = up to 4 hours) |
| Werkstudent job | Up to 20 hours per week during lecture periods, more in semester breaks |
| Student assistant (HiWi) at your university | Does not count towards the 140 days |
| Mandatory internship in your study plan | Does not count |
| Voluntary internship | Counts as regular work |
| Freelance / self-employment | Needs separate permission from the Ausländerbehörde |
Keep your contracts and a log of days worked; the office may ask for them at extension. Working beyond the limits can lead to refusal. See working student jobs for how to find roles.
A change of subject or university is generally allowed under §16b, but you must inform the Ausländerbehörde and show the new admission and how long the remaining study will take. A change in the first year is usually unproblematic; later changes are checked more closely, especially if your total study time grows well beyond the standard period.
You may also switch from studying to vocational training (Ausbildung) or to a skilled-worker permit before finishing if you have a qualifying job offer and recognised qualification. Talk to the office before you de-register, because an ex-matriculated student no longer meets §16b.
Once you pass your final exam, apply for the job-seeker permit under §20(3) no. 1 AufenthG. It is valid for up to 18 months and allows any employment while you search. You need your final certificate or a confirmation of completion, proof you can support yourself (a job, savings or blocked account) and health insurance. The fee is the usual €93–96.
Apply as soon as you have the completion letter and before your student permit ends. When you find a job related to your degree, switch to a skilled-worker permit (§18b) or an EU Blue Card; graduates within three years of their degree qualify at the lower €45,934.20 threshold. Use the after-graduation checklist to plan the switch.
Most Ausländerbehörden accept applications 8–12 weeks before expiry. The key rule is that your application arrives before the permit expires.
No, if you applied before the expiry date. Your stay is treated as continuing and you can request a Fiktionsbescheinigung (€13) as proof.
€992 per month, or €11,904 for a full year, shown through a blocked account, scholarship, salary or a formal sponsorship.
Only during semester breaks or within the 140 full days a year. During lecture periods Werkstudent jobs are limited to about 20 hours per week.
Extensions beyond the standard period are possible if your university confirms you can finish within a reasonable time. Bring a faculty letter with a realistic completion date.
Checked against these sources on 14 October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the authority before you apply.
