Moving House: Which Immigration Office Is Now Responsible? (§ 71 AufenthG)

The immigration offices have subject-matter jurisdiction for measures under residence and passport law. § 71 Abs. 1 AufenthG provides:

"The immigration authorities shall be responsible for measures and decisions relating to residence and passport law pursuant to this Act and pursuant to provisions of the law on foreign nationals contained in other Acts. The state government or the body designated by it may stipulate that only one or several specific immigration authorities are responsible for individual tasks."

Local jurisdiction — that is, which immigration office specifically — is therefore governed by state law: the state governments or the bodies they authorise determine it. In principle, the authority at your habitual residence or domicile is responsible. If you move into a different area of jurisdiction — another city or another district — the competent immigration office therefore usually changes as well.

In practice: within the same city, the authority usually remains the same. When moving to a different municipality, a different immigration office is regularly responsible. Your new municipality will tell you bindingly which one this is. Rely on that, not on assumptions.

1. Register at the residents' registration office. Anyone moving into accommodation must register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in. § 17 Abs. 1 BMG provides: "Anyone who moves into accommodation shall register with the registration authority within two weeks of moving in." You will need the registration certificate for the extension in any case.
2. Establish the competent immigration office. Ask your new municipality which immigration office is responsible for you (§ 71 Abs. 1 AufenthG).
3. Continue a pending application. If you have already filed an extension application, inform both authorities about your move. As a rule, the new authority continues the procedure; the file is transferred there.

Prepare your extension with civitas. →

If you move while your extension application is still being processed, the underlying legal position remains unaffected: your application filed in time triggered the continued-effect fiction under § 81 Abs. 4 Satz 1 AufenthG, and the previous permit is deemed to continue in effect until a decision is made. What changes is the processing authority: the immigration office now having local jurisdiction generally takes over the procedure.

To ensure that nothing is left unattended, it is important to notify the move actively and to ask how matters will proceed. How to obtain an appointment at your new place of residence is explained in the article Getting an appointment at the immigration office; the course of the appointment is described in At the immigration office: how the extension appointment works.

We do not determine jurisdiction. What we do: we guide you through the required details in a structured way and help you complete the application so that you can submit it in full to the competent immigration office, including after a change of residence.

Prepare your extension application with civitas. →

Do I have to go to a different immigration office after moving?

As a rule yes, if you move to another city or another district. Local jurisdiction follows your habitual residence and is governed by state law (§ 71 Abs. 1 AufenthG). Within the same municipality, the authority usually remains the same. Your new municipality will tell you which authority is responsible for you.

How quickly must I register after moving?

Within two weeks of moving in, with the registration authority (§ 17 Abs. 1 BMG). You will also need the registration certificate for the extension of your residence permit.

What happens to my pending extension application?

The legal position remains unaffected: your application filed in time triggered the continued-effect fiction under § 81 Abs. 4 Satz 1 AufenthG. As a rule, only the processing authority changes: the immigration office now having local jurisdiction continues the procedure and the file is transferred there. Inform both authorities actively about the move.

Do I have to have the address on my eAT changed?

The residential address is not printed on the front of the eAT card; what is decisive for the registered address is registration with the registration authority (§ 17 BMG). Whether details or the supplementary sheet need to be adjusted in connection with the move should be clarified with the competent immigration office. If the document is reissued, the fee under § 45c AufenthV applies; details are available under Costs & fees.

Which immigration office is responsible for me?

In terms of subject matter, the immigration offices; locally, the authority at your habitual residence, determined under state law (§ 71 Abs. 1 AufenthG). There is no nationwide uniform rule identifying the specific authority. Your municipality provides this information.

Can I apply for the extension at the new authority before moving?

In principle, the authority at your habitual residence is responsible. Whether and from when the new authority accepts an application depends on the timing of the change of residence and on the practice of that authority. Clarify this directly with the immigration office; what remains decisive is that the application is filed before the permit expires.