The Reality of the Foreigners Office in Germany Ausländerbehörde. How to Survive the Patience Test? 🤯

Anıl GOKTAS
5 days ago
2 min read

The path of everyone dreaming of Germany falls there one day: Ausländerbehörde! (Foreigners' Office). For some, it is the excitement of visa extension; for others, the nightmare of not being able to find an appointment...

WhatsApp groups and forums are full of cries from people saying, "I've been waiting for an appointment for months!", "No one is replying to my emails!", "My residence permit is expiring, what am I going to do?" 🗣️ If you feel lost in this bureaucratic labyrinth, take a deep breath. You are not alone! In this article, we provide tips for surviving bureaucratic processes in Germany and the answer to that most wondered question. 👇👇👇

📅 1. Appointment Hunting: Mission Impossible? Finding an appointment for a visa or residence permit extension can sometimes be harder than winning the lottery. Systems lock up, dates are given months later, or your appointment is canceled at the last minute... Frustrating, isn't it? 😤

✅ Survival Tips:
- Don't Give Up: Try checking the appointment systems in the early hours of the morning (even at midnight!).
- Emergencies: In some cities, there may be "Notfall" (emergency) options for going without an appointment. Scrutinize the Ausländerbehörde page of your city.
- Document It: Keep screenshots showing that you couldn't find an appointment and the emails you sent. You may need proof later to say, "I tried, but the system didn't allow it."

📧 2. The Deep Silence of the Foreigners' Office You send an email and get no answer; you call and the phone isn't picked up... This situation is, unfortunately, the common fate of immigrants in Germany.

The Facts: There is a shortage of officers and an incredible volume of applications. Processes are moving much slower than you imagine.
Advice: Make sure you send your documents in full and unfortunately... start learning that infinite patience the Germans call "Geduld." 🧘‍♂️

✈️ 3. The Most Critical Question: Can You Travel with a "Fiktionsbescheinigung"? Your residence permit has expired, but the new one hasn't arrived yet. They handed you a green or white piece of paper: Fiktionsbescheinigung. So, can you go to Turkey and return with this? The Answer: It depends on the situation! 🤔

✅ Safe Zone: If Section 81 Paragraph 4 (or the 3rd box) is checked on your document, this means that the rights of your current residence permit continue, and you can usually travel without problems.
❌ Risky Zone: If you are applying for the first time or if a different section is checked, you might not be able to return if you leave Germany!
⚠️ WARNING: Always check the section on your document before making travel plans, and do not take risks if you are not sure. You don't want to be stranded at the border!

💬 What is your experience? What have you experienced with the Ausländerbehörde? Do you have appointment-finding tactics or an interesting bureaucratic memory? Share it with us in the comments! 👇taktikleriniz veya başınızdan geçen ilginç bir bürokrasi anısı var mı? Mailde paylaşın, size destek olalım! 👇