Our employees only speak German in the office and on the phone.

Apply for an extension of your residence permit for conditional admission to a degree program or part-time study

If you have a residence permit for preparatory studies and are not yet able to begin your studies, you can apply for an extension of your residence permit.

  • Basic information

    You may apply for an extension of your residence permit if you do not yet meet the requirements for enrollment in a full-time degree program or for completing a part-time degree program, but can achieve this goal within a reasonable period of time.

    When deciding on the extension of your residence permit, the Foreigners’ Registration Office may solicit and take into account statements from the university or other institutions authorized to provide education or training regarding the following points:

    • Admission Requirements
    • Progress in studies
    • Degree completion
    • Other academic matters

    The extension of your residence permit is again for a limited period.

    If you are under 18, your legal guardians must consent to your continued stay in Germany.

    As a rule, the residence permit cannot be extended if the Foreigners’ Registration Office has already ruled this out when issuing the permit or during the most recent extension.

    With this residence permit, you may work up to 140 days per year. You may also engage in part-time student work without restriction.

    Requirements

    • You have a residence permit
    • You have a secure source of income and adequate health insurance coverage.
    • Your identity and nationality have been verified.
    • There are no grounds for deportation or an entry ban against you.
    • You meet the passport requirement.
    • You entered the country with the required visa. Your stay is lawful.
    • Admission to a degree program
    • Your primary residence is in the city of Bremen

  • Procedure
    • The application and the required documents can be submitted to us by email or mail. 
    • If necessary, the Immigration Office will request additional documents.
    • If your application is approved, you will receive an appointment to come in for an interview.

    More information

    • You are not entitled to a residence permit. It is at the discretion of the Immigration Office to grant the residence permit.
    • Please ensure that your information is accurate and complete so that your application can be processed without delay.

    Due to the complexity of residence law, this description is provided for informational purposes only and is not legally binding.

    Passport photos are now accepted only in digital form. The passport photo must be taken using a registration system on-site at the Office of Migration, at a photo studio, or by a photo service provider. You cannot submit a digital passport photo from your cell phone. Further information is available on our website. For infants and young children, limited deviations from the biometric requirements are permitted.

    A residence permit can only be issued for the duration of your national passport’s validity. Please apply for a renewal well in advance of your national passport’s expiration date.

    If you do not have a valid national passport, you must provide evidence of your efforts to obtain one (for example: written confirmation from the embassy, reasons for any delays).

    Legal Remedies:

    • Appeal
    • Lawsuit

  • Necessary Documents
    • A current biometric passport photo
    • Documents related to your studies:
      • Proof of financial support (e.g., restricted account, letter of financial commitment, etc.)
      • Certificate of enrollment
      • Proof of health insurance
      • Proof of proper progress in the program
      • Proof of the likelihood of success in the program
    • Proof of enrollment in a preparatory program:
      • Proof of financial resources (e.g., blocked account, letter of financial commitment, etc.)
      • Proof of health insurance
      • Registration for the preparatory language course and admission to the degree program
      • Admission to the preparatory college

  • Forms

  • Fees / Costs

    96,00 EUR for extensions of up to 3 months
    93,00 EUR if extended by more than 3 months
    6,00 EUR in addition, for taking a digital passport photo at the on-site self-service terminal.

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    6 weeks bis 8 weeks You should apply to renew your residence permit before your current one expires. Your application should be received by the Office of Foreigners no later than 6 to 8 weeks before your residence permit expires.
    1 year bis 2 years The residence permit will be extended for at least one year and up to two years. If you are participating in a European Union or multilateral program that includes mobility activities, such as the European Union’s ERASMUS+ program, or if you are covered by an agreement between two or more higher education institutions, your residence permit will be extended for at least two years. If your program of study lasts less than 2 years, the residence permit will be extended for the duration of the program.

    How long does it take to process

    Once we receive your application, we will need some time to process and review it. Once the review is complete, you will hear back from us.

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.

The official information in German is complete and correct.

Updated on 20.08.2026

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