Regarding studying in Germany, firstly register at your local Resident Registration Office. Here, you will be given “confirmation of registration” (Meldebestätigung). When you have this you can put in an application for a residence permit.
When someone moves from one German city to another, the Resident Registration Office has to be notified of that person's change of address inside one week. This is a rule for both Germans and foreigners. Once at the Resident Registration Office, completing a registration form will ensure that your registration is confirmed.
When registering at the Resident Registration Office bring these items with you:
• Passport (a visa too if you were issued with one) or a personal identification card
• Tenancy agreement (if available) or, via your landlord, residence confirmation
PERMIT
Along with confirmation of registration, an application has to be made to legally live in Germany. EU member states citizens, and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are given an automatic permit through the Resident Registration Office.
If you don't happen to be a citizen of the countries previously mentioned, then registering at the local Alien Registration Office is required. The address will be available from the International Office, and they will inform you of the documents that you need to have with you.
FEES AND DOCUMENTS
A permit has to be applied for in person at the Alien Registration Office, where the documents below will need to be shown:
- Resident Registration Office-issued confirmation of registration
- Health insurance details
- A certificate to prove enrolment from your German university
- Information on finances (if required)
- Passport (visa, too, if in possession of one)
- Health certificate (if required)
- Money for paying the fee
- Tenancy agreement (if required)
- Biometric passport photos
It can be as much as 100 euros for first-time applicants. While an extension can involve a fee of up to 80 euros.
Your residence permit, concerning studying in Germany, will be issued via a chip card containing your personal data, i.e. a passport photo and fingerprints. The Alien Registration Office will notify you four to six weeks after your application has been submitted when your permit is ready. This has to be collected in person, and will be valid for one year - though sometimes this can be two years and extended beyond that.
