As a participant in the European Voluntary Service, you have been granted a residence permit. If the host organization agrees in writing to extend your service, your residence permit can also be extended.
The prerequisite for this is that the maximum duration of the residence permit, which is one year, has not yet been exhausted.
If you are still under the age of 18, you will also need the consent of your legal guardian for the extension.
In addition to participating in voluntary service, you are not permitted to take up additional employment.
- You have a recognized and valid identity document (e.g., passport or passport substitute).
- You are already performing European Voluntary Service, the originally agreed duration of which was limited to less than one year.
- You have agreed with the host organization to extend your service for a total duration of up to one year.
- There are no legally regulated grounds for rejection (for example, you should not be one of those persons who enjoy international protection in Germany, who have applied for international protection, whose deportation has been temporarily suspended, or who have been granted temporary protection; nor should the host institution have been established solely for the purpose of facilitating the entry and residence of foreigners).
- You have sufficient health insurance coverage.
- There is no interest in expelling you.
Your stay does not jeopardize or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- Find out whether your immigration office allows you to apply online or provides a special application form.
- If you can only apply in person, make an appointment with the immigration office. If you apply online, the immigration office will contact you after receiving your application to arrange an appointment.
- During the appointment, your identity and documents will be checked (please bring your documents, preferably the originals, with you to the appointment).
- If your application is approved, your fingerprints will be taken for the production of a new electronic residence permit (eAT card). The immigration office will order the production of the eAT card from the Federal Printing Office. Once it is ready, you will be notified and can pick up your residence permit at the relevant office. The eAT card must always be picked up in person.
If your application is rejected, you will receive a rejection notice.
It is not possible to extend the residence permit beyond a total duration of one year.
The extension of the residence permit should be applied for at least six to eight weeks before the original residence permit expires.
Further information on the deadline:
The residence permit is issued for a maximum of one year. An extension is only possible if this period has not yet expired.
Appeal period: 1 month
Duration: approx. 8
Further information on processing time:
It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks for the Federal Printing Office to produce the electronic residence permit.
The immigration office responsible for the applicant's place of residence is responsible for processing the application.
