German visa resources
Germany's immigration authorities
Germany's national process is run by German missions abroad (visa) and the local foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany (residence permit).
Important
There is no single national immigration desk in Germany; responsibility is split between bodies. Abroad, German embassies and consulates general — part of the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) network — receive and decide national visa applications. Inside Germany, the local foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) in your city or district issues, extends and revokes residence permits under the Residence Act.
At federal level, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, BAMF) is Germany's centre of competence for migration and integration, though day-to-day residence permits for long-stay migrants are handled by the local Ausländerbehörde rather than by BAMF.
Who does what
- German missions (Auswärtiges Amt): decide the national (category D) visa applied for from abroad
- Local foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde): issues and manages your residence permit once you are living in Germany — the only body that can grant, extend or revoke it
- Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit): consulted on many work-based routes
- BAMF: federal migration/integration authority; runs integration courses and the asylum procedure
Finding the right office
- Locate your responsible German mission via the Federal Foreign Office website
- Your Ausländerbehörde is the one for the city or district where you will live in Germany
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.