Picture of a residence permit

Application and extension of your residence permit

Information on possible residence permits, the procedure at the immigration office and required documents
Picture of a residence permit
Image: Adobestock.com/studio v-zwoelf

International doctoral candidates who are not nationals of an EU country, the European Economic Area or Switzerland must apply for a residence title in Germany. Two types of residence titles are mainly relevant for doctoral candidates: Residence for the purpose of study and for the purpose of research.

Which residence title is right for me?

The residence title you obtain depends mostly on the type of funding you have:

  • If you have an employment contract at the university or another research institution, you should apply for the residence title for the purpose of research.
  • If you receive a scholarship, you can choose which of the two residence titles you want to apply for.
  • If you are financing your research stay by yourself, you can also choose.

If you can decide between the two residence titles, we have compiled an overview of the differences here. These differences are particularly relevant if you are coming to Germany with your family or plan to bring family members to Germany later.

How do I apply for the residence title?

After entering Germany, you should apply for your residence title at the Foreigners' Registration Office 12 weeks before your entry visa expires. The application is made by e-mail. We have compiled an overview of the documents you will need in order to apply for your respective residence title here.

After the Foreigners' Registration Office has received your application documents by e-mail, it will check them and request any missing documents also by e-mail. If all documents are complete, the Foreigners' Registration Office will give you an appointment at short notice to record the biometric data for the production of the residence title.

Differences between the two possible residence titles

  Residence Title Studying 
(§ 16 b AufenthG)		 Residence Title Research
(§ 18 d AufenthG)
For which form of doctoral funding is the residence title suitable? Scholarship, self-funded Working contract, scholarship, self-funded
Which document do I need from my research institution? Certificate of doctoral status for the Foreigner’s Office Hosting Agreement (dt.: Aufnahmevereinbarung)
How long is the maximum period for which the residence title can be issued when applying for the first time? 2 years 3 years
Am I allowed to be employed? Yes, a total of 120 full days or 240 half days may be worked per year Yes, but only at my research institution as part of my research project
Am I allowed to have a second job? Yes Yes, but only teaching activities
Can I apply for child benefitExternal link or parental allowanceExternal link? No Yes
Can I receive unemployment benefitExternal link after my employment contract ends? Yes Yes
How long do I have to find a job after completing my doctorate? 18 months 9 months
Is it possible to change to another residence title? Yes Yes
If my spouse wants to migrate to Germany as part of family reunificationExternal link, does he or she have to prove German language skills? Yes No

Which documents do I need for the first registration or the extension?

  • Residence permit for the purpose of study (§ 16 b AufenthG)
    • Completed application form for first registrationExternal link or for an extensionExternal link
    • Passport
    • Proof of accommodation (e.g. tenancy agreement, in the case of subtenancy agreement also declaration of consent by the owner)
    • Proof of health insurance
    • Proof of financing (e.g. proof of scholarship, blocked account, bank statements for the last two months)
    • Declaration on financing your studiesExternal link (in case of self-funding or funding by parents or other persons)
    • Signed instruction sheetExternal link
    • Declaration of consentExternal link to the storage and use of your e-mail address and telephone number (necessary when applying for a residence permit for the first time)
    • Certificate of doctoral status for the Immigration Office. You can obtain this as follows: 
      1. Download the "Certificate of doctoral status for Immigration Office" in doc-inExternal link via the "Downloads" option
      2. Please have this form completed, signed and stamped by your supervisor
      3. Send the form together with a scan of your visa or your current residence permit to the Graduate Academy (graduierten-akademie@uni-jena.de) and ask for confirmation
  • Residence permit for the purpose of research (§ 18 d AufenthG)
    • Completed application form for first registrationExternal link or for an extensionExternal link
    • Passport
    • Proof of accommodation (e.g. rental contract, in the case of a sub-tenancy contract also a declaration of consent by the owner)
    • Proof of health insurance
    • Proof of financing (e.g. employment contract, blocked account, bank statements for the last two months)
    • Signed instruction sheetExternal link
    • Declaration of consentExternal link to the storage and use of your e-mail address and telephone number (necessary when applying for a residence permit for the first time)
    • Hosting Agreement. You can obtain this as follows: 
      1. If you have an employment contract at a research institution, please contact the Human Resources Department and ask for a hosting agreement.
      2. If you receive a scholarship or are otherwise funded, please contact the Graduate Academy (graduierten-akademie@uni-jena.de) and ask for a hosting agreement. Please include the following information with your request:
        - Scan of your visa or current residence permit
        - Proof of funding

Who can help me with my residence title application?

If you have any questions about your residence title application, you can send us an e-mail (graduierten.akademie@uni-jena.de). In order to help you better, please send us the following information in the e-mail:

  • How will you finance your doctorate?
  • Are you travelling with family members or do you plan to bring them later?
  • Have you already received an entry visa from the embassy? If so, please attach a scan of the visa to the email.

The Graduate Academy also offers a free tutoring service for support and guidance when you arrive in Jena. If you would like to use this service, please send an email to ga-tutor@uni-jena.de.