Cancellation of the residence permit, § 51 AufenthG

You need a certificate for longer stays abroad. The certificate is necessary, otherwise your residence permit may lose its validity.

Description

Your residence permit usually expires if:

  • You leave the country for a reason that is not merely temporary, for example
    • Attending school abroad
    • Working abroad
    • Caring for a family member abroad
    • Marriage abroad
    • Settling abroad
  • You leave Germany and do not re-enter within six months or a longer period specified by the Foreigners Office (exception: you fulfil a compulsory military service in your home country and re-enter Germany within three months of completing it).

Exception:

  • you fulfil a compulsory military service in your home country and re-enter Germany within three months of completing it.

Please come to the Foreigners Office in goodtimebefore the start of a longer stay abroad, as we are generally unable to issue you with a certificate once you have left the country.

Required documents

  • Valid passport or passport substitute
  • Proof of the reason for departure (e.g. posting abroad by the employer)
  • Proof of a secure livelihood
  • Proof of adequate health insurance
  • proof of the current monthly costs for your flat, if applicable

Duration & Costs

Fees

18 Euro

Questions & Answers

As a rule, the settlement permit does not expire if:

  • You are married to a German national or live in a registered civil partnership. In this case, you must submit a joint declaration stating that your marriage or registered civil partnership continues to exist abroad and will continue to exist after re-entry into Germany.
  • You have been legally resident in Germany for at least 15 years, have reached the age of 60 and are re-entering the country within twelve months. The same applies to your spouse's settlement permit if they have also reached the age of 60.
  • You have been legally resident in Germany for at least 15 years and your livelihood is secure even after re-entry. In this case, the settlement permit of your spouse or registered partner living in cohabitation will also remain valid.

The EU Blue Card only expires if you leave Germany for longer than twelve months. The same applies to your family members if they have a residence permit for family reasons.

As a rule, your EU permanent residence permit will expire if

  • You stay in Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark or outside the European Union for a period of twelve consecutive months . The period is 24 consecutive months if you were previously in possession of an EU Blue Card or
  • You are staying inanother country of the European Union (with the exception of Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark) for a period of six years.

As a rule, the ICT card does not expire if you carry out part of the internal company transfer in another country of the European Union.

The residence permit according to §16 AufenthG with the addition "Student" does not expire if you wish to complete part of your studies in another country of the European Union. This part of your studies must take place within the framework of a Union programme or a multilateral programme with mobility measures or on the basis of an agreement between two or more universities.

The residence permit according to §20 AufenthG with the addition "researcher" does not expire if you carry out part of your research work in another country of the European Union.

Legal basis

§ Section 51 Residence Act

Landeshauptstadt München

Kreisverwaltungsreferat
Hauptabteilung II Bürgerangelegenheiten
Ausländerangelegenheiten

Postal address

Landeshauptstadt München
Kreisverwaltungsreferat
Hauptabteilung II Bürgerangelegenheiten
Ausländerangelegenheiten

Ruppertstraße 19
80466 München

Fax: +49 89 233-24816

Address

Ruppertstraße 19
80337 München

Lagehinweis: Eingang A
Room: Servicepoint, Bereich 31, 3. Stock

Only with appointment

Related services

Cancellation Loss or theft of the eID card

If your lost or stolen eID card turns up, please inform your Citizens Office immediately.

Transfer of the residence permit to the new passport

If you have received a new passport, you must also apply for a new electronic residence permit.

Change of address in the eAT after moving

If you move within the city limits or move to Munich, you should change the address on your electronic residence permit (eAT).

eID card (EU/EEA)

Citizens from an EU country (except Germany) or Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein can apply for an eID card.

Loss or theft of eID card

If your eID card is lost or stolen, there is some information to bear in mind. You can find it here.

Loss of residence or identity documents

If you have lost your residence permit, travel document or other documents or if they have been stolen, you can report the loss here.