Applying for a residence permit to participate in the European Voluntary Service

In Lower Saxony, the districts (including the Hannover region) and the larger cities are responsible for the foreigners authority.

• You have a recognised and valid identity document (e.g. passport or passport substitute) and - if this was required for entry into Germany - an appropriate visa.
• You have concluded a formal agreement with a reputable institution on the implementation of the voluntary service.
• There is no legally regulated ground for refusal (for example, you should not be one of the beneficiaries of international protection in Germany, who have applied for international protection, whose removal is temporarily suspended or who has been granted temporary protection; nor should the institution receiving you have been established solely for the purpose of facilitating the entry and residence of foreign nationals).
• You have sufficient health insurance coverage.
• There is no interest in expulsion against you.
• Your stay does not endanger or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance required: Yes

• § Section 45 No. 1 Residence Ordinance - Fees for the residence permit, the EU Blue Card, the ICT Card and the Mobile ICT Card

• Find out whether your Foreigners' Registration Office allows you to apply online or whether you have a special application form.
• If the application is only possible in person, make an appointment at the Foreigners' Registration Office. In the case of an online application, the Foreigners' Registration Office will contact you after receiving your application to make an appointment.
• During the appointment, your identity and documents will be checked (please bring your documents, preferably in the original, to the appointment).
• If your application is granted, your fingerprints will be taken for the purpose of producing an electronic residence permit (eAT card). The Foreigners' Registration Office commissions the production of the eAT card from the Federal Printing Office. After completion, you will receive information and can pick up the residence permit from the competent authority. The eAT card must always be picked up in person.
• If your application is rejected, you will receive a rejection notice.

The time it takes to process the application depends on the local conditions as well as on the factual accuracy of the information in the application and the completeness of the application documents.

There are no indications or special features.

• Publication of the European Youth Portal on the European Voluntary Service

• Internetseite des Bundesamtes für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)
• Informationen für Fachkräfte aus dem Ausland auf dem Portal "Make it in Germany" der Bundesregierung

• § 19e Gesetz über den Aufenthalt, die Erwerbstätigkeit und die Integration von Ausländern im Bundesgebiet (Aufenthaltsgesetz - AufenthG) - Teilnahme am europäischen Freiwilligendienst
• § 14 Absatz 1 Nummer 1 Beschäftigungsverordnung (BeschV) - Sonstige Beschäftigungen
• Richtlinie (EU) 2016/801 des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates vom 11. Mai 2016 über die Bedingungen für die Einreise und den Aufenthalt von Drittstaatsangehörigen zu Forschungs- oder Studienzwecken, zur Absolvierung eines Praktikums, zur Teilnahme an einem Freiwilligendienst, Schüleraustauschprogrammen oder Bildungsvorhaben und zur Ausübung einer Au-pair-Tätigkeit

• Appeal against the decision of the immigration authority within one month of notification
• Legal action before the court named in the objection notice if the objection is not upheld

• An action may be brought before the competent administrative court against a negative decision of the immigration authority.
• A preliminary procedure (opposition) does not take place in Lower Saxony.
• Detailed information can be found in the rejection decision