How the German Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung works

By Nicolas Bouliane Verified by 1 expert

This guide explains how the Fiktionsbescheinigung works, how to apply for a Fiktionsbescheinigung, and how to travel with an expired residence permit.

What is a Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung?

It takes a few months to get a new residence permit. If your visa or residence permit expires while you wait, nothing happens. Your residence status stays valid until your application is approved or rejected. You can still live, work, study and freelance like before.

The Fiktionsbescheinigung proves that your residence status is still valid, even if your visa or residence permit has expired. It’s not a permit, only a confirmation. Your residence status stays valid even without a Fiktionsbescheinigung.

The Fiktionsbescheinigung proves that…1

  • You can stay in Germany with an expired visa or residence permit
  • You can travel abroad and return to Germany with an expired residence permit
  • You can work, study or freelance while you wait for the immigration office
German Fiktionsbescheinigung
A German Fiktionsbescheinigung

How to get a Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung

Ask the Ausländerbehörde for it…

  • With your residence permit application
    Ask for a Fiktionsbescheinigung in your application message. Include proof of your travel plans.
  • During your appointment
    Explain that you must travel outside of Germany, and that you need a Fiktionsbescheinigung for this. Bring proof of your travel plans.
  • By email
    Contact the Ausländerbehörde. Explain your travel plans, and why you need a Fiktionsbescheinigung.6 If you must travel in a few weeks, use the emergency form.

In Berlin, you can get a Fiktionsbescheinigung if…

  • you have applied for a residence permit, permanent residence or citizenship10
  • and your current residence permit expires in less than 6 weeks9
  • and you have an important reason to travel (like a business trip or a conference)
  • and you include proof of your travel plans (like flight tickets or invitations)

In Berlin, they often refuse to give you a Fiktionsbescheinigung.17 This is illegal. You have the right to get this document, even if you don’t have travel plans or plane tickets.15 I asked them 5 times before they gave me one. You can hire an immigration lawyer to force them, but it costs €1,000 to €2,000.19

They might send your Fiktionsbescheinigung by post, or you might need to pick it up at the Ausländerbehörde.2 There is sometimes a €13 fee.12

Remember, the Fiktionsbescheinigung is only a confirmation. Your residence status stays valid without it. You mostly need this document to travel with an expired residence permit, but some people can travel without a Fiktionsbescheinigung.

If you currently have a tourist visa, you can’t get a Fiktionsbescheinigung. Usually, you can’t convert a Schengen visa to a residence permit. You must apply for a residence permit in your home country.4

Travel with a Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung

You can travel outside of Germany if your Fiktionsbescheinigung says…

  • der Aufenthaltstitel als fortbestehend (§ 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG).
  • or Die Inhaber / die Inhaberin hat die Dokumentation eines Aufenthaltsrechts nach dem FreizügG/EU oder dem Abkommen EU-Schweiz beantragt, das hiermit vorläufig bescheinigt wird

Other types of Fiktionsbescheinigung do not let you travel outside of Germany. If you travel outside Germany, you might not be able to re-enter later.8

Fiktionsbescheinigung types

You might still have problems when you return to Germany. Airline employees and foreign border agents might not recognise your Fiktionsbescheinigung.16 If you can, take a direct flight to Germany, and only deal with the German border police. They are better informed.

You must return to Germany before your Fiktionsbescheinigung expires. If it expires in less than 1 week, some airlines will not let you fly to Germany.11

Travel without a Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung

If you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States, you can travel without a Fiktionsbescheinigung. You can re-enter Germany with an expired residence permit.13

This is confirmed by the Bundespolizei, a few travellers, and my own experience.13 It’s not guaranteed to work for you. The rules can change at any time. Ask the Bundespolizei before you travel.

Bring proof of your residence permit application. It can help you if you have problems with the border police.18

Fik­ti­ons­be­schei­ni­gung types

There are 4 types of Fiktionsbescheinigung:3

  • § 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG
    If you have a residence permit or a National Visa, and you want to renew it or get another residence permit. It allows you to travel outside of Germany.
  • § 81 Abs. 3 Satz 1 AufenthG
    If you entered Germany without a visa, and you applied for a residence permit on time. It does not allow you to travel outside of Germany.14
  • § 81 Abs. 3 Satz 2 AufenthG
    If you entered Germany without a visa, and you applied late for a residence permit. It does not allow you to travel outside of Germany.
  • FreizügG/EU oder Abkommen EU-Schweiz
    It allows you to travel outside of Germany.7

The type is written on your Fiktionsbescheinigung is written on it. It’s the box that has an ‘X’ on it, not the lines that are covered with ‘XXXXXXXXX’.

German Fiktionsbescheinigung type field
The type is written on your Fiktionsbescheinigung (§ 81 Abs. 4)

Validity

Your Fiktionsbescheinigung is valid until your residence permit application is approved or rejected.5 It has an expiration date, but it can be renewed.

Need help?

Where to ask immigration questions

Sources and footnotes

  1. berlin.de, vonengelhardt.com ⤴

  2. Personal experience (2024) ⤴

  3. § 81 AufenthG, Fem.os (September 2019), Wikipedia, Berlin.de, se-legal.de, unternehmen-integrieren-fluechtlinge.de (November 2023) ⤴

  4. Fem.os (September 2019), reddit.com/r/germany, Facebook, Auswärtiges Amt, gesetze-im-internet.de ⤴

  5. § 81 AufenthG ⤴

  6. twitter.com, Red Tape Translation (June 2023), Ina Bozhilova at Noah Mobility (July 2023) ⤴

  7. Fiona Macdonald, immigration lawyer (December 2023) ⤴

  8. Berlin.de, Berlin.de, unternehmen-integrieren-fluechtlinge.de (2023) ⤴

  9. Email from the Ausländerbehörde (December 2023) ⤴

  10. VAB 81.3.0, Berlin.de ⤴

  11. VAB 81.4.1 ⤴

  12. VAB 81.5, § 47 Abs. 1 S. 8 AufenthV ⤴

  13. Immigration lawyer (December 2023), Bundespolizei (December 2023), Bundespolizei (November 2023), Bundespolizei (October 2022), § 41 Abs. 1 and 3 AufenthV, Facebook (October 2022), an American reader (January 2024), my own experience (April 2024), Bundespolizei (November 2025) ⤴

  14. 18 B 8/09 (2011) ⤴

  15. Fiona Macdonald, immigration lawyer (December 2023), Facebook (October 2022), § 81 Abs. 5 AufenthG, confirmed by a relocation consultant (October 2023), M 25 E 16.2114 (Munich, 2020), 18 B 850/19 (NRW, 2019), Facebook (November 2023), Facebook (October 2023) ⤴

  16. Facebook (October 2022), Twitter (December 2023) ⤴

  17. Twitter (December 2023), Twitter (October 2023), Facebook (August 2023) ⤴

  18. Email from the Bundespolizei (December 2023) ⤴

  19. You pay the €500 to €1,500 for the lawyer, and €500 for the court fee. If you win, you get around €1,000 back. Source: Mirko Vorreuter (October 2025) ⤴