Apply for Residence Permit for Participation in Voluntary Service
You would like to volunteer in Germany? Find out how to get a residence permit for voluntary service.
At a glance
How do you get a residence permit for voluntary service?
You would like to volunteer in Germany? Then you can get a residence permit for this. There are three types of voluntary service with different rules.
For the Youth Voluntary Service (FSJ or FOEJ) and the Federal Voluntary Service (BFD), the authority decides on a case-by-case basis whether you receive the residence permit. For the European Voluntary Service (EFD), the authority must grant you the residence permit if you participate for longer than 90 days and meet the requirements.
The residence permit is valid for the duration of your voluntary service. This is generally 12 months. The voluntary service must generally be performed full-time. Additional employment or self-employment is not permitted with this residence permit.
For the Youth Voluntary Service: participation lasts at least 6 months and can in exceptional cases be extended to up to 24 months. For the Federal Voluntary Service: participation can be shortened to 6 months or extended to up to 18 months. For the European Voluntary Service: participation is possible for up to 12 months.
Requirements
Who qualifies?
- You participate in a legally regulated national or European voluntary service (FSJ, FOEJ, BFD or EFD)
- Youth Voluntary Service (FSJ/FOEJ): you are under 27 years old and have completed your country of origin's compulsory schooling
- Federal Voluntary Service (BFD): no age limit, but your country of origin's compulsory schooling must be completed
- European Voluntary Service (EFD): you are between 17 and 30 years old and hold the nationality of a partner country of the Erasmus+ programme
Additional requirements
- You need a valid residence title or a national D visa, or you are entitled to apply after visa-free entry due to your nationality
- You need a written agreement with the voluntary service provider or the Federal Office for Family and Civil Society Tasks
- Your livelihood must be secured -- the pocket money (possibly with benefits in kind and meals) must correspond to the standard rate under SGB II/XII; alternatively a formal obligation declaration is possible
- You need adequate health insurance and your main residence in Berlin
- There must be no indications of a threat to public safety or order -- even fines can prevent the issuance, and during an ongoing investigation the application must not be processed
How to apply
Submit the online application "Fixed-term residence title for employment" -- have all documents ready in PDF format if possible (accepted: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG; maximum 100 MB total, 7 MB per file)
Pay the processing fee by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) or PayPal before submitting the application
Save and print the confirmation of your application -- this means your current residence title remains valid beyond its previous expiry date (does not apply for Schengen visas or already expired residence titles)
Wait for the review of your application by the LEA -- it will request further documents if needed
Attend the appointment in person and bring all documents in original
Done! For FSJ, FOEJ and BFD, the authority decides on a case-by-case basis. For the EFD (over 90 days), the authority must grant you the residence permit.
First-time issuance
- Extension up to three months96,00 EUR
- Extension over three months93,00 EUR
- Turkish nationals up to age 24 (issuance and extension)22,80 EUR
- Turkish nationals from age 24 (issuance and extension)37,00 EUR
Good to know
During your European Voluntary Service, you are not allowed to work as self-employed. The authority will add the condition "Self-employment not permitted" to your residence title.
Die selbstständige Tätigkeit bei Aufenthaltserlaubnissen gem. § 19e ist gem. § 21 Abs. 6 grundsätzlich mit der Auflage „Selbstständige Tätigkeit nicht erlaubt" auszuschließen.
VAB A.19c/A.19e, S. 223-235
Your residence permit under Section 19e has no prohibition on changing purpose. After your voluntary service, you may apply for a different residence title. This applies, for example, for work or studies.
Inhaber einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis nach § 19e unterliegen keinem Zweckwechselverbot.
VAB A.19c/A.19e, S. 223-235
After your European Voluntary Service, you can get an extension for another service. The authority must generally allow this.
Grundsätzlich ist nach Abschluss des europäischen Freiwilligendienstes ein Wechsel des Aufenthaltszwecks oder aber eine Verlängerung für einen weiteren europäischen Freiwilligendienst über § 39 S. 1 Nr. 1 AufenthV zuzulassen.
VAB A.19c/A.19e, S. 223-235
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Apply for Residence Permit for Participation in Voluntary Service
If your application is approved, you will receive an appointment. A residence permit as a sticker can be issued on site at the appointment. If issued as an electronic residence title (eAT), it takes 4 to 6 weeks until it can be collected.