Transfer Residence Permit to a New Passport

How do you transfer your residence permit to your new passport?

You got a new passport? Then you should have your residence permit reissued. This is called a transfer. It's necessary because your residence permit still references your old passport.

You apply for the transfer in person, with an appointment. Your main residence must be in Berlin. You can have the transfer done at any Berlin Bürgeramt (citizens' office). For this, all of the following conditions must be met: You have your old passport with the valid residence permit with you. The residence permit was issued by the Berlin State Office for Immigration (Landesamt für Einwanderung Berlin) or was last transferred by a Berlin Bürgeramt. Your old passport is complete. No more than 6 months have passed between the expiry date of your old passport and the issue of your new one. You haven't left Germany for more than 6 months in a row. If any one of these conditions isn't met, the State Office for Immigration is responsible — for example, if your old passport is no longer available.

Note: If your residence permit is valid for at most 6 more months, transferring it doesn't make sense. Go directly to the State Office for Immigration to extend it instead. That saves you fees and time.

Want to travel abroad before you have your new residence permit? Then take your old passport, your residence permit, and your new passport with you. That way you can re-enter Germany. Note: Different rules may apply in the country you're traveling to. Check with the embassy or consulate of the destination country in good time.