Residence Permit

 

Extending your Residence Permit

Your residence permit can be extended if you have not yet completed your degree programme or study course for which you came to Germany. If you wish to extend your residence permit, you have to apply for an extension to the Foreigners' Registration Office. Typically, you have to submit an official academic record as issued by the International Office.

Please note that you have to apply for an extension of your residence permit six to eight weeks before your valide residence permit expires - it may take some time before you get hold of all the necessary documents the Foreigner's Office wishes you to submit.

Thus, for example, if you wish to extend your residence permit because

• you have not completed your degree course within the nominal duration and thus need to extend your stay or
• you have transferred into another degree programme or to another university after your third semester of study

you will have to submit an official academic record to the Foreigner's Registration Office in order to get your visa extended.

If you have to produce a certificate of progress of studies (the so-called "Studienverlaufsbescheinigung") when applying for your visa extension, please take the necessary steps:

1. Provide all certificates on qualifications obtained at RWTH Aachen University, such as:
   • your preliminary diploma or a certificate on your intermediate examination (Vordiplom / Zwischenprüfung)
   • an overview of grades attained (via Campus Office or obtained from the Central Examinations Office - ZPA)
   • certificates of participation (if applicable: with grades earned) for all seminars, lectures, and courses attended (as your study advisor usually does not have access on your academic records).
2. Present these documents to your faculty's study advisor and ask him or her to provide you with a filled in certificate form (Bescheinigung der Fachstudienberatung zum Studienverlauf / Certificate of progress of studies) summarising your academic performance.
3. An additional certificate issued by the International Office is required only if your study advisor answered "yes" to point 4.2 on page 3 of the certificate form. If you require this additional certificate, please arrange an appointment with Mrs. Fengels from the International Office. At the time of your appointment you will need to present the cerficiates on qualification as listed above as well as the academic record as issued by your study advisor.