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Berlin Immigration Office: LEA is abolishing online appointments

Updated: Jan 18

Update 18 January 2025: The abolition of the appointment system at the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung, LEA) has now been established after an initial test phase. Appointments are now only made when applicants are invited to an appointment by a case worker. The application no longer has to be made at the appointment, but using the contact form (see contact form for the Berlin State Office for Immigration (LEA)). If a residence permit or visa expires, the so-called fictitious effect applies.


In recent years, online appointment booking at the State Office for Immigration (LEA) has been an important tool for applying for and renewing residence permits. But this process has now changed fundamentally following a decision by the head of the authority, Mr Mazanke: the online appointment system of the State Office for Immigration in Berlin is to be abolished. The abolition of the online appointment booking system marks a significant turning point in the way foreign nationals in Berlin are treated.


LEA's online appointment booking system has been a key tool for foreigners in Berlin seeking to apply for or renew a residence permit for many years. The system allowed appointments to be booked from home, during which time the residence permit could be extended or documents submitted. However, the system's overloading and inefficient use led to it being permanently misused and now had to be abolished.

Fraudulent bots reason for removal

Facebook-Group LEA appointments

The main reason for the abolition of the appointment system at the Berlin Foreigners' Registration Office was the abuse of the system by appointment booking bots. Over the years, various so-called appointment bots have been developed to automatically book appointments. These bots reserved all available appointments within seconds, leaving legal users no chance of getting an appointment through the regular system Subsequently, the coveted appointments were sold on social media platforms such as Facebook groups like ‘Ausländerbehörde Berlin Termin’ for 50 to 100 euros per appointment. Many people who urgently needed an appointment felt compelled to resort to this illegal offer


Initially, the Immigration Office tried to salvage the appointment system by taking various measures. For example, technical hurdles were put in place to prevent appointment bookings, or appointments were only offered in certain time slots. Ultimately, however, the bot programmers overcame every hurdle, which not only meant that no more appointments could be booked, but also that many appointments were booked but then did not take place. As a result, most appointments were cancelled, which severely disrupted the work of the Immigration Office in Berlin. Ultimately, the LEA's online appointment system was then abolished


Appointments now allocated by case workers

LEA contact form (2025)

Since the system was abolished, it has no longer been possible to book appointments online. Instead, appointments are now allocated exclusively by case workers at the Berlin Immigration Office. This is done after an application has been submitted using the contact form for the authority This means that appointments no longer need to be booked, but rather the case workers will invite you to an appointment at Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24 or Keplerstraße 2 after reviewing the documents you uploaded online. So now you have to upload the documents that you would have actually brought with you to the appointment to the LEA online system.


The document check using the contact form may seem impractical at first glance, but it is fully compliant with the legal framework. According to § 81 (1) of the Residence Act (AufenthG), residence permits can be applied for in any way. This means that applications do not necessarily have to be made in person at an appointment. Instead, an application can be submitted using the contact form, by email or even by post.


Impact on public access

With the abolition of the online appointment booking system, public access at Friedrich-Krause-Ufer 24, the main location of the LEA, could decrease significantly. Since appointments can no longer be booked across the board, the rush on site is likely to decrease. This will lead to more efficient processing of applications, which is already noticeable in some cases (e.g. in new naturalisation procedures). In particular, for matters that can be handled online (e.g. document submission), an in-person appointment is not necessary anyway. The abolition of the online appointment booking system could prove to be a positive development overall. On the one hand, access to appointments will be fairer because the appointment allocation can no longer be manipulated by bots. On the other hand, the system will become more efficient because the authority will now be able to better control which matters actually require a personal appointment. In the past, the appointment system of the Berlin Immigration Office was often overused by people who booked appointments for matters that could have been dealt with without personal contact.


Conclusion: Abolition of the online appointment system is the right step

Although the abolition of the appointment system at the Berlin Immigration Office (Landesamt für Einwanderung, LEA) initially means an adjustment for some applicants, on closer inspection it becomes clear that this measure is not only necessary but also sensible. The new appointment system makes access to LEA services fairer and more efficient. In addition, excessive public traffic is reduced, which is beneficial for both the authority and the applicants. In the long term, this decision could help to make visa law in Berlin clearer and more accessible. By abolishing the system, the original goal of simplifying and accelerating the application process is not only maintained, but even improved. The experience of recent years has shown that the granting of a residence permit does not necessarily require an in-person appointment, and the new regulation takes this into account. Berlin is thus taking a step towards a more modern and secure administration in the area of visa law.



Further information on appointments at the Berlin immigration office:


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