Registration and residence permit during your studies

As explained above officially you should register within 2 weeks after your moving in to Dortmund at the Bürgerdienste.

Documents which you must bring to the registration in Dortmund:

• Filled in registration form – it can be downloaded or picked up at the Bürgerdienste International or at the International Office
• Current address in Dortmund written in the „Wohnungsgeberbestätigung“ written confirmation signed by the landlord pr landlady with your address and exact move-in date. More information about the landlord confirmation can be found here.
• ID card (EU-citizens) and a copy of it

You can go during the office hours or book an appointment.

Where should you go to register?
Address:
Bürgerdienste
Südwall 2-4
44122 Dortmund
phone: 0231/5013331
fax: 0231 / 5013332
email: buergerdienste@stadtdo.de

Please notice:
You will find the entrance to the Bürgerdienste/Citizen Services in the building part B and F on the ground floor. The entrance is only possible through Berswordthalle, entrance is at Kleppingstraße 37, 44137 Dortmund Stadthaus Dortmund. Please follow the signs!

When can you register?
Opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 07:00-16:00 o'clock
Wednesday and Friday 07:00-12:00 o'clock



The location plan can be found here.

1. For students coming with visa:

After you have entered Germany with a visa and already registered in the city of Dortmund you must apply for a residence permit (extension of your visa) before your visa expires. You can do it immediately while registering at the Bürgerdienste International (if you have all of the needed documents as listed below) or you can come again during the opening hours without an appointment or make an appointment - personally or via email to: studententeam@stadtdo.de. It can take up to 3 months to get an appointment so please make sure that your visa is valid for that time.

2. For students who already have a residence permit and must extend it:

In case you are already registered and have a residence permit which must be extended (eAT-card or a stamp in your passport) - you should get an appointment via letter directly form the Bürgerdienste International with a list of needed documents. In case you didn't receive any letter and your residence permit expires soon you must go to the regular opening hours without appointment with the needed documents as written below.

Please make sure that your name is written on the post box and the address with which you registered in the city is valid! In case the Bürgerdienste send you letters which regularly come back to them - they will de-register you and in can cause seriour problems!

The following documents are to be turned in if you entered Germany with a visa or if your residence permit needs extending:

• Filled in application for a residence permit - can be dowloaded or picked up at the Bürgerdienste International or at the International Office
• National passport, original and a copy
• Copy of the visa and entry document or current residence permit with the supplementary sheet
• A biometric photo
• University enrolment certificate (Studienbescheinigung - can be printed in ODS)
• or a certificate of attendance in a language course with DSH-certificate/TestDaF-confirmation
• Proof of finance: declaration of financial support - e.g. declaration of commitment/Verpflichtungserklärung plus current account statements from your bank or security deposit in a blocked account (currently you need at least 853 €/month for 12 months so 10236 € for a year!) or a scholarship with that sum
• Proof of health insurance (certificate from the company/ deposit slip/ account statements)
• Service charge (to be paid only by EC-card) - see the table below

Additionally if you already had a valid residence permit and want to extend it:

• you will also need a so called Prüfbescheinigung. It will be sent to you by the Bürgerdienste via letter which contains an appointment for the extension of your current residence permit. Prüfbescheinigung can only be filled in by the International Office of FH Dortmund. Please come with the form to us at least 2 weeks before your appointment. In case this form is not included in the letter please bring the letter with you to the International Office.

In case of completion of preparatory courses or a language course additionally:

• Attendance certificate of the German course (original & copy) or
• current study certificate of the Studienkolleg or
• Proof of assessment test.

Address:

Bürgerdienste International 
Olpe 1
44122 Dortmund
phone: 0231 50-27132
studententeam@stadtdo.de

Please notice:
The entrance is only possible through Berswordthalle, entrance is at Kleppingstraße 37, 44137 Dortmund Stadthaus Dortmund, building part (Gebäudeteil) C. Please read the signs!!!

Location plan can be found here.

Opening hours (without appointment):

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 7:30 - 9:00

Appointment:

• If you do not have any appointment - you will get a ticket with your waiting number at the information point.
  
  
• Students who have already valid residence permit which must be extended should get a letter with an appointment. If you would like to change it - you must contact the Bürgerdienste immediately. If they cannot offer you a different appointment then you must take it or come to the opening hours without appointment.
  
  
• If you would like to arrange your personal appointment you can contact the Bürgerdienste personally, via phone or via email at: studententeam@stadtdo.de  Important: Please give your full name and your birthday date. The answer may take up to couple of days, please be patient! Please note that the appointment will be given first in 3-5 months so check if you can wait that long and make sure that your visa/residence permit is still valid. If your visa/residence permit expires - then you must go during the opening hours without appointment.
  
  Opening hours with an appointment are possible within:
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 7:30 – 12:00 o'clock
  

After registration at the city you might receive a letter of Rundfunkbeitragsservice containing a registration for the public broadcasting licence fees (TV/radio taxes).

The fee is used to finance the numerous radio, television and online content of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio.  It must be paid for each apartment, even if this apartment is inhabited by foreign students exclusively. There are some few exceptions - more on our website.

You may find more information in our our website on that specific topic - please read this information carefully!!!