Whether your professional training qualification is equivalent to a German qualification must be determined in the recognition procedure at the office responsible for your profession. You can find out which office is responsible for your profession using the recognition search of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training: https://www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de/html/en/index.php (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab).

Without a corresponding permit from the Federal Employment Agency and the Potsdam Foreigners' Registration Office, you are not permitted to engage in qualified employment. With a residence permit for qualified employment, you are not allowed to engage in unqualified employment.

For more information, please contact the following counseling centers:

in Brandenburg:

The IQ Network Brandenburg: https://www.brandenburg.netzwerk-iq.de/en/home-1 (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab)

in Berlin:

https://www.kmk.org/kmk/information-in-english.html (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab)

Main requirements:

• Vocational training qualification (recognized in Germany)
• Work contract or concrete employment offer
• Sufficient financial means (including health insurance)
• Sufficient housing

Disclaimer of the Foreigners' Registration Office Potsdam

The information on this website is merely intended as a guideline. There is no guarantee for the completeness and correctness concerning the information provided on this website. The completeness of the stated documents does not mean that the residence permit will be issued. Each case must be assessed individually. Therefore, the requested documents may vary.

Required documents:

• Application form - filled out and signed (issuance (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) or extension (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) of a residence permit)
• 1 new biometric passport photo
• Valid passport & copies (data sheet, entry visa, stamps, labels)
• Current health insurance membership certificate, not older than 3 months (no chip card)
• Current proof of residence (housing form from the Potsdam Foreigners' Registration Office (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab), filled out and stamped by the homeowner/landlord, homeowners must submit an excerpt from the land register)
• Residence registration from the City Hall (Bürgerservice)
• Joint declaration of marriage (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) for one another (one form per spouse)
• Current employment contract
• Last 6 salary slips
• Completed employer form (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) of the Federal Employment Agency
• Proof of completion of professional training
• Professional practice permit for health care professions

Fees

• First application: 100,00 Euro
• Prolongation: 93,00 Euro

Method of payment

• Debit card or cash