Blaue Karte EU und elektronischer Aufenthaltstitel

Oh yeah, „residence permit“ is one of the most confusing terms of German residence law when talking about it in English. I’ll try to explain all the difficulties below.

Basically it depends on context and how precise you think the other person was when they wrote, especially when it’s an English word.

So I’ll try to give enough context so it’s clear what we’re talking about:

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**Aufenthaltstitel** (Residence Title; depending on context, some people may write „Residence Permit“ but mean the „Residence Title“!) is the umbrella term, including:

– Visum (Visa; one of which is the „D-Visa“ also called the „National Visa“)
– Aufenthaltserlaubnis (actual Residence Permit)
– Blaue Karte (Blue Card)

So, as you can clearly see, a „Blaue Karte“ is not an „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“, but both are an „Aufenthaltstitel“. Note however that for the „Blaue Karte“ the provisions regarding the „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“ are to be applied accordingly.

So in some very rare cases, they write „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“ but actually mean ‚ „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“ and „Blaue Karte“ ‚ because of the argument above, the provisions of the „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“ apply accordingly, so it’s kind-of the same thing, but also not really.

As an addendum, not relevant in this case at all: EU law (which is available in German, English, French, …) says the Blue Card is an „Aufenthaltstitel“ in the German version, but says it is a „residence permit“ in the English version. So EU law uses different translations than we’d use in German law.
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Now about the supposed „Electronic Residence Permit“. This is not a thing that actually exists.

It’s called the „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“ (abbreviated as ‚eAT‘, so a better translation would be „electronic Residence Title“); very formally it’s called the „Dokument mit elektronischem Speicher- und Verarbeitungsmedium“ (so maybe: ‚document with electronic storage and processing instrument‘, in some newer legislation also referred to as simply a ‚Dokument mit Chip‘ (document with chip)).

So it’s very important to understand that the „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“ is not something which gives you any rights in and of itself. The „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“ is just a plastic card with a chip, it’s not an „Aufenthaltstitel“ itself, despite being called that.

Any, now the law provides the „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“ is issued for all Aufenthaltstitel **except the „Visum“**. So you cannot get the „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“ for a Visum, despite the Visum being an Aufenthaltstitel. Very confusing if I may say so.

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Now we need some more context: up until 2020 (Covid-19), Visas were generally issued with a duration of 3 months, even for work permits/Blue Card. At least that’s what I have heard, I didn’t deal with this stuff back then though.

Now, since then, because the Foreigners Authorities in Germany were overworked because of all the Covid-19 measures, Visas are now generally issud with a duration of 12 months/1 year. (They continue that because the authorities in Germany are still overworked, partly even worse than during Covid)

Especially when it was only issued for 3 months, getting an appointment in that time is pretty hard to do (3 months, including Anmeldung first, is not that much of a time). And if you technically only submitted the application at the appointment, but the appointment was after 3 months, you could (under certain circumstances) become (temporarily) an illegal resident. (You could of course still have applied by Paper Mail or Fax)

Of course now, since they’re issued for 12 months generally (please check what your own visa says), that’s not that big of a problem. Just make sure you get an appointment which is before the 12 months are over, and you’ll be fine.

Indeed, because the authorities are so overworked, you can not even ask for an appointment at some authorities. In Berlin for example, if you have a 12 month Blue Card, you can only apply for an appointment to submit an application between months 9 and 12 (within the last 3 months before expiry), not before.

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> is it necessary for me to get an electronic residence permit and if so how can I obtain one? By necessary I mean „will I be deported without this, or could I be denied entry back into Germany if I do not have one“?

So it is necessary for you to get one, but only because you need something after your Visa expires. Again, make sure to look for an appointment in time. Then you’ll have no issues.

Note as I said above, in some cities you can’t even apply for another Aufenthaltstitel before your Visa is close to expiring.

> This does not feel like the appropriate service because in my mind the stickers in my passport already serve the purpose of an Aufenthaltstitel.

That’s correct. As long as the visa is still valid, it is a valid Aufenthaltstitel.

> I therefore feel that the only thing I need is a physical plastic card, but perhaps I am mistaken.

And as I said above, with a visa you cannot get an „elektronische Aufenthaltstitel“.

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I hope I helped you understand the terms „Aufenthaltstitel“ and „Aufenthaltserlaubnis“, and „residence title“ and „residence permit“. Wasn’t that complicated, right? Right?!?