You planned it all out, you were in Germany and had all your permits in place as the holder of an EU blue card. The problem? The coronavirus crisis has caught you abroad while flights have gotten cancelled, or travel bans have been imposed, and now your visa or travel permit will soon expire.
The truth is that the crisis created by the spread of the disease COVID-19 has caused difficulties at all levels, and you are not alone in this experience. This health crisis has limited the work extent of many immigration authorities, and this has resulted in some changes in the implementation of the Residence Act by the immigration authorities to ensure that procedural simplifications are introduced in the coming months.
With that being said, you can rest assured that regardless of the situation you find yourself in right now, in terms of visa permits due to the coronavirus travel restrictions, you may have a legal solution to extend your permit and stay legally in Germany.
If your situation involves HAVING AN EU BLUE CARD THAT WILL SOON EXPIRE:
In this case, you must apply for an extension to the immigration office with ample time before your EU Blue Card expires. If the extension is requested in good time, the fictional effect takes effect in accordance with section 81 (4) sentence 1 of the Residence Act (section 81 (4) of the Residence Act). This can result in the previous residence permit or EU Blue Card still being valid until the immigration office makes a decision based on your application.
Please be informed that this is an exceptional situation and that the regulation on this matter is not uniform, the authorities will deal with it on a case by case. This is why it is crucial for you to file the application with ample time to secure your residence rights. If you cannot go personally to the immigration office, it is possible for you to write a written statement, stating that you need to extend your residence permit and sending it to the immigration office either by mail, email, or fax.
