Berlin’s Landesamt für Einwanderung (LEA) has permanently decommissioned its Online-Termin-Vergabe (OTV) booking portal, switching instead to a model where officials allocate appointments only after applicants submit documents through a digital contact form. The change, posted on 18 January 2026, cites rampant use of bots that harvested free slots and resold them for up to €300 on social-media groups.(service.berlin.de)
For foreign students and employees, the overhaul means that initial filings and extension requests must now start with an online upload of passports, contracts and proof of residence. LEA staff will vet the paperwork and e-mail a slot—usually within two weeks—if the file is complete. Urgent cases (Notfall) such as expired visas or job-start deadlines receive priority.
![Berlin Immigration Office Scraps Public Appointment Portal to Thwart Bots and Scalpers]()
Corporate mobility teams applaud the move but warn that incomplete submissions will sit in a digital queue with no estimated response time. Employers should therefore prepare checklists and translation templates to avoid back-and-forth. The new system currently covers residence-permits for work, study and family reunification; Blue-Card and permanent-settlement requests are scheduled to migrate by March.
VisaHQ can help applicants avoid those delays by supplying country-specific checklists, reviewing uploaded scans for accuracy, and flagging missing items before they reach the LEA. Whether you’re applying for a German work permit or planning travel elsewhere, start at https://www.visahq.com/germany/ to receive guided, step-by-step support from experienced immigration specialists.
Because appointment bots are still advertising old-system slots, LEA urges applicants to ignore third-party offers and rely only on official confirmation e-mails. Violations can lead to denial of service and, in extreme cases, fraud investigations.
For foreign students and employees, the overhaul means that initial filings and extension requests must now start with an online upload of passports, contracts and proof of residence. LEA staff will vet the paperwork and e-mail a slot—usually within two weeks—if the file is complete. Urgent cases (Notfall) such as expired visas or job-start deadlines receive priority.
Corporate mobility teams applaud the move but warn that incomplete submissions will sit in a digital queue with no estimated response time. Employers should therefore prepare checklists and translation templates to avoid back-and-forth. The new system currently covers residence-permits for work, study and family reunification; Blue-Card and permanent-settlement requests are scheduled to migrate by March.
VisaHQ can help applicants avoid those delays by supplying country-specific checklists, reviewing uploaded scans for accuracy, and flagging missing items before they reach the LEA. Whether you’re applying for a German work permit or planning travel elsewhere, start at https://www.visahq.com/germany/ to receive guided, step-by-step support from experienced immigration specialists.
Because appointment bots are still advertising old-system slots, LEA urges applicants to ignore third-party offers and rely only on official confirmation e-mails. Violations can lead to denial of service and, in extreme cases, fraud investigations.
