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Fast-track procedure (§81a AufenthG)

Who handles the fast-track procedure in each federal state?

In 9 of 16 states one central office runs the fast-track procedure: Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein. In Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Hesse employers can choose between a central office and the local immigration office (Hesse from 1 December 2026). In Bremen, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia the local office at the business site is responsible.

Checked against official state and authority pages on 22 October 2026.

9

states with one central office

3

states where employers can choose

4

states where the local office decides

At a glance

What this means for employers

The business site decides: the office responsible for the place where the person will work runs the procedure, not the one at your headquarters or the person's future home.

The fee is €411 per skilled worker on every official page that states it, due when the agreement with the office is signed.

The law sets deadlines for single steps, but no total duration. Published times are not comparable: some offices state only their pre-approval, others the whole procedure (see each state below).

Responsibilities move: Lower Saxony and Hesse reorganised in 2025/26, and Thuringia has announced a change. Check the date on each entry.

How the fast-track procedure works →

From relokate's cases

What actually decides how long it takes

No legal deadline for the whole procedure

The law sets deadlines for single steps: the Federal Employment Agency has one week, and the embassy offers an appointment within three weeks and usually decides within another three. There is no deadline for the procedure as a whole.

The bottleneck is the pre-approval in Germany

In relokate's cases the longest step is waiting for the immigration office's pre-approval, and that depends heavily on the city and the office. In our 2026 cases the pre-approval took about 3 weeks in Berlin, 5 in Hamburg and 7 in Munich. These times vary and change all the time.

Read published waiting times carefully

Many offices state only how long their pre-approval takes, not the whole visa procedure. The embassy appointment and the visa decision come on top.

Fast-track isn't always faster

Depending on the case, it can be quicker to request the Federal Employment Agency's pre-approval directly (§36(3) BeschV) and apply for the visa in parallel through the Consular Services Portal (Auslandsportal).

Families and visa validity

Embassies often have appointments for the employee but not for the family. The fast-track procedure also covers the spouse and minor children if their visa applications follow in a related time frame (§81a(4) AufenthG). In relokate's cases this has often worked even when the family planned to follow a few months later. In our cases, visas issued in the fast-track procedure were often valid for up to 12 months, in the regular procedure usually 2–6 months. The embassy sets the validity; the residence permit has to be applied for in Germany before the visa expires.

There is no single right route. relokate reviews every case and decides together with the employer which route gets the person to Germany fastest.

State by state

Baden-Württemberg

Your choice: LZF or local office

State Agency for Skilled Immigration (LZF), regional councils of Karlsruhe and Stuttgart

Since 1 April 2025 employers can file with the LZF instead of the local immigration office, but not with both. The Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart handles health and care professions, Karlsruhe all others.

Since
1 April 2025
How to apply
LZF online form
Published processing time
Usually four months from the agreement to the pre-approval (LZF)

Our city guides: Stuttgart

Sources

Bavaria

Your choice; health and care: ZSEF only

Central Office for Skilled Immigration (ZSEF), Government of Middle Franconia, Nuremberg

For most professions employers choose between the ZSEF and the local immigration office. Nursing, health and Approbation professions (e.g. doctors, pharmacists) must go to the ZSEF. Once an agreement is signed, only that office handles the case.

Since
1 December 2020 (health and care: ZSEF only since 2023/2025)
How to apply
ZSEF online service
Published processing time
No overall duration published

Our city guides: Munich, Nuremberg

Sources

Berlin

One office (city-state)

State Office for Immigration (LEA), Business Immigration Service (BIS)

Within the LEA only the BIS handles §81a. The job must be at a Berlin site, and the employer, or a provider it authorises, first registers with the BIS (free of charge).

Since
1 March 2020
How to apply
Register with the BIS, then its online form
Published processing time
At least 15 weeks from the start to the visa (service.berlin.de)

Our city guides: Berlin

Sources

Bremen

Local office (two cities)

Migrationsamt Bremen (city of Bremen); Bürger- und Ordnungsamt Bremerhaven (city of Bremerhaven)

There is no central office: each city's immigration office handles employers based there. The Senate's "Fast Lane für Fachkräfte" (June 2026) plans employer advice but does not change who is responsible.

Since
1 March 2020 (local)
How to apply
Bremen: online or form by email; Bremerhaven: form by email
Published processing time
None published

Our city guides: Bremen

Sources

Hesse

Your choice from 1 Dec 2026

Central Office for Skilled Immigration Hesse (ZFEH), Darmstadt regional council

The ZFEH has handled Frankfurt business sites since 1 October 2026 and covers all of Hesse from 1 December 2026; from then on employers choose between the ZFEH and the local immigration office. Until 30 November, sites outside Frankfurt use the local office.

Since
1 October 2026 (Frankfurt), 1 December 2026 (statewide)
How to apply
Online portal
Published processing time
Designed for about four months up to the visa, not a guaranteed maximum (ZFEH)

Our city guides: Frankfurt

Sources

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Central office (see note)

State Office for Internal Administration (LAiV), central office for skilled immigration, Schwerin

The LAiV has been responsible statewide since April 2024. The city of Rostock says applications can still be handed in at local immigration offices; it does not say whether they decide or pass them on.

Since
April 2024
How to apply
LAiV online form or email
Published processing time
LAiV: none published; Rostock: at least 15 weeks to the visa

Sources

Lower Saxony

One central office

Central Office for the Fast-Track Procedure, State Reception Authority (LAB NI), Osnabrück

The only office since 1 January 2026; from July to December 2025 employers could still use the local offices.

Since
1 July 2025; sole office since 1 January 2026
How to apply
Online only
Published processing time
Usually about 3–4 months (Zentralstelle)

Our city guides: Hannover

Sources

North Rhine-Westphalia

One central office

Central Office for Skilled Immigration NRW (ZFE NRW), Cologne District Government

One office for the whole state, at the Bezirksregierung Köln. It handles candidates who have not yet entered Germany.

Since
1 March 2020
How to apply
Online portal (since September 2025)
Published processing time
Generally about 1–3 months (ZFE NRW)

Our city guides: Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Essen

Sources

Rhineland-Palatinate

One central office

Central Immigration Office for Skilled Immigration (ZAB RLP), City of Kaiserslautern

Handles the fast-track procedure for all employers in the state.

Since
1 January 2021
How to apply
Online service or email
Published processing time
Depends on the case (ZAB RLP)

Sources

Saarland

One central office

Central Immigration Office of Saarland (ZAB), State Administration Office, Lebach

Statewide; what counts is the business site in Saarland, not where the person will live.

Since
Not published
How to apply
By email (online only occasionally)
Published processing time
At least 15 weeks to the visa (service.saarland.de)

Sources

Saxony

Local office

Immigration office of the district or city where the business site is

No central office and none announced. In Dresden the Welcome Center of the immigration office runs the procedure.

Since
1 March 2020 (local)
How to apply
Depends on the office (e.g. Leipzig online, Dresden by email)
Published processing time
At least 4 months, sometimes longer (amt24 Sachsen)

Our city guides: Dresden, Leipzig

Sources

Saxony-Anhalt

Local office

Immigration office of the district or city where the business site is

No central office. The Landesverwaltungsamt only supervises, and the WelcomeCenter Sachsen-Anhalt advises but is not an immigration office.

Since
1 March 2020 (local)
How to apply
Depends on the office (e.g. Magdeburg online, Halle by email)
Published processing time
None published

Sources

Schleswig-Holstein

One central office

Central Office for Skilled Immigration, State Office for Immigration and Refugees (LaZuF), Neumünster

Statewide central office under the state ordinance. On 22 October 2026 the LaZuF said it was temporarily not accepting applications because of a server outage.

Since
1 March 2020
How to apply
Online only
Published processing time
Usually four months from the application (LaZuF)

Sources

Thuringia

Local office (change announced)

Immigration office where the business site is (move to the State Administration Office announced)

Local today. On 8 October 2026 the state government told the Landtag that §81a will move to the Landesverwaltungsamt; there is no start date or regulation yet.

Since
1 March 2020 (local)
How to apply
Depends on the office; in-person visit required
Published processing time
At least 15 weeks to the visa (state service text)

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can employers choose which office runs the fast-track procedure?

Only in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria (except health and care professions, which go to the ZSEF) and, from 1 December 2026, Hesse. In most other states one central office is responsible; in Bremen, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia it is the local immigration office at the business site.

Which state's office is responsible?

The one responsible for the business site where the person will work. A company headquartered in Munich that hires for its Hamburg office goes to the Hamburg Welcome Center for Professionals.

What does the fast-track procedure cost?

€411 per skilled worker on every official page that states the fee, due when the agreement with the office is signed. The visa fee at the embassy and any recognition fees come on top.

How long does the fast-track procedure take?

There is no legal total duration. The law sets deadlines for single steps: the Federal Employment Agency has one week, and the embassy offers a visa appointment within three weeks and usually decides within another three. In relokate's cases the bottleneck is the immigration office's pre-approval, which depends on the city; published office times often cover only that step.

Can relokate run the procedure for us in every state?

Yes. Employers can authorise a third party to run the fast-track procedure on their behalf. relokate prepares the complete file and works with the responsible office in every state; in Berlin we are registered with the Business Immigration Service (BIS).

How we checked

Each entry is based on the state's or authority's own pages, the state ordinances where published, and the federal list of central immigration offices on Make it in Germany (5 October 2026). Where a state publishes no regulation or start date, we say so. This page is general information, not legal advice; relokate is not a law firm.

Hiring into one of these states?

relokate prepares the file, works with the right office and keeps you posted in the HR dashboard. In 30 minutes we look at your case and tell you what it costs.

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