Foreigners' office approve the acknowledgment of paternity in certain cases
As of July 29, 2026, the Foreigners' office must give its approval Foreigners' office certain cases before anyone can acknowledge paternity. The law is intended to prevent paternity from being acknowledged solely for the purpose of granting a child, the mother, or the father the right of residence or German citizenship.
The new regulation primarily affects parents between whom there is what is known as a “discrepancy in residence status.” This is the case, for example, when one parent holds German citizenship or has a permanent right of residence, while the other parent has only a temporary residence permit, is required to leave the country, or is staying in Germany on a Schengen visa. Even if one parent still lives abroad and does not have a guaranteed right to enter Germany, Foreigners' office approval from the Foreigners' office may be required.
However, there are important exceptions. The Foreigners' office not Foreigners' office to approve the acknowledgment of paternity if
- the man is proven to be the biological father
- he is already the biological father of another child by the same mother
- the father assumes responsibility for the child (for example, by paying child support)
- the parents are married or got married after the child's birth, and the marriage is registered in Germany
- the parents have been registered as living together for at least 14 months and live in the same apartment
If the Foreigners' office has to review Foreigners' office case, it will take a closer look at the relationship between the parents and the child. Living in the same household, regular contact with the child, or child support payments are indications that a genuine family life exists.
The agency generally has four months to make its decision. If it does not make a decision within this period, approval is generally deemed to have been granted.
New Rules for Residence permit, Visas, and Data Sharing
Another law is the Act on the Digitization of Migration Administration. It allows the Foreigners' officeto store certain data for longer periods and to share it with other authorities. This is intended to make procedures—such as applying for or renewing residence permitsand visas—easier and faster.
One important change concerns the electronic Residence permit: The Foreigners' office now Foreigners' office store applicants' fingerprints, photographs, and signatures and reuse them when renewing the permit. This saves applicants from having to make an additional appointment with the agency.
There will also be a change for skilled workers with a Residence permit Section 18 of the Residence Act (AufenthG): In the case of a fixed-term employment contract, the Residence permit will Residence permit be valid for the duration of the contract plus an additional six months. Previously, it was three additional months.
If the employment relationship ends earlier than planned, those affected now have six months to find a new job. Those who have worked under particularly poor or exploitative conditions are even given nine months to find new employment.
In the future, the authorities will also be allowed to store more documents and information in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals (AZR). This includes, for example, documents from the visa application process and proof of identity.
Starting in May 2028, the results of the German language test for immigrants, the “Life in Germany” test, and the naturalization test will also be added to the system. The relevant authorities will then be able to access these results directly—applicants will no longer have to resubmit the corresponding documents each time.
Foreign professional credentials should be recognized more quickly
Starting November 1, 2026, new rules will apply to the recognition of foreign professional qualifications in the healthcare professions—particularly for physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and midwives. In the future, authorities are expected to process applications more quickly so that foreign professionals can begin working in their fields sooner.
One important change concerns degrees from countries outside the EU: Doctors, dentists, midwives, and pharmacists will be able to demonstrate their professional knowledge directly through a proficiency exam in the future.
The authorities are no longer required to review numerous documents in order to compare foreign education with German education. However, those who wish to do so may still choose to have their documents reviewed.
New Rules for Voluntary Integration Courses
As of July 28, 2026, new rules apply to people who wish to enroll in an integration course . Effective immediately, individuals with a legal entitlement may continue to enroll in an integration course free of charge, as before. For example, recognized refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and individuals with residence permits for employment purposes have a legal entitlement to a course. So nothing changes in this regard.
On the other hand, those who do not have a guaranteed right to a spot will only be offered a free spot if there are still spots available and sufficient (government) funding is available for the courses. If there are not enough spots for everyone, the BAMF must give priority to certain groups: Refugees from Ukraine with a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) have priority, as do German citizens, other EU citizens, and their family members.
