Residence permit ready for pickup
Abholmitteilung / PIN-Brief zum eAT · sent by Ausländerbehörde / Bundesdruckerei
Respond soon — routine but not ignorable
What this letter is
Two related letters arrive around the time your electronic residence permit (eAT card) is produced: a PIN letter from the Bundesdruckerei (the federal printing office — keep it, it contains the codes for the card's online-ID function) and a pickup notice from your Ausländerbehörde telling you the card is ready and how to collect it. The card usually takes 4–8 weeks to produce after approval.
What to do
- Keep the PIN letter unopened-ish but safe — you may need it years later to use the card's online functions or to unlock it.
- Follow the pickup instructions exactly — some offices need a booked pickup slot, others have open counters; bring your passport and the letter.
- Collect promptly. Your old visa or Fiktionsbescheinigung has an expiry date; the physical card is your proof of status for travel, work and every office.
- Check the card on the spot: name spelling, validity dates, and any conditions (Nebenbestimmungen) printed on it or the accompanying sheet (Zusatzblatt). Errors are easiest to fix at that counter, that day.
General information, not legal advice. Always verify payment details on the sender's official website before transferring money.