I lost my residence permit card (eAT)
The situation
Your electronic residence permit (eAT) — the credit-card-sized proof of your right to stay — has been lost or stolen. Without it you cannot easily prove your status, travel, or in some cases even work.
The way out
Report it, then replace it — your right to stay does not vanish with the card.
- Stolen? File a police report (Anzeige) immediately. You will need the report number for the replacement and to protect against misuse of the card and its chip.
- Notify the Ausländerbehörde and apply for a replacement (Ersatz-eAT). Book an appointment and bring your passport, a biometric photo, the police report (if stolen), and your registration.
- A replacement fee applies and production takes several weeks — the card is manufactured centrally, not issued on the spot.
- Need to prove your status meanwhile? Ask for a Fiktionsbescheinigung or provisional confirmation — essential if you must travel, start a job, or show HR your permit before the new card arrives.
- Block the online-ID (eID) function if it was activated, via the card-blocking hotline (Sperr-Notruf 116 116), so no one can misuse it.
Rule for next time: photograph both sides of the card and note your permit number — a copy speeds up every replacement.
General information, not legal advice. If your case has deadlines or legal stakes, free migration counselling (Migrationsberatung) exists in every city — use it.