Migrant Community Information Office
Counselling for Migrants
The City of Regensburg Migrant Community Information Office coordinates services and agencies working to facilitate the integration of migrants and to promote equal opportunities for migrants in Regensburg.
We will be happy to field your enquiries regarding all aspects of immigration, integration and naturalisation. Do not hesitate to get in touch to make an appointment.
Please contact:
Sarah Hamann, Volkshochschule Regensburg
Our office is open on
Tuesday 9 am to 12.30 pm and on
Thursday 2 pm to 5.30 pm
Counselling and information for adult migrants
Getting started in a new town or a whole new country is not always easy. And even if you have been living in Regensburg for some time, you might still encounter a situation which calls for some professional support. We can help you.
We provide information about:
- language courses
- obtaining German citizenship
- having qualifications recognised in Germany
- cultural life and leisure activities in Regensburg
We can also facilitate access to a number of services and agencies related to health, education, family counselling and employment issues.
Language courses
A good working knowledge of German is useful if you are living and working in Germany. Whether applying for a job, filling out a form or just meeting new people it’s important to speak the local language.
In Regensburg language courses are offered by the Volkshochschule, some churches and other non-profit organisations. There is also the option of tandem learning.
Would you like to find out more about language courses and how to improve your language skills? Then call us to make an appointment. We will be delighted to help you.
Integration courses
All non-EU migrants are entitled to take part in an integration course. Depending on your knowledge of German, this course can take up to six months.
The courses run Monday to Friday, every morning.
Do you fulfil the requirements and are you interested in signing up for an integration course? The Volkshochschule Regensburg offers courses on all levels, from Grundstufe 1 (A1) to Grundstufe 6 (A2).
Click here for more details about these courses
Click here for details about the requirements to be satisfied in order to take an
integration course
Obtaining German citizenship
You can apply to become a German citizen if you have lived in Germany for a certain number of years (three to eight) and are able to support yourself financially.
Applications are made to the local naturalisation office, where staff will advise you
about the process in general and the specific documentation you personally require.
If you live in the City of Regensburg, you have to apply to the office called
Abteilung für Ausländerangelegenheiten at the Bürgerzentrum Regensburg.
This office deals with the affairs of all non-German residents in Regensburg.
If you live in the surrounding area (Landkreis Regensburg) you have to apply to the
Landratsamt Regensburg
In order to obtain German citizenship you need to demonstrate your knowledge of language and life in Germany by passing two tests – the naturalisation test and a German language test called Zertifikat Deutsch B1. Exempted from these tests are applicants who have a German school-leaving certificate.
You can sign up for both tests at the Volkshochschule Regensburg
Click here for details about signing up for the naturalisation test
Click here for details about signing up for the German language test Zertifikat Deutsch B1
Information about the naturalisation test
If you wish to apply for German citizenship you will need to demonstrate your knowledge of life in Germany, including civic matters. Applicants who have a German school-leaving certificate do not need to take this test.
The 60 minute test consists of 33 questions. There are four options per question, and only one is correct. Candidates who answer a minimum of 17 questions correctly pass the test. Within six weeks, each candidate receives by post a certificate showing test results from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (often referred to in German as BAMF – the abbreviation for Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge).
The entire catalogue of 310 test questions can be found online. There are 300 general questions on topics such as “Living in a Democracy”, “History and Responsibility” and “People and Society”, and ten related to the federal state (Bundesland) in which the candidate resides.
Catalogue of questions – click here
Information about the language test Zertifikat Deutsch B1
Links
If you wish to apply for German citizenship you need to demonstrate your knowledge of the German language. Applicants who have a German school-leaving certificate do not need to take this test.
The language test, called Zertifikat Deutsch B1, consists of two parts – oral and written, worth 300 points in total. In order to pass candidates have to achieve a score of at least 60% in each part.
Results/certificate
Successful candidates receive their certificate by post, approximately six weeks after taking the test. Unsuccessful candidates have the option of resitting the test as often as they choose – but each time the full fee will be charged.
Test dates
The test Zertifikat Deutsch is scheduled every two to three months, on a Saturday, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Click here to find out about the next dates
Signing up for the test
You are required to sign up for the test in person five weeks before it takes place, at the Volkshochschule service counter. Make sure you have valid ID with you. The test costs € 108.- for those taking a German course at the VHS. Otherwise the fee is € 123.-
A test called Deutschtest für Zuwanderer, taken at the end of an integration course, can be accepted as the equivalent of Zertifikat Deutsch B1, provided that it has been taken on level B1.
For more information about Zertifikat Deutsch B1 click here
Having qualifications recognised
Would you like to find out whether qualifications and school leaving certificates obtained in the country of your birth will be accepted in Germany when you apply for a job?
In some professions and fields of work it is necessary to have qualifications recognised.
Click here for more information
Unfortunately the process for having qualifications recognised is sometimes complicated and the relevant information can be hard to come by. We will be happy to help you navigate the system and support your efforts. Please call the office to make an appointment.
Information about leisure activities and cultural life in Regensburg
Regensburg is a city which boasts a wide spectrum of leisure activities and a rich cultural life. There are sports clubs, social clubs, theatres, museums, neighbourhood projects, community centres, family centres and education centres – all offering perfect opportunities to meet people, exchange ideas and to actively participate in local life.
If you would like to find out more about what Regensburg has to offer, please call the office to make an appointment. We will be happy to provide the information you need.
