Erfurt Foreigners Office Keeps Manual Appointment Scheduling

The Ausländerbehörde in Erfurt continues to assign appointments individually via e‑mail instead of offering an online booking system. The city explains that the pre‑pandemic online system led to many mismatched appointments, generating extra paperwork and strain on already limited staff. Eight positions in the office remain vacant and budget constraints prevent new hires or a new tender for the system.

Erfurt officials say a broader digitalisation plan is near completion: future applications, document submissions and inquiries will be handled electronically, and some services will be offered in multiple languages. However, an online appointment portal is not expected soon. The city notes that Erfurt has the highest share of foreign residents in Thuringia, projected to exceed 12 % of the total population by the end of 2025.