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The 13 Best Immigration Lawyers in Berlin

Most expats in Berlin deal with the Landesamt für Einwanderung at some point, whether for an EU Blue Card, a freelance visa, a settlement permit or German citizenship. Lawyers in the city range from small practices that mostly handle asylum and humanitarian cases to firms built around skilled workers, founders and employers.

This guide lists lawyers whose own websites confirm that they practice immigration law in Berlin. For each one we note the type of cases they focus on, how consultations work and whether the firm offers advice in English.

How this guide is ordered

What matters when you need immigration lawyers in Berlin: expertise, recommendations from other customers, a quick reply and a location that suits you. That's how we chose this list.

This guide includes businesses that pay for more visibility.

Top 3Full listMapHow to choose

Compare 13 local options

Rechtsanwalt Björn Cziersky-Reis, Berlin#1
What stands out
  • Family reunification and sham marriage cases

  • Visa refusal lawsuits

  • Settlement permits and naturalization

Rechtsanwalt Björn Cziersky-Reis

5.0349 reviews
Alt-Moabit 62-63, 10555 Berlin, Deutschland
Best for
Spousal visas and embassy refusals

Couples dealing with spousal visas and refusals from German embassies are a good match for Björn Cziersky-Reis. His Moabit practice handles residence permits and extensions, the EU Blue Card, settlement permits and naturalization, as well as allegations of sham marriage. Lawsuits against visa refusals go to the Verwaltungsgericht Berlin, and he also works with immigration offices elsewhere in Germany. That makes the practice a sensible first call when a partner's visa has already been refused.

Rechtsanwalt Christian Cardone, Berlin#2
What stands out
  • Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht

  • English, Italian and Turkish consultations

  • Next to U-Bahn Stadtmitte

Rechtsanwalt Christian Cardone

4.8457 reviews
Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße 17, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Best for
Refusals and expulsion cases

Christian Cardone is a solid choice for residence problems that may end up before the authorities or the courts. He holds the Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht title, and his practice by U-Bahn Stadtmitte concentrates on immigration law. Files range from refused visas and family reunification to employment, study and humanitarian permits, settlement permits and naturalization. Consultations are available in German, English, Italian and Turkish, which helps clients who prefer not to discuss a refusal in German.

RLocal option
#3
What stands out
  • Focus on queer refugees' rights

  • English and French spoken

  • Fees published online

Rechtsanwalt Daniel Weber

5.066 reviews
Hochstraße 21, 13357 Berlin, Deutschland
Best for
Asylum and LGBTQ+ refugees

Asylum seekers and LGBTQ+ refugees will find in Daniel Weber a lawyer whose practice is shaped around their cases. From his office in Wedding he handles asylum from the BAMF hearing to the administrative court, residence permits up to the settlement permit, entry visas and naturalization. Before practicing he volunteered with the LSVD legal advice service and the Refugee Law Clinic Berlin. He works in German, English and French, and his website sets out fees openly.

Kraft & Rapp Rechtsanwältinnen, Berlin#4
What stands out
  • Two Fachanwältinnen für Migrationsrecht

  • Website in eight languages

  • Founded in 2015

Kraft & Rapp Rechtsanwältinnen

4.8172 reviews
Pannierstraße 8, 12047 Berlin-Bezirk Neukölln, Deutschland
Best for
Asylum and humanitarian residence

Kraft & Rapp is a good match for humanitarian and asylum cases that call for lawyers certified in migration law. Julia Kraft and Simone Rapp, both Fachanwältinnen für Migrationsrecht, founded their Neukölln office in 2015. They cover the whole field, from business immigration and residence on humanitarian grounds to asylum proceedings and naturalization. The website is available in German, English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Kurmancî, Russian and Ukrainian, so families can read the basics in their own language.

VISAGUARD Berlin#5
What stands out
  • Fixed fees, no hourly billing

  • Online first consultation

  • Employer and ICT card files

VISAGUARD Berlin

5.047 reviews
Mühlenstraße 8a, 14167 Berlin, Deutschland
Best for
Fixed-fee immigration help

VISAGUARD.Berlin is a good fit for applicants who want the price agreed before any work starts. The migration law firm in Zehlendorf works on fixed fees rather than hourly rates and begins with an online consultation. Its lawyers cover the EU Blue Card, Opportunity Card and freelance visas, student and nursing routes, family reunification, settlement permits and naturalization. Employers can also bring ICT cards and accelerated skilled-worker procedures, which helps HR teams with recurring hires.

Reboot Legal, Berlin#6
What stands out
  • English, Ukrainian and Russian

  • Accompaniment to the immigration office

  • WhatsApp and Telegram contact

Reboot Legal

4.967 reviews
Invalidenstraße 7, 10115 Berlin, Deutschland
Best for
English-speaking freelancers and founders

Reboot Legal is a strong option for freelancers, artists and entrepreneurs who want to work in English from the first email. Dr. Veronika Denninger, admitted in Germany since 2007, has focused on immigration law since 2022 and works in German, English, Ukrainian and Russian. The firm prepares Blue Card, Opportunity Card, freelance and founder permits, citizenship applications and court challenges to refusals. Clients can be accompanied to the Berlin immigration office and stay in touch by WhatsApp, Telegram or email.

Rechtsanwältin Florina Gutman, Berlin#7
What stands out
  • Migration law only

  • Video or phone first consultation

  • German and Russian website

Rechtsanwältin Florina Gutman

4.8115 reviews
Kurfürstendamm 157/158, 10709 Berlin, Germany
Best for
Blue Card and family permits

Skilled workers and families who want a lawyer working only in migration law are well served by Florina Gutman. She has more than ten years of practice in Ausländerrecht and deals with immigration offices in Berlin and nationwide. Her files include the EU Blue Card, work and skilled-worker permits, settlement permits, naturalization and family reunification, plus immigration for Jewish applicants. The paid first consultation can take place at the office, by video or by phone, which suits clients still abroad.

Rubinstein Rechtsanwälte, Berlin#8
What stands out
  • Fachanwalt for migration and criminal law

  • Russian, Ukrainian and Persian spoken

  • Legal expenses insurance accepted

Rubinstein Rechtsanwälte

5.0208 reviews
Katharinenstraße 8, 10711 Berlin-Bezirk Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Deutschland
Best for
Immigration cases with a criminal angle

Rubinstein Rechtsanwälte fits clients whose residence question overlaps with a criminal charge or a family matter. Vadim Rubinstein holds the Fachanwalt titles for both migration and criminal law, and his team works in German, English, Russian, Ukrainian and Persian. Immigration work covers the EU Blue Card, settlement permits, naturalization, family reunification, skilled-worker immigration and asylum proceedings before the BAMF. The firm accepts legal expenses insurance, which can lower the cost of a court case.

Anwaltssozietät Jurati, Berlin#9
What stands out
  • Two Fachanwälte für Migrationsrecht

  • Employment lawyer in-house

  • Zoom, phone or office consultations

Anwaltssozietät Jurati

4.791 reviews
Schönhauser Allee 83, 10439 Berlin-Bezirk Pankow, Deutschland
Best for
Work-based permits and job disputes

Jurati is a good fit for employees whose residence permit is tied to their job, since migration and employment law sit in the same Prenzlauer Berg office. Sven Hasse and Marten Kaspar both hold the Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht title, one focused on labor migration and naturalization, the other on asylum and humanitarian residence. Consultations run by Zoom, phone or in person, and the website has an English version. A dismissal that threatens a Blue Card can be handled without switching firms.

Rechtsanwalt von Engelhardt, Berlin#10
What stands out
  • Business immigration focus

  • Company formation alongside visas

  • Online booking with listed fees

Rechtsanwalt von Engelhardt

4.791 reviews
Hardenbergstraße 12, 10623 Berlin-Bezirk Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Deutschland
Best for
Founders, freelancers and employers

Founders, freelancers and employers hiring abroad are the natural clients of Rechtsanwalt von Engelhardt. Alexander von Engelhardt describes his practice as business migration and immigration law, and he works in English and German with a full English website. He handles skilled-worker and job-seeker visas, the Opportunity Card, freelance and self-employment permits and residence for investors and managing directors. Services can be ordered online with listed prices, which makes costs easier to compare before you commit.

legal links, Berlin#11
What stands out
  • Team of five migration lawyers

  • Information in nine languages

  • Video consultations

legal links

4.844 reviews
Mehringdamm 42, 10961 Berlin-Bezirk Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Deutschland
Best for
Asylum, Duldung and family permits

legal links suits people whose residence status is fragile, from asylum seekers to holders of a Duldung. The Kreuzberg firm on Mehringdamm is a team of five lawyers working in migration law, social law and EU free movement. They handle asylum, residence for work, study and family, settlement permits, naturalization and migration-related criminal cases. First consultations are arranged by phone or email, video calls are possible and costs are explained in that first meeting.

Kanzlei LINGNAU & LINGNAU, Berlin#12
What stands out
  • Persian, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish in the team

  • Managing-director permits

  • Next to KaDeWe

Kanzlei LINGNAU & LINGNAU

4.8110 reviews
Passauer Str. 8, 10789 Berlin, Germany
Best for
Multilingual residence and family cases

Lingnau & Lingnau suits clients who want a small, multilingual firm with immigration at the top of its list. Alain Ramin Lingnau and Christopher Amir Lingnau have more than 20 years of experience and work in German and English, with Persian, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish among the team's languages. They handle residence permits, visas, asylum, naturalization and permits for managing directors. Both lawyers regularly attend Berlin's courts and the immigration office at Friedrich-Krause-Ufer, useful when a case needs someone on the spot.

Kanzlei Rechtsanwalt Grueneberg, Berlin#13
What stands out
  • Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht

  • English and Spanish websites

  • Online appointment booking

Kanzlei Rechtsanwalt Grueneberg

4.4446 reviews
Kurfürstendamm 167-168, 10707 Berlin, Germany
Best for
Spanish and English speakers

Kanzlei Grueneberg suits clients who want a lawyer who handles almost nothing but immigration cases. Ernesto Grueneberg has held the Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht title since 2016 and works from Kurfürstendamm at Adenauerplatz. His files include visas for entrepreneurs and students, family reunification, settlement permits, citizenship and deportation cases. The firm runs separate English and Spanish websites, and appointments can be booked online, which is practical for Spanish speakers in particular.

The comparison at a glance

#BusinessRatingReviewsBest for
#1Rechtsanwalt Björn Cziersky-Reis 5.0349Spousal visas and embassy refusals
#2Rechtsanwalt Christian Cardone 4.8457Refusals and expulsion cases
#3Rechtsanwalt Daniel Weber 5.066Asylum and LGBTQ+ refugees
#4Kraft & Rapp Rechtsanwältinnen 4.8172Asylum and humanitarian residence
#5VISAGUARD Berlin 5.047Fixed-fee immigration help
#6Reboot Legal 4.967English-speaking freelancers and founders
#7Rechtsanwältin Florina Gutman 4.8115Blue Card and family permits
#8Rubinstein Rechtsanwälte 5.0208Immigration cases with a criminal angle
#9Anwaltssozietät Jurati 4.791Work-based permits and job disputes
#10Rechtsanwalt von Engelhardt 4.791Founders, freelancers and employers
#11legal links 4.844Asylum, Duldung and family permits
#12Kanzlei LINGNAU & LINGNAU 4.8110Multilingual residence and family cases
#13Kanzlei Rechtsanwalt Grueneberg 4.4446Spanish and English speakers

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Map of immigration lawyers in Berlin

Many of the firms in this guide are based in Charlottenburg around Kurfürstendamm, with others in Mitte, Moabit, Wedding, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg and Zehlendorf.

Services to compare

  • Work permits and the Blue CardEU Blue Card, skilled-worker permits, the Opportunity Card and job-seeker visas, often coordinated with the employer.
  • Freelance and self-employment visasResidence permits for freelancers, artists, founders and investors, including renewals.
  • Family reunificationVisas and permits for spouses, children and parents, plus challenges to refusals by German embassies.
  • Settlement and citizenshipSettlement permits, EU long-term residence and naturalization, including lawsuits when authorities fail to decide.
  • Asylum and deportationBAMF interviews, appeals before the administrative court, Duldung status and protection against deportation.

How to choose Immigration Lawyers in Berlin

  1. Match the lawyer to your permitA Blue Card for a tech job, a freelance artist visa, family reunification and an asylum appeal are different files. Ask how often the lawyer handles cases exactly like yours.
  2. Look for the Fachanwalt titleThe bar grants the Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht title only after extra training and a minimum number of cases. It is not required, but it signals a practice built around immigration.
  3. Act quickly on refusalsRefusals, expulsion orders and deportation notices come with short deadlines to challenge them in court. Contact a lawyer as soon as the letter arrives instead of waiting for your next appointment.
  4. Clarify fees and languageGerman lawyers bill under the statutory RVG scale or a written fee agreement. Ask whether the first consultation is charged, and if your German is limited, choose a firm that confirms English on its website.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an immigration lawyer in Berlin cost?

It varies by firm and by procedure. Many lawyers charge a fee for the first consultation, sometimes a fixed one, and the main work is billed under the statutory RVG scale or a flat fee agreed in writing. A court case costs more than an application filed with the immigration office, and legal aid can cover some court proceedings for people on low incomes.

What should I bring to the first consultation?

Bring your passport, your current visa or residence permit, any letters from the Landesamt für Einwanderung or a German embassy, your employment contract or business documents, and proof of address and health insurance. A short written timeline of your stay in Germany saves time.

Do I need a lawyer for a Blue Card or residence permit?

Not for a straightforward application, which you can file yourself, often online. A lawyer becomes useful when your case is unusual, when the immigration office does not respond for months, or when you receive a refusal or a deportation notice that has to be challenged within a deadline.

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