Frankfurt's Residence Permit Fees for Children and Families: The Full Federal Ladder, and a City Nudging People Toward Cards

The Federal Fee Ladder Behind FIO’s Own Numbers

Every residence permit fee FIO charges comes from the same federal schedule every other German Ausländerbehörde uses, not something Frankfurt sets on its own. Our companion guide on Frankfurt’s residence permit appointment already documents FIO’s own figures for an extension, 93 euros for an adult (FIO’s published fee table lists 46.50 euros for children and teenagers), and a first issuance, 100 euros for an adult and 50 euros for a child. Both are drawn directly from Section 45 of the Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthV) and Section 50, the same federal fee ordinance every Ausländerbehörde in the country applies. Section 45 sets a first issuance at 100 euros whatever its validity, an extension at 93 euros (96 euros if it covers only up to three months), and a change of residence purpose at 98 euros.

The line worth reading twice is the settlement permit row. Section 50 AufenthV applies the standard 50 percent minor’s discount to most of the fees in this table, first issuances, extensions, purpose changes, but it carves out an explicit exception for a child’s own settlement permit under Section 35 AufenthG: the fee is a flat 55 euros, regardless of which adult tier (113, 124, or 147 euros) a parent’s own case happens to fall under. That’s not simply “half of 113,” it’s a separate number the ordinance sets on its own.

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A Bridging Document With Its Own Split Fee

If FIO hasn’t decided your case by the time your current permit expires, you may need a Fiktionsbescheinigung, the bridging document confirming your status stays valid while your file is pending. Our companion guide on Frankfurt’s residence permit appointment already confirms FIO’s own figure of 13 euros for this document, and per the same Section 50 AufenthV minor’s discount rule, a minor’s own Fiktionsbescheinigung runs 6.50 euros, exactly half.

The Turkish EU Association Agreement Rate, and Why It Moved in February 2026

Turkish nationals covered by the EU-Turkey Association Agreement (ARB 1/80) don’t pay a fixed euro figure under Section 52a AufenthV; the ordinance instead ties their fee directly to whatever Germany currently charges for a Personalausweis (national ID card) issued to a German citizen of the same age bracket. When that nationwide ID card fee rose on February 7, 2026, per ADAC’s own reporting, from 37 to 46 euros for applicants 24 and older, and from 22.80 to 27.60 euros for those under 24, the Association Agreement rate rose with it automatically, without any separate change to the residence-fee rules themselves. If you’re working from an older figure quoted somewhere, it’s worth checking against the current Personalausweis fee rather than the pre-2026 number.

The Hardship Waiver

Section 53 AufenthV requires a fee exemption for a household that cannot support itself without SGB II, SGB XII, or Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz benefits, for the issuance or extension of a residence permit and a list of related administrative acts. A second, discretionary allowance lets a caseworker reduce or waive a fee even outside that strict category, when warranted by the fee-payer’s economic circumstances. Bring a current Bescheid from your Jobcenter to your FIO appointment regardless, and ask directly whether the exemption covers every family member’s application, rather than assuming it’s limited to one person’s paperwork.

A City Nudging People Toward Cards, and What That Means for FIO

Here’s a genuinely Frankfurt-specific detail worth knowing before your appointment, separate from the federal fee amounts themselves: Frankfurt’s city offices increasingly prefer card payment. The Zentrales Bürgeramt on Zeil tells visitors on its official page that it is glad when you pay by card and accepts Girocard and debit cards. Whether FIO specifically still accepts cash wasn’t something this research could confirm on the pages checked for this guide. Given that trend, bringing a Girocard and confirming directly with FIO before your appointment, rather than assuming cash will work, is the safer plan.

Step by Step

1. Look up each family member's fee separately, rather than assuming a per-household total: an adult's rate depends on their specific track (113, 124, or 147 euros for settlement permits), a minor's ordinary renewal is half that, and a child's own settlement permit under Section 35 AufenthG is a flat 55 euros regardless of a parent's tier.
2. Bring a Girocard rather than assuming cash works, since Frankfurt's Zentrales Bürgeramt prefers card payment; confirm FIO's own accepted method directly if you can.
3. If your household currently relies on SGB II, SGB XII, or Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz benefits, bring a current Bescheid from your Jobcenter, and ask directly whether the exemption covers every family member's application.
4. If you're a Turkish national applying under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement, confirm the current Personalausweis fee rather than an older figure, since Section 52a AufenthV ties your rate directly to it and it rose in February 2026.
5. If you need a Fiktionsbescheinigung to bridge a gap while your application is processed, budget 13 euros for an adult or 6.50 euros for a minor.

Compliance Note

This page explains the general federal fee framework under Sections 44, 45, 50, 52a, and 53 of the Residence Ordinance (AufenthV), alongside FIO’s own published figures and the Zentrales Bürgeramt’s card-payment preference, current as of October 2026. It is not legal or financial advice. Fees are set by federal regulation, and both they and FIO’s own accepted payment methods can change; confirm the exact amount, accepted payment method, and whether a reduction or exemption applies to your situation directly with FIO before your appointment.