Skip to content Mr Helmer Tieben, a lawyer with an office in Cologne's Südstadt district near Ulrepforte, has many years of experience in immigration and asylum law. Due to his expertise in this area, Mr Tieben advises and represents clients not only in the cathedral city of Cologne, but throughout Germany and beyond. However, most of his clients come from Cologne, which has a foreign population of around 20%.
Mr Tieben is your contact for all questions relating to immigration law and will represent you in dealings with the immigration authorities or the embassy with commitment and vigour in order to assert your legal interests. Mr Helmer Tieben has lived and worked abroad for many years. He therefore has the necessary empathy for other cultures in this area of counselling.
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Nonetheless, successful advice in immigration law stands and falls with detailed knowledge of the following areas of legal advice:
The German Residence Act is the central part of German immigration law and forms the legal basis for the various residence titles that a third-country national foreigner can obtain in Germany. The Residence Act now provides for a total of five different residence titles: the Visawhich Residence permitwhich Settlement permitwhich EU Blue Card and the Permanent residence permit - EU.
A visa is a residence permit that only authorises short-term stays in the Federal Republic of Germany. The law distinguishes between the national visa and the Schengen visa. The residence permit, in turn, is a residence title that is issued for a limited period for the purposes specified in the Residence Act. After a certain period of time and if other requirements are met, the foreigner can then apply for a settlement permit. This is an unlimited residence permit and always authorises the holder to take up gainful employment. The EU Blue Card is intended as a work and residence permit for highly qualified skilled workers from non-EU countries and the EU permanent residence permit is equivalent to the settlement permit and is intended to give third-country nationals who do not belong to the EU a secure right of residence in Germany.
Most of the above-mentioned residence permits are generally only issued for specific residence purposes. The Residence Act divides these into different groups of residence purposes. There are the Purposes of residence for trainingwhich Purposes of residence for gainful employmentwhich Purposes of residence under international law, humanitarian or political reasons and the Residence for family reasons. There are also a few special residence rights.
In particular, legal representation and advice on the granting and renewal of residence permits for family purposes is a recurring focus of the firm's work. If, for example, the foreign spouse of a German or foreign national wishes to live in Germany, he or she needs a visa/residence permit in order to be able to live in Germany on a long-term basis. The procedure for issuing such a visa/residence permit for the spouse is then also called Spousal reunification or Family reunification. However, other family members, such as children living abroad or parents of the foreigner or German living in Germany, may also be entitled to join them.
Of course, Mr Helmer Tieben also helps Students, Employees or Self-employed when issuing and renewing a residence permit. Of course, German companies can also be supported in bringing foreign employees to Germany or keeping them in Germany. Mr Helmer Tieben can also assist with the application for and enforcement of a residence permit. ICT card or a mobile ICT card be of assistance. Artists and athletes who are planning short or longer-term stays in Germany can also receive unbureaucratic and professional support.
We have already helped nationals of the following countries, among others, to obtain or retain a right of residence in Germany via the local German embassy or foreigners authority: Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, China, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, etc.
If you have problems with applying for or renewing a residence permit because, for example, the embassy or foreigners authority refuses to grant you a residence permit, please contact Mr Helmer Tieben, lawyer.
If a foreigner's application for the issue or extension of a residence permit is rejected, they can appeal against this decision in various ways. For example, if the application of a foreigner living abroad for a Schengen visa (e.g. for touristic or visiting purposes) or a national visa (e.g. for spousal reunification, family reunification or for study purposes), the foreigner can appeal against this decision. Remonstration and/or complaint to the Berlin Administrative Court. Common reasons for refusing national visas are, for example, suspicion of Marriage of convenience (in the case of spousal reunification) or other doubts on the part of the embassy as to the foreigner's intention with regard to the purpose of stay applied for. In the case of Schengen visas, on the other hand, a frequent reason for refusal is the so-called "Lack of willingness to return" of the foreigner or Doubts about the purpose of residence.
If your application or the application of a relative, friend or future employee has been rejected, please contact Helmer Tieben as soon as possible, as these legal remedies are subject to a time limit. Under certain circumstances, the residence permit can also be cancelled in the Ways of interim legal protection (urgent legal protection) can be asserted in court if you cannot wait forever for a decision from the embassy or foreigners authority. An action for failure to act can also be filed if the authorities take too long to make a decision.
If the application of a foreign national already living in Germany for a residence permit or a Settlement permit rejected by the responsible immigration authority, a complaint can also be filed against this decision. This also applies to the often simultaneously threatened Deportation/expulsion of the foreigner. However, this action is then directed to the locally competent administrative court. As the action against the deportation order of the immigration authority often has no suspensive effect, an application for an order to suspend the effect of the action must be made in addition to the action.
Mr Helmer Tieben will also be happy to represent you in this regard. Simply give us a call on 0221-80187670 and we will clarify with you how we can best help you.
Mr Helmer Tieben is also frequently commissioned to advise and represent clients with regard to the naturalisation procedure. In Germany there are two types of naturalisation Naturalisation. On the one hand the Discretionary naturalisation and on the other hand the Naturalisation claim. Discretionary naturalisation applies above all to certain groups of people, such as the spouses of Germans, while eligibility for naturalisation is aimed more at the fulfilment of various basic requirements. If your naturalisation has been refused for reasons that you consider to be unjustified, simply contact us so that we can help you out of court and/or in court.
A major issue, especially in Cologne, is also the Length of the naturalisation procedure. In principle, the authorities are required to complete the naturalisation procedure within a reasonable period of time. As a rule, a period of around 3 months is reasonable. In practice, however, the procedure tends to take 8-12 months, if not longer. In such cases, the authority can use a Action for failure to act or by means of a letter of formal notice to speed up the processing of the naturalisation application.
Freedom of movement within the European Union entitles its citizens to move freely within the European Union and to enter and reside in any other Member State. Citizens of the European Union are also entitled to engage in economic activity in any Member State, i.e. to be employed or self-employed, permanently or temporarily.
However, these rights also apply in principle to the Family members of Union citizens. Mr Helmer Tieben will be happy to advise you on such issues and resolve problems with the authorities for you.
Of course, we also advise citizens of countries with which a Association Agreement (e.g. Turkey, residence permit according to ARB 1/80) with regard to their special rights in relation to freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services. Simply contact Mr Helmer Tieben, lawyer.
It can happen that a foreign national is deported from Germany because their residence permit has not been extended, for example because they no longer fulfil the requirements for the purpose of residence or because they have committed a criminal offence. In many cases, these offences are the result of a youthful sin committed by the foreigner, so that they would like to return to Germany to join their relatives.
Should you or one of your relatives/friends be threatened with deportation or should you wish to return to Germany, Mr Helmer Tieben will be happy to advise you on the options available and the best course of action. Here, too, you can first contact the immigration authorities out of court, you can file a complaint or the Effects of deportation can be limited in time upon application. Just give us a call.
Of course, Mr Tieben also advises entrepreneurs and company founders in the area of migration. There are many ways to set up a company in Germany. The foreigner does not even have to come to Germany for this purpose. With the Choosing and founding a company Mr Tieben can advise you in the same way as he can advise you on the Applying for and enforcing a residence permit.
The areas of law described in more detail above represent only a selection of the services provided by the law firm. Aliens law is an extremely complex area of law. Attorney Tieben advises you on all issues relating to immigration law. This also includes, for example, toleration, Fictitious certificateobligation to participate in the Integration coursespatial restrictions within the scope of the residence permit, etc. If you are not sure whether your case is suitable for the counselling expertise of the law firm, simply contact us and we will discuss together whether support is possible.
The German Right of asylum is enshrined as a fundamental right in Article 16a of the German Basic Law. If you wish to apply for asylum in Germany or have already applied for asylum, please contact us and we will endeavour to help you with your application or with the enforcement of your asylum application. Of course we can also Action for failure to act if the asylum procedure has already exceeded the appropriate length.
If you need advice on immigration law, please call us without obligation on 0221 – 80187670 or send us an email at or send an email to info@mth-partner.de info@mth-partner.de
Mr Helmer Tieben has been licensed as a lawyer since 2005. His work focuses on tenancy law, labour law and immigration law.
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