In Germany, lawyers can charge according to the statutory scale set by law, the Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz (RVG). These are the standard rates. They are transparent, predictable, and the same at any lawyer who charges them. Through Drift, immigration lawyer Daniel Weber works at these statutory rates.
Every figure on this page is a starting figure for a standard case, including VAT. Additional fees can apply if your case needs significantly more work.
Consultation
A consultation with Daniel costs €150. By law, a first consultation for a consumer cannot exceed €190 plus VAT, and a further consultation cannot exceed €250 plus VAT.
If your application is already submitted
If your application is already with the authority and you want someone to chase it, Daniel offers a consultation plus following up on the submitted application for €300.
What it costs to have your case handled
Starting fees for a lawyer to handle your case before an authority, such as the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) or the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Figures include VAT and are for a standard case.
Case type | From (incl. VAT) |
Residence permit (work, study, family, and similar) | a little over €500, per person |
Settlement permit / permanent residence | a little over €500 |
Family reunification | a little over €500 per person |
Citizenship (naturalisation) | about €975 |
Asylum | a little over €500 |
When additional fees apply
The figures above cover a standard case. Additional fees can apply where the scope is significantly larger, for example:
Each extra family member, because the fee is counted per person
If your case goes to the administrative court, for example after a refusal. There is a separate statutory fee for the court stage, similar in size to the fee above
An oral hearing at court, which carries its own fee
Court fees, which are charged by the court and are separate from the lawyer's fee
Daniel confirms the exact fee for your case before taking it on, so you know the number before you commit.
Why the amounts differ by case type
You do not pay for the "value" of your case, but the fee is worked out from it. The law assigns each type of case a set value and converts it into the fee using a fixed table. That is why a naturalisation case, which has a higher assigned value, costs more than a residence permit. You never pay the value itself, only the fee shown.
Good to know
These fees are fixed by law, so they are the same at any lawyer charging the statutory rate.
In some cases where you win, part of your costs may be recoverable.
For fixed pricing agreed in advance, Drift also works with immigration lawyer Eva Witt. See Pricing: consultations and legal services.
This is general information based on publicly available sources. It is not legal advice and it does not assess your individual case.
Sources:
Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz (RVG) §34, §13 and §30, and the fee table (Anlage 2, in force since June 2025) — gesetze-im-internet.de/rvg
Streitwertkatalog für die Verwaltungsgerichtsbarkeit and §52 GKG (standard values per case type)