German · Ausländerbehörde
You ask how long processing will take: what to say in German
You ask how long processing will take.
💡
How it's done. The office usually does not give exact dates: ask for a rough time (ungefähr) and how to check the status (phone, email).Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Wie lange dauert die Bearbeitung ungefähr?
Vee LAHN-geh DOW-ehrt dee beh-AHR-bigh-toong OON-geh-fehr?
Roughly how long does the processing take?
Or say:Wie lange dauert es, bis mein Antrag bearbeitet ist?
Vee LAHN-geh DOW-ehrt es, bees mighn AHN-truhk beh-AHR-bigh-tet eest?
THEY SAY
Das dauert etwa vier bis sechs Wochen.Dahs DOW-ehrt EH-tvuh feer bees zeks VOH-khayn.
That takes about four to six weeks.
They might also say:
Das kann ich nicht genau sagen. Meistens vier bis sechs Wochen.
Dahs kahn eekh neekht geh-NOW ZAH-gayn. MIGHS-tayns feer bees zeks VOH-khayn.
I can't say exactly. Usually four to six weeks.
2
YOU FINISH
Wie erfahre ich, wenn er fertig ist?
Vee ehr-FAH-reh eekh, vayn ehr FEHR-teekh eest?
How will I find out when it's finished?
THEY SAY
Wir schicken Ihnen einen Brief.Veer SHEE-kayn EE-nayn IGH-nayn breef.
We will send you a letter.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Wie
Vee
adverb
how
lange
LAHN-geh
adverb
for a long time
dauert
DOW-ehrt
verb
lasts
Bearbeitung
beh-AHR-bigh-toong
noun
processing
ungefähr
OON-geh-fehr
adverb
approximately
etwa
EH-tvuh
adverb
about, approximately
17 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
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