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Power of Attorney / Authorisation with the Directorate of Immigration

Power of attorney - Directorate of Immigration

The Directorate of Immigration is bound by the obligation of secrecy and is legally prohibited from granting access to data and information on the affairs of individuals except with their consent.

Persons who submitt an application to the Directorate of Immigration may empower another person to represent them as their agent before the Directorate.

You can grant power of attorney by filling out the form on this page. Applicants for a residence permit can also grant power of attorney through the application form.

Who can be an agent

An agent must be 18 years or older.

Note that spouses of applicants are not automatically agents. They need to be authorized in writing as agents to obtain information from the Directorate of Immigration.

An applicant can only have one agent at a time.

To obtain information from the Directorate of Immigration, the agent must be registered with the Directorate of Immigration according to an application or power of attorney.

Power of attorney may be granted to

  • a lawyer,

  • a law firm or

  • a law firm and a specific lawyer on behalf of the firm.

The Directorate of Immigration may communicate and provide documents to lawyers/employees in the same law firm as the person with the power of attorney, if the person is in possession of the power of attorney and the document also applies to the law firm.

Other legal entities that can be granted power of attorney include municipalities' social services.

When a legal entity is granted power of attorney, it is important to register the ID number and e-mail address of the legal entity on the form.

Agents' powers

Agents have the powers set out in the power of attorney. They can, for example, be empowered to

  • receive documents,

  • receive information from the Directorate of Immigration, including on the status of an application,

  • lodge an appeal with the Immigration Appeals Board.

Limitations on the powers of agents

Agents may not sign an application on the applicant's behalf.

Agents may not delegate their authority. They may not empower another party to represent the applicant. Applicants must change their agents themselves.

Requirements for agents

Powers of attorney must be given in writing. They must be clear and understandable.

A power of attorney must be signed by applicants and two witnesses, these are individuals who confirm the correct signature of applicant with their signatures. Lawyers and legal entities are authorized to submit a power of attorney certified by one witness.

If power of attorney is granted in a different way than with the Directorate of Immigration's form, please make sure that it contains:

  1. Information on the applicant granting power of attorney.

    • Name, date of birth/ID number, telephone number and e-mail address.

  2. Information on the agent granted power of attorney.

    • Name of the agent, date of birth/ID number, address, telephone number and e-mail address.

  3. A security number.

    • The security number is a four-digit number used for identification at the Directorate of Immigration. Choose a number that does not include a part of the date of birth/ID number and is not too easy to guess, for example 1234 or 4321.

  4. Information on the powers granted to the agent.

    • For example, “The agent is authorized to represent me fully in relation to the Directorate of Immigration.”

  5. Information on the duration of the authorisation.

  6. The signature of the person granting power of attorney.

  7. The signatures of two witnesses to the applicant’s signature.

Power of attorney - Directorate of Immigration