Residence permits are usually issued in credit card format with additional electronic functions as an electronic residence permit/eAT. Once a decision has been made to issue a residence permit, usually when you visit the Migration Office, the Migration Office will apply to the Bundesdruckerei (Federal Printing Office) in Berlin to produce the eAT. Once the eAT has been completed, the Bundesdruckerei sends the eAT to the Migration Office.
This results in waiting times of currently approx. 4 weeks. The Migration Office is therefore unable to issue residence permits directly upon application. Once the electronic residence permit has been received by the Migration Office from Bundesdruckerei, we will send you the eAT by post.
Further information on the eAT can be found in the brochure "Der elektronische Aufenthaltstitel" from the BAMF. You will find the link to the brochure under "Further information" - "BAMF brochure / The electronic residence permit".