Schengen overstay due to COVID-19 - need some advice

Question

before I begin, I would like to point out that I am a Canadian resident, not a citizen. So that I do not hold a Canadian passport, but only the greencard. Hence I had to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to Berlin.

My Schengen visa stays valid until January 16th, 2022. On Jan 15th I was supposed to get on a plane back to Canada (departs from Berlin and headed to Toronto) when I tested positive for COVID. Following the Canada's restriction, I have to quarantine myself for at least 10 days in Berlin before I can travel back home. I already sent a request via email to extend my visa for a force majeure reason to the B5 department, providing the reason for extension and my personal documents. The email replied the following:

Dear Mr. xxxx! Thank you for your message. You entered the country with a Canadian residence permit and not with a Schengen visa. Please contact the responsible department E 2 with your request. (Email address: [email protected] at Friedrich – Krause – Ufer 24 in 13353 Berlin)

I was a bit confused with the response, however I sent another email to the E2 department with the same content. So far haven't heard back from anyone, but here's the auto-response from it:

Dear Sir or Madam, thank you for your message. We will work on your request as fast as possible. You then will receive an answer. Please refrain from contacting us while your request is being processed. You applied for an extension of your permit of residence, Blue Card or visa for long term residence via e-mail? This e-mail will be classified as an application. Your residence title will be considered as lawful in Germany. This also applies to all conditions stipulated on your residence title. That means that you can continue to work or study in Germany so far. Please note in case you wish to travel abroad: you are not allowed to re-entry Germany.

Let's say, after 10 days of self-quarantine and I want to go back to Canada, but the officer (who is responsible for the extension process) has not replied to me, or for some reasons the extension process is not completed, am I subjected to the "overstaying-penalty" and gotta pay the fine for it? (based on the bolded text from the email I believe I don't have to?)

Answer 1

Thanks for all the comments above. I will answer for my own question. Here is what happened: The first officer was indeed confused about my Canadian greencard and was wrong to redirect me to the E2 Department (it's B5!). After sending another email to B5, I received the following document: the border crossing certificate (Grenzübertrittsbescheinigung (GÜB)) that I can use when exiting the country.

Their response:

Attached you will receive the border crossing certificate to present to the federal police at the airport when you leave the country. Since your visa has already expired, a visa extension is no longer possible.

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Note:

This certificate must be handed out to the German Border officials (Bundespolizei) upon exit from the Schengen Area

• it cannot be given to other Schengen Border Guards

If this is not possible, you must personally hand it over to a German consulate or embassy outside the Schengen Area. It is not sufficient to send it there by post.

The certificate will then be returned to the issuing authority.

• Border crossing certificate
  • Grenzübertrittsbescheinigung (GÜB) – Wikipedia
  • Allgemeine Verwaltungsvorschrift zum Aufenthaltsgesetz (PDF)
    • section 50.4.1.2 (page 321 of pdf)