Why make an appointment?
Make an appointment to save yourself the stress of sorting things out last minute. To avoid queuing for several hours before the Ausländerbehörde opens, go online to book a Termin (appointment) or call the Bürgertelefon at 115 and flex your German skills with the operator on the line. Without an appointment, you risk running out of time to get approved for a visa/residence permit.
Make an appointment online
Check to see if the service you need is available at the Ausländerbehörde via their website. Then head over to the official site for appointments. After entering your information, you’ll be directed to a calendar that displays available spots. I’ve read that you’re not supposed to book an appointment more than 8 weeks in advance of your visa expiring, but that seems like an outdated rule. Given the state of competition for appointments, I’d take any appointment you can get.