Realistic timelines are the difference between a smooth landing and months of limbo, and the honest rule is: whatever you expect, add a buffer. Broad patterns hold across countries even though specifics vary. Residence registration at a municipality is usually the quick one, done same-day or within days, though getting the appointment can take weeks in busy cities. Residence permits and ID cards for foreigners commonly run from several weeks to a few months from application to card in hand, with big-city backlogs stretching things further. Work and long-stay visas processed through consulates range from a couple of weeks to several months depending on country and category. Business licenses span everything from days in famously efficient jurisdictions to months where multiple agencies must sign off.
The hidden time sinks are rarely the process itself: document legalization and apostilles from your home country, certified translations, police clearances and appointment scarcity often add more delay than the official processing, and they compound because each expires while you wait for another.
So work backwards generously: begin gathering home-country documents two to three months before any application, book appointments the moment booking opens, and never let a current permit approach expiry before filing its renewal, since filing on time typically preserves your legal status while processing drags. Official websites publish current processing estimates, and local expat forums report the real ones.