Once you have been living and working in Germany on a temporary residence permit for at least five years, uninterrupted, you are entitled to apply for permanent residence. As the name suggests, having permanent residence means you have the right to remain in Germany indefinitely and have free access to the labour market. Here's what you need to know about seeking permanent residence in Germany.
Becoming a permanent residence brings a number of major benefits. As someone with permanent residence in Germany, you can:
Although they are almost identical, there are actually two types of permanent residence permits in Germany. Your personal situation and travel requirements will determine which one is most suitable for you.
The settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) enables you to live and work in Germany for an unrestricted amount of time. It is available to anyone who has been living in Germany for five years on a temporary residence permit and fulfils other basic requirements. Certain categories of people (see below) may be able to obtain their settlement permits much sooner.
The qualifying conditions for the EU long-term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EU) are very similar to those for the settlement permit. The main difference is that this type of residence permit also gives the holder freedom of movement (and the right to temporary residence) within all European Union member states.
Anyone who wants to apply for a permanent residence permit in Germany needs to fulfil certain basic conditions:
Note that holders of a residence permit for the purpose of studying are not eligible to apply for a settlement permit. You must first complete your studies and apply for a workers’ residence permit before you can apply for permanent residency.
Years spent in Germany while studying do count towards your total, but only at a reduction of 50 percent. For instance, if you spend four years studying in Germany, it counts as two years towards the five needed to meet requirements.
If you belong to one of the following categories of people, you may be able to obtain your permanent residence permit in fewer than five years. Note that this only applies to the German settlement permit and not the permanent residence permit for the European Community.
If you are in possession of an EU Blue Card and fulfil all general requirements, you can receive a permanent residence permit after 27 months. You must have remained in employment and made contributions to the statutory pension scheme for the entirety of that period.
If you have sufficient knowledge of the German language (defined as being educated to level B1), you can receive the permanent residence permit after 21 months.
Skilled workers can receive a settlement permit after just three years if they have a residence permit for employment as a skilled worker (with vocational training or academic education), or a residence permit for employment as a researcher. The other requirements are they must have a job, have made contributions to pension insurance for 36 months, and have sufficient knowledge of the German language.
If you have completed your studies at a German university, you can apply for a permanent settlement permit after two years, provided you have a job related to your degree and hold a residence permit for employment as a skilled worker or as a researcher. As well as fulfilling the general requirements, you also need to have made contributions to the statutory pension scheme (or a comparable alternative) for at least 24 months and have reached level B1 in the German language.
If you are self-employed, you are entitled to a settlement permit after three years. To qualify, you must have a valid residence permit for self-employment and be able to prove that you have the financial stability to support yourself and your family members indefinitely.
Note that the German tax system legally distinguishes between freelance and commercial activities. Freelancers do not qualify for this reduced period.
If you work as a civil servant for a German public service employer, and you have life-long tenure, you can receive a settlement permit after just three years. In this case, you do not have to prove that you have made 60 months’ worth of pension contributions.
To submit your permanent settlement permit application, you will need an appointment at your local foreigners’ office (Ausländerbehörde). You can find your local office on the website for the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Depending on your location, it is not always possible to schedule this appointment in advance.
In some areas, such as Berlin, it is now possible to apply for permanent residence online. The required forms and documents are the same as listed below; you must simply upload copies onto the portal to submit your application. Once your application has been submitted, you will be invited to come in for an appointment at the Immigration Office.
You need to bring a completed application form with you to the appointment. This can usually be downloaded from your foreigners’ office’s website. Alternatively, the office will be able to give you a paper copy.
The documents you need for your permanent settlement application depends on your personal situation. Your foreigners’ office will be able to inform you of the exact requirements but the necessary paperwork usually includes:
At the appointment, an official will check over all your documents before submitting your application. As long as all the necessary conditions are met, your application will usually be successful and your permanent residence permit issued.
The foreigners’ office will write to you to let you know when the permit is ready for you to collect. If for any reason your application is unsuccessful, you will be informed in writing and be given the chance to lodge an appeal.
The cost of applying for a permanent settlement permit varies according to your professional circumstances. The fee for a general settlement permit is usually 113 euros. For self-employed workers it is 124 euros and highly-qualified people have to pay 147 euros.
If you leave Germany for a period of more than six months, your permanent settlement permit will expire. If you hold an EU permanent residence permit, it will expire after a 12-month stay outside the European Union. Certain exceptions to this rule apply - for instance if you previously held an EU Blue Card or have lived in Germany for at least 15 years. If in doubt, speak with your local immigration office.
Whilst having permanent residency status brings many advantages, it does not give you certain rights enjoyed by those who have German citizenship. For instance, a permanent settlement permit does not enable to you to vote in elections or have a German passport. If you have lived in Germany for more than five years (or less if you are very well integrated), you may choose to apply for German citizenship instead.