Permanent residence permits
Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)
Permanent residence permits
The settlement permit is an unlimited residence title and allows permanent residence and any gainful employment. It is usually issued after five years of legal residence. The most important prerequisites for obtaining a settlement permit are the forecast of a secure livelihood, sufficient contributions to pension insurance and knowledge of the German language and legal system (language skills B1 and naturalization test).
There are numerous special regulations:
- If you are married to a German citizen or are the parent of a minor German child, you can obtain a settlement permit after just three years.
- If your spouse is in possession of a settlement permit as a skilled worker and you are gainfully employed yourself, a shorter period of three years also applies.
- As a recognized refugee under the Geneva Refugee Convention, there are simplifications with regard to language skills, securing a livelihood and pension insurance contributions.
- If you are in possession of an EU Blue Card you can obtain a settlement permit after just 21 months (with B1 language skills) or after 27 months (with basic A1 language skills).
- For graduates of German universities or German vocational training who are employed as skilled workers, a period of 2 years applies (Section 18c (1) AufenthG).
- For skilled workers with recognized foreign vocational training, the time is reduced to 3 years.
The following overview shows the different conditions for granting in detail:
EU long term residence permit (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EU)
The EU long term residence permit (§ 9a AufenthG) is a residence title that is very similar to the settlement permit in terms of requirements and rights. However, it can only be issued after a lawful stay of five years.
The EU long term residence permit offers two significant advantages over the settlement permit, so it should be applied for as a priority:
- Onward migration to other EU countries: With a German EU long term residence permit, you can move on to other EU countries (except Ireland and Denmark) under certain conditions.
- More generous expiry regulations: For longer periods of absence from Germany, the title expires much later than a settlement permit.
Residence permit according to § 38a AufenthG – holder of a foreign EU long term residence permit
If you have an EU long term residence permit issued by another EU member state (e.g. Italian soggiornante di lungo periodo – UE), you are not allowed to reside or work in Germany permanently. However, you can apply for a German residence permit in accordance with § 38a AufenthG.
This will be granted if your livelihood is secured. In order to take up employment, the immigration authority must obtain the approval of the Federal Employment Agency, which is granted if the working conditions are in line with local standards – you will need a specific employment contract for this. A priority check no longer takes place.
As the holder of an EU long term residence permit from another member state, you can submit the application directly to the immigration authority after entering the country; a visa procedure is not required.
We will check whether you can obtain a settlement permit or EU long term residence permit and help you with the application.
