Permanent Residence-EU - Apply for a Permit

Related forms and processes

Prerequisite

• Your identity has been clarified and you fulfil the passport obligation.
  For the passport obligation, it is sufficient if you havea substitute identity card.
• You have been living in Germany for at least five years without interruption with a residence title.
• Your livelihood and that of your dependents is secured by fixed and regular income.
  This includes that you
  • are entitled to gainful employment and
  • You fulfil your tax obligations (certificate from your tax office).
• You are insured in the statutory health insurance scheme or have an unlimited or automatically renewing health insurance cover.
• You have paid contributions into the statutory pension insurance or into another pension scheme with comparable benefits.
• You have sufficient knowledge of German and basic knowledge of the German legal and social system.
• You have sufficient living space for yourself and your family.
• There is no interest in deportation or other reasons of public security or order that stand in the way of issuing the EU permanent residence permit.

Note: The minimum residence period of five years also includes:

• Periods during which you had another residence title but stayed abroad for professional reasons
  This period may not exceed six months. If you are abroad for a longer period of time, the Aliens' Registration Office may be able to grant you an exemption. However, you may not stay abroad for more than ten months for professional reasons within the minimum period of five years spend more than ten months abroad for professional reasons.
• up to four years in the following cases:
  You already had a settlement permit or a permanent residence permit-EU. This has only become invalid because you
  • you have left the EU, or
  • were granted long-term resident status in another EU member state.
• Periods during which you studied or completed vocational training in Germany
  You can have half of these credited.
• Periods during which you were entitled to freedom of movement.
• the period between the date of application for international protection and the date of issue of a residence title granted on the basis of the granting of international protection.

The following persons cannot be granted an EU permanent residence permit:

• Persons who have already been granted a comparable permit in another EU Member State
• Refugees, persons with a residence permit on humanitarian grounds and foreign nationals who have only applied for refugee status or subsidiary protection
• Persons staying in Germany for educational purposes or for other temporary purposes only
• Diplomats and other persons who enjoy a special legal status, in particular under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations

Note: If you cannot obtain a permit for permanent residence in the EU, this also applies to your family members who have joined you in Germany.

Responsible department

The foreigners authority is

• if you live in a city district or in a large district town: the city administration
• if you live in a town or municipality belonging to a district: the district administration office (Landratsamt)

Procedure

You must apply for a permit for permanent residence in the EU in writing to the competent immigration authority. The Aliens' Registration Office will then inform you of the result of its examination.

You will receive the residence title in the form of a cheque card with additional electronic functions.

You can find more information on this under"Apply for an electronic residence title (eAT)".

Deadlines

none

Required documents

• Proof of fulfilment of the passport obligation
• Proof that you have been living in Germany with a residence title for at least five years without interruption
• Proof of secure means of subsistence
• Proof of health insurance cover
• Proof of paid pension insurance contributions or payments to a comparable pension institution
• Proof of sufficient German language skills and basic knowledge of the German legal and social system
• Proof of sufficient living space for you and your family
• Proof that there is no interest in deportation or other reasons of public security or order that stand in the way of issuing the EU permanent residence permit

Costs

109,00 EUR

Miscellaneous

Pursuant to section 51, paragraph 9, sentence 1 of the Residence Act, the EU permanent residence permit expires in the following cases:

• The permit is revoked due to deception, threat or bribery.
• You are expelled or notified of a deportation order in accordance with section 58a of the Residence Act.
• You stay for a period of twelve consecutive months outside the territory in which the legal status of a long-term resident can be acquired;
  the period is 24 consecutive months in the case of
  • an alien previously in possession of an EU Blue Card, and
  • his or her family members who were in possession of certain residence permits.
• They stay outside the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany for a period of six years, or
• They acquire the legal status of a long-term resident in another EU Member State.

Appeal

Objection

Action before the administrative court

Legal basis

• §§ 9a 96 9c Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG) (Erlaubnis zum Daueraufenthalt-EG)
• § 51 Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG) (Beendigung der Rechtmäßigkeit des Aufenthalts; Fortgeltung der Beschränkungen)
• § 44a Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthV) (Gebühr)

Release note

The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Ministry of Justice Baden-Wuerttemberg released it on 18.08.2023. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.

In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.