Permanent residence in Germany is a document for permanent living in the country, which is provided to immigrants after fulfilling the norms for preliminary stay and accompanying requirements. The applicant first moves to the country with a residence of the immigration type (for example, family, work, student or entrepreneurial), reissues a residence permit until the census of sedentary life is observed, after which he can request a long-term resident card.

The status of a permanent resident of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in fact equates the owner in rights to local citizens, but without the possibility of participating in the state electoral process. In the future, the owner of a permanent residence permit can issue a German passport, also having fulfilled the norms for living and additional conditions. Germany is an EU country, so permanent residents of the state can travel to the Schengen area and the European Union without a visa, claim a similar status in other territories of the union.

A citizen of any of the European Union countries has the right to obtain a permanent place of residence in Germany without additional requirements. For many applicants, the opportunity to issue a second passport of an EU country within a year without studying a foreign language and demonstrating income level is relevant. Detailed information is provided by migration specialists Immigrantinlaw at a free consultation.

Advantages of the permanent residency status in Germany

The status of a permanent resident of the FRG is provided to the applicant indefinitely, unlike a residence permit, which requires regular renewal. The owner reissues only the permanent residence card itself, going through a simple documentary procedure without fulfilling any requirements and conditions. The presence of a permit for permanent residence is mandatory when subsequently obtaining German citizenship. Permanent residence in Germany gives a foreigner unlimited access to the local labor market and education, which is not always the case with the status of a temporary resident.

A permanent resident of the FRG receives the following advantages:

• official employment with decent wages (the average salary in Germany is about 2800 EUR per month after tax deduction);
• free access to the best European universities, whose diplomas are in demand all over the world;
• the right to service in private and state hospitals, reliable banking institutions on equal terms with German citizens;
• the prospect of subsequent naturalization and issuance of a European Union passport;
• visa-free travel to EU and Schengen countries within the “90 days of stay within six months” regime;
• the opportunity to reunite with family members for joint residence in Germany.

Ways to arrange permanent residence

The norms for granting resident status in Germany are regulated by the law “On the stay, employment and integration of foreigners in the federal territory” dated July 30, 2004. For the subsequent acquisition of a permanent residence permit, an immigrant should open a local residence permit, which can be reissued and taken into account in the census of sedentary life. Suitable residence permits are provided to foreigners for work, study, family and humanitarian circumstances, as well as to commercial workers, scientific employees and highly qualified specialists.

• Work.
  Those who sign an employment contract with a local company to provide services in a specialty on a permanent basis can move to Germany. The Federal Employment Agency admits applicants from abroad only to qualified work. Replacing a vacancy by a foreigner is possible if applicants from among local residents did not respond to the corresponding position. The applicant needs to confirm the due experience and education in the profession. A residence permit can also be obtained by seconded employees from abroad, representatives of a number of individual professions, for example, circus or theater artists, athletes, and coaches. A residence permit for seasonal work and domestic staff does not belong to the immigration type.
• Blue EU card.
  Foreign academic specialists who get a job in their specialty in Germany have access to a special type of residence permit - Blaue Karte EU. A foreigner needs to provide confirmation of the presence of university education and its recognition in Germany, sign an employment contract for a period of at least six months with an indication of a salary of not less than 45,300 EUR before tax deduction (41,041 EUR for deficit professions). The Blue EU card is also issued with the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. This immigration program is designed to attract highly qualified and in-demand specialists from abroad, for example, doctors, pharmacists, production managers, senior managers, educators, veterinarians. Owners of Blaue Karte EU can immediately move to Germany with children and a spouse, without waiting for the completion of the family reunification process, and have the right to accelerated (from a year and 9 months) obtaining the status of permanent residents.
• Education.
  Those who plan to take an educational course at local accredited higher educational institutions can immigrate to Germany. A student residence permit is provided to applicants who have means of subsistence, for example, ten thousand euros or more blocked on a local bank account. Minor foreigners must receive permission from their parents to move. A residence permit is also issued for professional education (for example, taking advanced training courses or internships), and participants in student exchange programs between states. This type of residence permit is counted in the period of residence necessary for acquiring a permanent resident card, only by 50%.
• Commercial activity.
  Staying in Germany is available to those who open a business in the country, plan to work as a self-employed person, owner of a startup, entrepreneur, head of their own company. Government representatives study the business plan provided by the foreigner to assess its interest for the economy and public of Germany. The applicant will also need to prove that he has sufficient financial resources for conducting commercial activities and providing for his own living. A residence permit for businessmen is provided after checking the applicant for reliability and legality of the funds invested in the project. If the business develops successfully, the immigrant can claim a permanent residence permit in Germany in an accelerated manner - already after 3 years after acquiring the first residence permit.
• Family reunification.
  Moving to a permanent place of residence in Germany is possible for close relatives of Germans, owners of local permanent residence or a residence permit of the immigration type. Suitable family members include husbands, wives and de facto partners, minor children not married. As an exception, immigration is possible for other applicants, for example, for pensioner parents of a German resident who are unable to take care of themselves. Registration of a permanent residence permit is available in this case on simplified conditions - to prove financial security, regular payment of taxes and the right to employment is necessary only for one of the spouses.
• Asylum.
  Asylum seekers or holders of international protection can become permanent residents of Germany. The status is issued for those who were forced to leave their native country for objective reasons, for example, they were sentenced to death, convicted for political reasons, or subjected to discrimination on racial, national, religious grounds. Requests for asylum are studied by migration and law enforcement agencies on an individual basis. The applicant needs to convince the competent authorities of the objectivity of his petition.
• Scientific activity.
  Germany welcomes foreigners who come under contract to conduct professional research. A foreign specialist can be invited by German accredited organizations, for example, licensed research institutes or higher educational institutions. An immigrant will need to confirm his specialty with a diploma and/or work book, as well as be financially secure for living in the state. In parallel with scientific activity, applicants can work as teachers in their profile.

Permanent residents of the FRG also have the rights of holders of passports of other European Union countries. Obtaining a second citizenship of an EU country simplifies moving to Germany. Immigrantinlaw specialists in jurisprudence conduct a detailed analysis of the pedigree of applicants and select the optimal immigration programs on an individual basis. Details at the consultation.

Requirements to the applicant for a permanent residence

The basic conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Germany are:

• compliance with the preliminary census of sedentary life for 5 years with a view to residence of the immigration type;
• the ability to independently provide for their living without resorting to social financial support;
• payment of taxes to the pension fund for at least a five-year consecutive period;
• absence in the biography of cases of violation of public safety and order;
• the right to official employment in the territory of the FRG;
• knowledge of the German language at a conversational level (B1 and above);
• successful passing of the integration test for knowledge of socio-cultural and legal norms of the country;
• the presence of sufficient living space for yourself and family members living in the same house.

The census of sedentary life is reduced for holders of the Blue EU card. Applicants can request a permanent residence permit in Germany 21–33 months after moving, depending on the level of proficiency in the state language. Also, the term of preliminary residence is reduced to 3 years for recognized refugees and spouses of local permanent residents.

Husbands and wives of Germans have the right to immediately issue German citizenship 36 months after moving, if the marriage was concluded at least 2 years ago. Also, a German passport is acquired by late resettlers and Jews, who do not need to first obtain a permanent place of residence in the state for this.

List of documents for obtaining a German permanent residence

To obtain permanent residence in Germany, an immigrant should prepare such a dossier:

• written application in free form;
• recent biometric photo 35 x 45 mm;
• valid travel passport;
• confirmation of income level;
• medical insurance policy;
• purchase or lease agreement for real estate indicating the living area;
• certificate of successful passing of the integration check;
• information from the pension insurance fund about tax deductions;
• receipt for payment of the state fee in the amount of 113 EUR.

Documents must be submitted to the representative office of the State Immigration Administration of the FRG. The applicant can send the dossier in advance in electronic form, after which he will receive a response with an invitation to submit a petition on a certain day. Documents issued abroad should be translated into German and notarized.

International law specialists Immigrantinlaw help with the correct preparation of the dossier for submission to the migration authorities of the FRG. The assigned lawyer forms the dossier, organizes the translation and certification of documents, checks them for compliance with the required norms.

Refusal to issue a permanent residence permit in Germany

The status of a permanent resident is not granted to applicants who have cases of law violation in their biography or those who are suspected of illegal actions threatening federal security. The petition is rejected in case of full or partial non-compliance with legal requirements. Most often, foreigners who submit an incomplete or incorrectly compiled dossier or provide false information about themselves are refused. You can increase the chances of approving a request by contacting professional lawyers Immigrantinlaw.

Rights and obligations of German permanent residence holders

A permanent resident of the FRG has the right to:

• work in any sector, except for government bodies;
• receiving education for themselves and their children;
• service in banks and hospitals;
• social benefits and aids;
• protection of civil rights;
• naturalization in the state.

A permanent resident of Germany is obliged to comply with the norms of local legislation, including the payment of taxes and support of social insurance.

Individual selection of immigration program

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Illegal stay

In the absence of a legal basis for being in the FRG, for example, after the expiration of the visa or residence permit, a foreign citizen must immediately leave the state territory. If the departure is not made voluntarily, the migrant is subject to deportation at his own expense. Expulsion from the country is usually accompanied by a ban on re-entry and stay in Germany, as well as in other territories of the European Union and the Schengen area for 5–10 years. In addition, the foreigner may be subject to fines, the amount of which is determined individually by migration authorities.

Reviews on obtaining permanent residence status

Immigrants who have moved to Germany inform in their reviews about complex bureaucratic procedures in the country. The German government puts forward serious requirements for those wishing to naturalize, including permanent employment with payment of taxes to the local treasury and studying the state language at a level not lower than average. Also, foreigners note the duration of consideration of each of the petitions for opening and reissuing a residence permit, the need to collect many documents from different instances.

An alternative way to move to Germany for permanent residence is by obtaining a passport of another European Union country. According to immigrant reviews, such a procedure takes a year and does not require special efforts, financial security, or thorough study of foreign languages from the applicant. Many foreigners get a second passport in Slovenia, Romania, or Bulgaria with the assistance of professionals in jurisprudence Immigrantinlaw, after which they legally move to Germany without additional requirements.

About the author

Diana Weber

Lawyer of international law

Diane Weber is an international law specialist with 10 years of legal practice experience. Her portfolio includes successful stories of citizenship in different European Union countries under simplified procedures. Diana provides detailed advice and helps many people to achieve their immigration goals in a short period of time, including resolving visa issues, assisting in obtaining residence permits and citizenship in the EU countries. In her blog, Diana Weber enjoys providing readers with detailed information about the features of most popular programs for obtaining a second passport.