§ 5 FreizügG/EU: Residence cards, certificate of permanent residence
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§ 5 FreizügG/EU: Residence Cards and Certificate of the Right of Permanent Residence
This section governs residence cards for family members of Union citizens. It also governs the certificate of the right of permanent residence.
Residence Card for Family Members (Paragraph 1)
Are you a family member of a Union citizen and not a Union citizen yourself? Do you have a right of free movement as a family member? Then you receive a residence card for family members of Union citizens.
The authority does this ex officio (automatically). This means: You do not have to apply for the card separately. You only have to provide the necessary information.
The authority must give you the card within six months. The six months are counted from the day you provided the information.
The card should generally be valid for five years. This means: Normally the card is valid for five years. Only in special exceptional cases can it be different.
In addition, you receive a certificate without undue delay. Without undue delay means: without delay, as quickly as possible. This certificate shows that you have provided the necessary information. You have a legal entitlement to this.
Review after Entry (Paragraph 2)
The competent immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) can require you to make your right of free movement credible. It can do this three months after your entry. This is a discretionary decision of the authority. It does not have to require it.
You can also submit the necessary information and evidence to the registration authority (Meldebehörde). This is possible when you register there (registration with the registration authority). The registration authority then forwards your information and evidence to the immigration authority.
The registration authority uses your information only for this one purpose. It does not process or use it beyond that.
Subsequent Review (Paragraph 3)
The authority can check whether your right of free movement exists or continues to exist. It can do this for a special reason, that is, for a particular cause. This, too, is a discretionary decision of the authority.
Loss of the Right and Confiscation of the Card (Paragraph 4)
Sometimes the requirements for your right of free movement cease to apply. This can happen within five years after the start of your permanent lawful residence. Or the requirements were not met from the beginning.
In these cases, the authority can establish the loss of your right. If you are a family member and not a Union citizen, the authority can additionally confiscate your residence card. This is a discretionary decision of the authority in each case.
For this case, the rules from § 4a paragraph 6 of this law also apply.
Right of Permanent Residence (Paragraph 5)
Are you a Union citizen with a right of permanent residence? Then you must apply for this at the authority. The authority must then certify your right of permanent residence without undue delay. This is a legal entitlement. The authority has no discretion here.
Do you have family members entitled to permanent residence who are not Union citizens? Then the authority must issue them a permanent residence card. This must happen within six months after the application is submitted.
Loss of the Right of Permanent Residence (Paragraph 6)
Do you lose your right of permanent residence under § 4a paragraph 7? Then the same applies as described in paragraph 4 sentence 1.
Residence Card for Close Persons (Paragraph 7)
Is the right under § 3a paragraph 1 granted to you? Are you a close person (nahestehende Person) and not a Union citizen? Then the competent authority must issue you a residence card for close persons.
This card should generally be valid for five years. This means: Normally it is valid for five years. Only in special exceptional cases can it be different.
As the holder of this right, you may work. This means: You may carry out gainful employment.
For the issuance, paragraph 5 sentence 2 applies accordingly. This means: The authority must issue you the card within six months of your application.
(1) Freizügigkeitsberechtigten Familienangehörigen, die nicht Unionsbürger sind, wird von Amts wegen innerhalb von sechs Monaten, nachdem sie die erforderlichen Angaben gemacht haben, eine Aufenthaltskarte für Familienangehörige von Unionsbürgern ausgestellt, die fünf Jahre gültig sein soll. Eine Bescheinigung darüber, dass die erforderlichen Angaben gemacht worden sind, erhält der Familienangehörige unverzüglich.
(2) Die zuständige Ausländerbehörde kann verlangen, dass die Voraussetzungen des Rechts nach § 2 Abs. 1 drei Monate nach der Einreise glaubhaft gemacht werden. Für die Glaubhaftmachung erforderliche Angaben und Nachweise können von der zuständigen Meldebehörde bei der meldebehördlichen Anmeldung entgegengenommen werden. Diese leitet die Angaben und Nachweise an die zuständige Ausländerbehörde weiter. Eine darüber hinausgehende Verarbeitung oder Nutzung durch die Meldebehörde erfolgt nicht.
(3) Das Vorliegen oder der Fortbestand der Voraussetzungen des Rechts nach § 2 Absatz 1 kann aus besonderem Anlass überprüft werden.
(4) Sind die Voraussetzungen des Rechts nach § 2 Abs. 1 innerhalb von fünf Jahren nach Begründung des ständigen rechtmäßigen Aufenthalts im Bundesgebiet entfallen oder liegen diese nicht vor, kann der Verlust des Rechts nach § 2 Abs. 1 festgestellt und bei Familienangehörigen, die nicht Unionsbürger sind, die Aufenthaltskarte eingezogen werden. § 4a Abs. 6 gilt entsprechend.
(5) Auf Antrag wird Unionsbürgern unverzüglich ihr Daueraufenthaltsrecht bescheinigt. Ihren daueraufenthaltsberechtigten Familienangehörigen, die nicht Unionsbürger sind, wird innerhalb von sechs Monaten nach Antragstellung eine Daueraufenthaltskarte ausgestellt.
(6) Für den Verlust des Daueraufenthaltsrechts nach § 4a Abs. 7 gilt Absatz 4 Satz 1 entsprechend.
(7) Bei Verleihung des Rechts nach § 3a Absatz 1 stellt die zuständige Behörde eine Aufenthaltskarte für nahestehende Personen, die nicht Unionsbürger sind, aus, die fünf Jahre gültig sein soll. Die Inhaber des Rechts dürfen eine Erwerbstätigkeit ausüben. Absatz 5 Satz 2 findet entsprechende Anwendung.
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