Apply for a settlement permit (general)

How do you get a settlement permit in Germany?

Have you been living legally in Germany for at least 5 years and hold a residence permit? Then you have a right to a settlement permit – the authority must grant it to you if you meet all the requirements. It is unlimited and entitles you to any kind of gainful employment.

For the settlement permit you have to meet several requirements. You must be of legal age. Your livelihood must be secured by your own income. You may not receive Bürgergeld or social assistance, nor have a claim to it. You also need health insurance in Germany as well as at least 60 months of contributions to the statutory pension insurance. On top of that, you need sufficient German language skills at level B1 and basic knowledge of law and society in Germany. You must be registered with your main residence in Berlin and have sufficient living space. Previous convictions or ongoing criminal investigations can prevent your application.

There are important special rules and exceptions. If you are the spouse or registered partner of a person with a settlement permit under § 18c AufenthG, 3 years of residence permit are enough – provided you live together and you work at least 20 hours per week. You don't need to provide proof of pension contributions if you are already 67 years old, if you have a permanent illness or disability, or if you are in a recognised vocational training programme. In the case of a permanent illness, the proof of language skills, knowledge of society and secured livelihood is also waived – each requires a medical specialist's certificate. Spouses and registered partners may provide proof of income and pension contributions jointly.

Different requirements apply to certain groups of people: skilled workers, holders of an EU Blue Card, persons entitled to asylum, recognised refugees, persons entitled to subsidiary protection, family members of Germans, and children from age 16. You can find more information on the respective services in the section "Further information".

You submit your application online to the State Office for Immigration (Landesamt für Einwanderung). Use the Quick-Check beforehand to assess your chances. Have all documents ready as PDF files – individual files may be a maximum of 7 MB, with 100 MB in total. You must pay the processing fee before submitting. The Landesamt für Einwanderung will then review your application and contact you as soon as possible. If everything checks out, you'll get an in-person appointment. Be sure to save and print the application confirmation: it extends your current residence title until a decision is made – except in the case of a Schengen visa (C visa).