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Permanent residence in Germany: every route to a settlement permit and how long each takes

1 published version. Every version stays readable at its own address, and nothing is removed without a correction note.

  1. Version 1Current · created

    Record created.

    • Timeline added: The skilled-worker rules in force today come from the Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration, published in the Federal Law Gazette in August 2023.
    • Timeline added: BAMF's English guide to settling in Germany is dated March 2024. We checked its periods against the current text of the Residence Act.
    • Confirmed: Time out of work for childcare or caring for a relative at home is credited towards the 60 months of pension contributions.
    • Confirmed: For skilled workers who completed vocational training or a degree in Germany, the periods shrink to two years and 24 months of contributions.
    • Confirmed: Successful self-employed people who can support themselves and their dependants may get a settlement permit after three years.
    • Confirmed: Family members of a German national get a settlement permit after three years with a residence permit, if the family unit continues in Germany and they have sufficient German.
    • Confirmed: Foreign nationals who are tenured civil servants of a German public employer get a settlement permit after three years, without the 60-month pension requirement.
    • Confirmed: People granted asylum or refugee protection can get a settlement permit after five years, counting the asylum procedure, with German at level A2; with German at level C1 and largely self-supporting, after three years.
    • Confirmed: The EU long-term residence permit is also open-ended and lets the holder settle in another EU country under that country's rules. It normally requires five years with a residence title, regular income and German at level B1.
    • Confirmed: For the EU long-term residence permit, Blue Card holders can count time spent with a Blue Card in other EU countries, not only time in Germany.
    • Confirmed: A settlement permit is valid indefinitely and allows stays in other Schengen countries of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
    • Confirmed: The skilled-worker rules in force today come from the Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration, published in the Federal Law Gazette in August 2023.
    • Confirmed: BAMF's English guide to settling in Germany is dated March 2024. We checked its periods against the current text of the Residence Act.
    • Source added: § 9 AufenthG - Einzelnorm (Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice))
    • Source added: Settling in Germany (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF))
    • Source added: § 18c AufenthG - Einzelnorm (Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice))
    • Source added: The EU Blue Card (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF))
    • Source added: Mobilität mit Blauer Karte EU (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF))
    • Source added: Bundesgesetzblatt Teil I - Gesetz zur Weiterentwicklung der Fachkräfteeinwanderung - Bundesgesetzblatt (Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette))