If you lived in Germany for a few years, you can become a permanent resident.
Permanent residents can…
Why become a permanent resident
Permanent residence means more stability. It’s better than a residence permit because…
- It’s more flexible
It’s not tied to your income or occupation. You can change jobs, start a business or study. You don’t need permission from the Ausländerbehörde. - It’s permanent
You don’t need to renew it every 2 or 3 years. It does not expire if you lose your job. It only expires if you travel outside of Germany for a long time. - It’s more trusted
It’s easier to open a bank account, get a loan, get a mortgage, or find an apartment as a permanent resident.
You might also qualify for German citizenship. Citizenship is better than permanent residence.
Permanent residence requirements
Basic requirements
To become a permanent resident, you must…
There are more requirements, depending on your situation.
If you have a Blue Card
To become a permanent resident, you must also…
If you have a work visa
To become a permanent resident, you must also…
If you have a freelance visa
To become a permanent resident, you must also…
In Berlin, there should be no pension or language requirement.
If you don’t meet those requirements, follow the requirements for everybody else. In this case you will need a pension. It might be easier to apply for citizenship, because citizenship does not require a pension.
If you live with a German citizen
To become a permanent resident, you must also…
There is no pension requirement for the family of German citizens.
You can also become a citizen after 3 years.
If your spouse has a Blue Card or a work visa
To become a permanent resident, you must also…
Your spouse must…
If you have a student visa
You can’t become a permanent resident while on a student visa. Wait until you have a different residence permit like a Blue Card, a work visa or a freelance visa.
Your time as a student counts toward your PR, but it’s divided by half. For example, if you studied for 4 years, it counts as 2 years for your PR.
If you are a refugee or asylum seeker
To become a permanent resident, you must…
There is no pension requirement for refugees and asylum seekers.
For your children
To become a permanent resident, your child must…
If one parent is a German citizen, your child could get permanent residence in 3 years.
If you live with a German citizen
Everyone else
To become a permanent resident, you must…
If you live 5 years in Germany, you can also become a German citizen. Citizenship is usually better.
Pension requirements
To get a PR, you need savings for retirement. There are 4 ways to do this:
- Pay into the public pension system
If you are an employee, you automatically pay into the public pension system. If you worked for 60 months, you contributed for 60 months. If you are self-employed or unemployed, you probably don’t make public pension payments. To know how many pension payments you made, get a Versicherungsverlauf. - or use your spouse’s pension
If you are married, and your spouse has a valid pension, you can use their pension. For example, if your spouse has made 60 months of public pension payments, it’s enough. - or get a private pension
It must guarantee an income of at least 1,503.34€ per month for at least 12 years after you retire. It must include a pension in case of disability. - or have real estate or other investments
Stable income from your investments might replace a pension. There is no clear information about this.
In Berlin, you need a guaranteed pension. Stocks or money in your bank account are not enough. Investments that bring a stable income might be enough. There is no clear information about this.
If you are self-employed, you don’t pay for a public pension. Instead, you can…
- Make voluntary public pension payments
You can make the minimum contribution (100.07€ per month) until you have 60 months of pension contributions. To make voluntary contributions, fill form V0060. You can make retroactive payments for up to 1 year. - or join the Künstlersozialkasse
If you are a freelance artist, publicist or teacher, the KSK can pay half of your pension. It’s a cheaper way to get a pension. - or get a private pension
- or use your spouse’s pension
If you are a refugee or an asylum seeker, you don’t need a pension.
If you don’t have a pension, you can become a German citizen instead. There is no pension requirement for citizenship.
Permanent residence alternatives
Citizenship
If you can’t get permanent residence, you might still qualify for German citizenship.
To become a German citizen, you must…
Citizenship is better than permanent residence because…
- You get a German passport
- You can live and work in other EU countries without a residence permit
- You can’t lose your citizenship
- Your citizenship does not expire if you leave Germany for over 6 months
- You don’t need a pension to qualify
If your country does not allow dual citizenship, becoming a German citizen means losing your old citizenship. In this case, permanent residence might be a better option.
EU Permanent Residence
There are two types of permanent residence: German permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) and EU permanent residence (Daueraufenthalt-EU). They are almost the same.
EU permanent residence is a little better because…
- You can leave Germany for a longer period
German PR expires after 6 months outside of Germany. EU permanent residence expires after 12 to 24 months outside the EU, or 6 years in another EU country. - It’s easier to move to another EU country
With the EU PR, you can move to another country, then apply for a residence permit there. With the German PR, you might need to apply for a residence permit at the embassy in Germany, then move to that country.
You can only get a EU PR after 5 years in Germany. You can sometimes get a German PR faster.
The requirements and the application process are the same. If you qualify for the EU PR, you get the EU PR. Usually, if you lived in Germany for 5 years, you get the EU PR.
How to apply in Berlin
Need help? An immigration lawyer or a relocation consultant can take care of everything. It costs 500€ to 2,000€. It’s a tax-deductible expense.
In Berlin, it takes 4 to 10 months to get permanent residence. It took me 10 months in total. If you wait more than 3 months, you can sue the Ausländerbehörde for inaction, but it might not help.
1. Prepare your PR application
Before you apply for permanent residence, prepare your documents.
If you are self-employed, some documents must be prepared by a tax advisor. It can be hard to find a tax advisor. It can take a few weeks to prepare the documents.
2. Apply for PR
This is no Ausländerbehörde appointment for this. You must use the Ausländerbehörde contact form to send all the required documents, and wait for them to contact you. This can take a few months. You might not get a confirmation email.
When you use the contact form, choose the correct department. It could be a different department this time.
3. Wait
The Ausländerbehörde will process your application. It takes a few months to get a response. When I applied, it took 3 months.
When they reply, they might ask for more documents. If you can’t reply to their email, use the contact form to send documents.
When they have all the documents they need, they will give you an appointment. In the appointment invitation, they might ask for more documents. Bring those documents to your appointment.
Your current residence permit stays valid while you wait. If it expires, you don’t have to leave Germany. You can continue working, studying or freelancing like before. If you get a Fiktionsbescheinigung, you can travel with your expired residence permit.
If your residence permit expires soon
4. Go to your PR appointment
After you send your application, the Ausländerbehörde will email you. They will invite you for an appointment. The appointment could be a in few months. My appointment was 8 months after I sent my documents.
When you go to your appointment, bring…
The appointment takes around 15 minutes. They call your number on the screen, you meet your case worker, give your documents, and answer a few questions. They ask you questions in German about your height, your eye colour, and the size of your apartment.
What happens at the Ausländerbehörde
If they approve your permanent residence, you must pay the 37€ to 147€ fee. They will give you a plastic payment card. Bring it to the payment machine in the building, and pay the fee. The fee is tax-deductible, so keep the receipt. After you paid, you can go home.
They must print your permanent residence card. This takes 4 to 8 weeks weeks. You will get a second appointment to pick up the card. They do not mail the card to you.
You will get a document. It confirms that your permanent residence application was approved, that your card must be printed, and that your previous residence permit is still valid. This is not a valid travel document. It does not allow you to re-enter Germany. If your current residence permit has expired, you might need a Fiktionsbescheinigung to travel outside of Germany.
What happens after your appointment
5. Get your permanent residence card
Go to your second Ausländerbehörde appointment, and pick up your permanent residence card. Check if the information on your card is correct. The Ausländerbehörde sometimes makes mistakes.
You will also get a letter with the activation code for your eID. You need it to activate the eID function of your permanent residence card. This lets you use your permanent residence card to log into online government services.
Required documents
These are the required documents in Berlin. If you apply elsewhere, they require different documents. Check the website of the Ausländerbehörde where you apply.
When you apply online, use PDF files or photos. Don’t use word documents or other formats. If you have too many documents, merge them or make them smaller. You can also mail your documents, but it’s not better or faster.
When you go to your appointment, don’t bring the documents that you already sent. Only bring the documents that they ask for in your appointment confirmation. Print everything on A4 paper. Do not staple the pages together.
Required documents for everyone
If you receive social benefits like Kindergeld, Kinderzuschlag, Elterngeld, Betreuungsgeld and other social benefits, you must bring…
In Berlin, these documents are optional:
For employees
Required documents for Blue Card holders
Required documents for work visa holders
For self-employed people
Required documents for self-employed people
For spouses of German citizens
If you depend on your spouse’s income, bring…
Required documents for spouses
For refugees and asylum seekers
Required documents for refugees and asylum seekers
For children
Required documents for children
After you get your PR
Activate your eID
You can use your permanent residence card to log into online government services. If you pick up your card at the Ausländerbehörde, it should already be activated. Make sure it works before you really need it.
Travel as a permanent resident
With a PR, you can visit other Schengen area countries without a visa.
If you have German permanent residence, it expires after 6 months outside of Germany. If you have EU permanent residence, it expires after 12 to 24 months outside the EU, or 6 years in another EU country. To travel longer, you can get permission from the Ausländerbehörde.
Make a tax declaration
Your immigration expenses are tax-deductible, so keep all your receipts. Include them in your tax declaration. You will pay a little less income tax. If you hire a lawyer or a relocation consultant, their fee is also tax-deductible.
Renew your permanent residence
When you get a new passport, your permanent residence card becomes invalid. You are still a permanent resident, but you must get a new card.
To get a new card, get a Bürgeramt appointment, go in person, pay 67€, and wait a few weeks. You should get the card by post. The eID function might be deactivated on your new card. You might need another Bürgeramt appointment to activate it.
Need help?
An immigration lawyer or a relocation consultant can answer your questions. Some organisations can also help you for free.