Settlement permit

Course description

The settlement permit is an unlimited residence title that allows you to live and work in Germany without any time or place restrictions. You will usually receive the settlement permit after a five-year stay in Germany.

Registering your place of residence

You must first register your main place of residence in Munich at the Citizens Office.

Application and appointment

Please submit the application form and the required documents online or by post. After submitting your online application, you can download a completed document as a PDF for your records. The document will confirm your application and the authorisation/continuation of your previous residence. Once we have checked your application, you will receive an appointment for a personal interview.

Prerequisites

• You have been living in Germany for five years on a residence permit (half of any previous periods spent studying or in training are taken into account).
• You hold a valid residence permit that was not issued for a temporary purpose (such as study or training).
• You have sufficient means of support.
• You have adequate health insurance.
• You have adequate pension provision (at least 60 months of compulsory or voluntary contributions to the statutory pension scheme or equivalent benefits).
• You have sufficient living space for yourself and your family members.
• You have sufficient knowledge of German (level B1) and a basic understanding of the legal and social system in Germany.
• You have no criminal record.

Please note that you cannot apply for a settlement permit if you hold a residence permit under Section 24 of the Residence Act (temporary protection).

Different requirements apply to the following types of residence:

• Skilled workers
• EU Blue Card
• Highly qualified professionals
• Civil servants
• Recognised asylum seekers, refugees and resettled refugees
• Reasons under international law, humanitarian or political grounds
• Children aged 16 and over
• Family members of German nationals
• Separated spouses of foreign nationals with permanent residence permits
• Former German nationals

Required documents

• Fully completed application for a permanent residence permit
• Valid passport or passport replacement
• current biometric passport photo submitted digitally by a certified photo studio or drugstore. Alternatively, you can use one of the photo terminals at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Centre for a fee.

Proof of a secure livelihood and living space:

In the case of family cohabitation in a marriage or registered civil partnership, proof of livelihood and pension provision can also be provided by the spouse or civil partner.

For employees

• Pay slips (certificates of earnings for the last three months)
• Confirmation of the employment relationship
• Declaration of livelihood

For self-employed/freelancers

• Proof of profit after tax (last income tax assessment, current profit and loss account from tax advisor)
• Proof of health insurance
• Business registration (if required under trade law)
• Certificate from the tax office (information on tax matters)
• Declaration of livelihood

Proof of benefits such as parental allowance, child benefit, child supplement, childcare allowance and maintenance can also be enclosed.

Proof of sufficient pension provision:

• Waiting period information from the German Pension Insurance (at least 60 months of compulsory or voluntary contributions to statutory pension insurance). Information on the waiting period information can also be obtained from the municipal insurance office in the district administration department.

or

• Proof of entitlement to comparable benefits from an insurance or pension institution or an insurance company.

Proof of sufficient living space:

• Declaration of domestic community
• For rented flats: Tenancy agreement stating the size of the flat in square metres and account statements showing the amount of rent

or

• Housing certificate

or

• For owner-occupied flats: Purchase contract stating the size of the flat in square metres and, if applicable, proof of instalment payments for loans and monthly housing benefit/house allowance.

Proof of sufficient knowledge of German and basic knowledge of the legal and social system in Germany:

• Language certificate confirming sufficient knowledge of German (B1) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and certificate of completion of the "Living in Germany" test

or

• A domestic school, training or university degree, provided you have completed this in German.

Please note

• The documents submitted (such as proof of identity and language certificates) will be checked for authenticity. We will report any forgeries to the police.
• Further documents may be required in individual cases.

Legal basis

§ Section 9 Residence Act