Entry and residence - residence permit from another EU country

If you have a permanent residence permit in another EU country, you will receive a residence permit if you fulfil all the requirements.

Description

if you belong to a third country ( not the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland) and have the legal status of a long-term resident in another EU member state, you can apply for a residence permit to work in Germany within 90 days of entering the country. This does not apply if you previously lived in Denmark or Ireland.

  • You must have a residence permit that is issued with the designation "Daueraufenthalt-EG" or "Daueraufenthalt-EU" in the respective official language (see the list of requirements below):
  • You can only work once the employment agency has given its approval and you have the required residence permit.
  • The residence permit is tied to your employer for the first year.
  • In the first year, you need permission from the Foreigners Office if you want to change to a new employer.
  • The residence permit is initially issued for one year (12 months).
  • After one year, the residence permit authorises you to take up unrestricted employment.
  • After one year, you no longer require the approval of the Employment Agency.

Prerequisites

  • Registration of residence: You must first register your residence at the Citizens Office.

    You must be in possession of a residence permit labelled "Daueraufenthalt-EG" or "Daueraufenthalt-EU" in the relevant official language (see list below)

  • Application for a residence permit: After registering, you apply for your residence permit at the Foreigners Office. Please submit the application form and the required documents online or by post. After we have checked your application, you will receive an appointment for a personal interview.

  • you have a residence permit that is issued with the designation "Daueraufenthalt-EG" or "Daueraufenthalt-EU" in the respective official language:
    • Belgium: Permanent residence - EU
    • Belgium/Flanders: EU - long-term resident
    • Belgium Wallonia: resident de longue duree - CE / UE
    • Bulgaria: дългосрочно пребиваващ в ЕО, additionally: Long-term resident - EC or EU
    • Estonia: pikaajaline elanik - EU
    • Finland: pitkaan oleskelleen kolmannen maan kansalaisen EY- oleskelulupa or P-EU 2003/109-EU
    • France: carte de resident longue duree - Communaute Europeenne or carte de resident longue duree - UE
    • Greece: επί μακρόν διαμένων - ΕΚ; if applicable additionally: LONG-TERM RESIDENT-EC
    • Italy: soggiornante di lungo periodo - CE or UE
    • Croatia: osoba s dugotrajnim boravištem - EZ or osoba s dugotrajnim boravištem - EU
    • Latvia: pastvgi dzvojosa persona - ES or pastvgais iedzvotjs - ES
    • Lithuania: ilgalaikis gyventojas - EB
    • Luxembourg: resident de longue duree - UE
    • Malta: residenti gat-tul - KE or resident fit-tul - UE
    • Netherlands: EU - langdurig ingezetene
    • Austria: Permanent residence - EU
    • Poland: Pobyt rezydenta długoterminowego - UE
    • Portugal: residente CE de longa duracao
    • Romania: rezident pe termen lung - CE
    • Sweden: varaktigt bosatt inom EU or P-EG 2003/109/EC
    • Slovakia: dlhodoby pobyt - EU or OSOBA S DLHODOBYM POBYTOM - EU
    • Slovenia: rezident za daljši as - ES or rezident za daljši as - EU
    • Spain: Residente de larga duracion - CE or de larga duracion - UE Residencia
    • Czech Republic: povoleni k pobytu pro dlouhodob pobyvajiciho rezidenta - ES or Trvaly pobyt/Permanent residence 51 povoleni k pobytu pro dlouhodob pobyvaciciho rezidenta - EU or Trvaly Pobyt/Permanent Residence 69 Rezident - ES (other numbers also possible)
    • Hungary: huzamos tartozkodasi engedellyel rendelkez - EK
  • You have an employment contract in Germany.
  • Your livelihood is secured.

Required documents

Employees:

Please note:

Additional documents may be required in individual cases. If you wish to become self-employed or if, for example, you wish to undertake training or further education or study, other documents will be required. Please contact the Foreigners Office for more information.

Duration & Costs

Processing time

10 to 12 weeks

Fees

100 Euro

Legal basis

§ Section 38 a AufenthG

Landeshauptstadt München

Kreisverwaltungsreferat
Hauptabteilung II Bürgerangelegenheiten
Ausländerangelegenheiten

Phone

Postal address

Landeshauptstadt München
Kreisverwaltungsreferat
Hauptabteilung II Bürgerangelegenheiten
Ausländerangelegenheiten

Ruppertstraße 19
80466 München

Address

Ruppertstraße 19
80337 München

Lagehinweis: Eingang A

Monday 7.30 a.m. - 12 p.m
Tuesday 8.30 am - 12 noon and 2 pm - 6 pm
Wednesday by appointment only
Thursday 8.30 a.m. - 3 p.m
Friday 7.30 a.m. - 12 noon

By appointment only

Related services

EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit for skilled workers from abroad for academic employment.

Residence and work permit - non-EU citizens

If you come from a non-EU or non-EEA country and would like to work in Germany, you will need a residence and work permit.

Entry and residence - Selected countries

Regulations for nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the USA