Permanent residence certificate - EU and EEA citizens

Course description

Visa procedures

EU/EEA citizens do not require a visa to enter the country.

After entry

You must first register your residence at the Citizens’ Office.

Application for a permanent residence permit

If you live here continuously and are entitled to freedom of movement, you automatically acquire the right to remain in Germany permanently after five years. The permanent residence certificate serves as proof of this.

The right to free movement applies to nationals of the following countries:

European Union (EU)

• Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus ​

as well as

European Economic Area (EEA)

• Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway​

You can submit your application for a long-term residence permit online.

• Please upload your documents as PDF files where possible
• Once you have submitted your application, a confirmation message will appear on screen. You can save this as a PDF file for your records
• Once your application has been assessed, you will be given an appointment.

Validity

The long-term residence certificate is valid indefinitely, but its validity is linked to that of your ID card or passport.

Application for a residence card or long-term residence card for family members of EU/EEA citizens

Visa procedure

If you are a national of a country outside the EU or the EEA and are a family member of a person entitled to freedom of movement, you will need a family reunification visa to enter the country.

Application

You can submit your application online.

• Please upload your documents as PDF files where possible.
• Once you have submitted your application, a confirmation message will appear on screen. You can save this as a PDF file for your records.
• This confirmation states that your current residence permit remains valid in Germany beyond its previous expiry date and that you may continue to work to the same extent as before.
• You can present this confirmation as proof to the authorities or at your place of work.
• Once your application has been assessed, you will be given an appointment.

Prerequisites

EU/EEA citizens:

• You are registered with your place of residence in the city of Munich.
• You are a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
• As an EU/EEA citizen, you have been living in Germany for at least five years without interruption and are authorised to move freely, or you are one of the exceptions listed below (see Questions & Answers).

Family members of EU/EEA citizens:

• You are registered with your place of residence in the city of Munich.
• Your family member is a citizen of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway
• You are authorised to move freely in Germany.

The right to freedom of movement applies in particular to

• Employees and trainees,
• Jobseekers (for up to six months),
• Established persons, self-employed persons,
• Self-employed providers of services without establishment,
• Recipients of services,
• Persons not in gainful employment with adequate health insurance cover and sufficient resources,
• Family members if they accompany or join the EU citizen,
• EU citizens and their family members with a permanent right of residence.

Required documents

EU/EEA citizens:

• Valid identity document (national ID card or national passport)
• Proof of periods of residence and exercised right to freedom of movement:
  • If you are gainfully employed: Waiting period information from the German pension insurance with insurance history, confirmation of employment and your last three salary statements
  • If you are self-employed: Income tax assessment notices, if possible for a consecutive period of five years or if no tax assessment notice is available yet: Net profit confirmation from the tax consultancy
  • For pensions: pension certificate
  • If sufficient means of subsistence without gainful employment: Proof of health insurance (insurance card or membership certificate) and sufficient means of subsistence (e.g. through assets or other income)

Family members of EU/EEA citizens

• For a residence card:
  • Valid passport or passport substitute
  • 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 Office for a fee.
  • Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
  • Birth certificate of your children (if necessary with apostille or legalisation endorsement), If no international/multilingual document is available: German, certified translation by a translator sworn in Germany.
  • spouse is an employee: Confirmation from employer about type and duration of current employment
  • Spouse is self-employed/freelance: Proof of profit after taxes (last income tax assessment, current profit and loss account from tax consultant) or business registration (if required by trade law)
• For a permanent residence card:
  • Valid passport or passport substitute
  • 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 Office for a fee.

Please note

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

Legal basis

§ Section 4a Freedom of Movement Act/EU
§ Section 2 (2) of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU
§ Section 5 (5) of the Freedom of Movement Act/EU