German immigration law: Requirements for obtaining a permanent settlement permit in Germany

Third-country nationals (non-EU) who want to live and work in Germany long-term often have a clear goal: to obtain a permanent residence permit Settlement permit. It creates legal stability, reduces the pressure to extend and provide evidence and in many cases opens up better options when changing employer, financing plans or family planning.

This article gives a legally sound and at the same time readable overview on the current legal requirements (as at 19 December 2025) - both for potential clients and for colleagues in legal practice.

1 What is a settlement permit - and what is it needed for in practice?

The Settlement permit is a Permanent residence permit. It is not „automatically“ associated with every stay, but must be requested and from the foreigners authority issued be made. Legally important: ancillary provisions are only permitted where expressly authorised by law.

Typical practical advantages:

• Permanent status instead of recurring extensions of the residence permit

• often More flexibility for career changes (depending on previous title)

• frequently Better plannability for loans/property, change of employer, family reunification

• Less dependence on individual residence permit purposes (studies, specific employment, etc.)

Delimitation (short):

• Residence permittemporary, earmarked (e.g. employment, education, family).

• Settlement permitunlimited, more „decoupled“ from the purpose of residence.

• EU permanent residence permit (Section 9a AufenthG)also open-ended, with additional EU mobility reference; not identical, but comparable in many respects.

2. the standard case according to § 9 AufenthG: Requirements and evidence

The „classic“ route to a settlement permit is § 9 AufenthG. The requirements are regulated there as a catalogue. In practice, applications rarely fail due to „one big problem“, but often due to Verification details (insurance histories, gaps, incorrect certificates, unexplained periods).

2.1 The nine core requirements in accordance with Section 9 (2) sentence 1 AufenthG

A settlement permit must be issued if the following points are met, among others:

1. Five years possession of a residence permit
   In principle, the previous period of residence with a residence permit is decisive; see below for details on crediting.

2. Secure livelihood
   The livelihood is considered secure if it including adequate health insurance cover can be met without recourse to public funds. Certain benefits are not considered harmful utilisation (e.g. child benefit, child supplement, parental allowance - the exact classification must be carefully examined in each individual case).

3. 60 months pension insurance periods / comparable provision
   At least 60 months of compulsory or voluntary contributions to statutory pension insurance or equivalent entitlements are required. Periods of childcare or home care are taken into account accordingly in accordance with the law.

4. No conflicting reasons of public safety or order
   In contrast to „rigid penalty limits“, the standard works with a Overall assessment (severity/type of offence, danger, length of stay, ties in Germany). In counselling practice, this is often decisive, what has happened, when it happened and like the authority recognises.

5. Employment permitted (if employee)
   What is meant is not „any job“, but the legal admissibility of gainful employment in the specific status.

6. Other authorisations required for permanent gainful employment
   Relevant e.g. for regulated professions (licence to practise/professional authorisation).

7. Sufficient knowledge of the German language
   „Sufficient“ corresponds to the legal level B1.

8. Basic knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions
   Often proven via integration course/„Living in Germany“.

9. Sufficient living space
   The question of living space is often less of a „square metre maths“ than a verifiable, legally secured Housing status (tenancy agreement, household size, actual use). The term „sufficient living space“ is defined in more detail by law.

2.2 Practical verification checklist (not exhaustive)

Typically, the foreigners authority (depending on the municipality and case) requires, among other things

• Passport/passport replacement, current residence permit

• Registration certificate, tenancy agreement/landlord's confirmation

• Proof of income (payslips), employment contract, employer's certificate if applicable

• Proof of health insurance

• Pension insurance history/proof of contributions (DRV)

• Language certificate (B1) or proof of integration course

• Proof of „Living in Germany“ / integration course completion (depending on the constellation)

• for self-employed persons: tax assessments, BWA, profit calculations, health insurance, pension schemes, etc.

3. exceptions and facilitations within the framework of § 9 AufenthG

§ Section 9 AufenthG not only contains requirements, but also Facilitations and exemptions, which are often decisive in practice.

3.1 Language & „Living in Germany“: Integration course as key evidence

The language (No. 7) and basic knowledge (No. 8) requirements are deemed to have been met if a Integration course successfully completed was created. This is practically important because two requirements can be secured in one step.

3.2 Waiver of requirements in the event of illness/disability - and to avoid undue hardship

The law allows the language and basic knowledge requirements to be waived if they are not met due to physical, mental or psychological illness or disability cannot be fulfilled. In addition, „incidentally“ can be used to Avoidance of hardness The prerequisites must be disregarded - proper argumentation and documentation are crucial here.

3.3 „Simple oral communication“ as a special constellation

Furthermore, language/basic knowledge may be waived if the person communicate verbally in a simple way and neither entitlement to participation There was still an integration course Commitment was available for participation. This constellation is rather rare in practice, but highly relevant if it fits.

3.4 Spouse regulation (Section 9 (3) AufenthG)

In the case of spouses living in a marital partnership, it is sufficient if certain requirements (in particular pension insurance periods and work-related authorisations) are met. by a spouse be fulfilled. In addition, the pension insurance requirement can be waived if the applicant is undergoing training leading to a recognised qualification.

3.5 Recognition of periods (Section 9 (4) AufenthG)

Crediting rules are important for the 5-year pre-stay period, e.g:

• Previous periods with a residence permit/settlement permit can be taken into account (with caps depending on the case).

• Certain stays abroad are recognised to a limited extent.

• Periods of legal residence for the purpose of studying or vocational training are half credited.

Especially with „patchwork biographies“ (studies → job → change of title → parental leave → change of employer), this is often the point at which legal processing „saves“ the application.

4 Accelerated path for skilled workers: Settlement permit in accordance with Section 18c (1) AufenthG

In addition to the standard case of § 9, there is a special case for independent, often faster Path via § 18c AufenthG.

4.1 Basic model: 3 years title + 36 months pension contributions + B1

A skilled worker receives a permanent residence permit if, among other things:

• for three years in possession of a residence permit according to §§ 18a, 18b, 18d or § 18g is,

• one Workplace which may be occupied by it in accordance with the requirements of the aforementioned standards,

• at least 36 months pension insurance contributions (or comparable expenses/expectancies),

• about sufficient knowledge of German has (B1),

• and also fulfils certain requirements from § 9 Para. 2 Sentence 1 (in particular livelihood, safety/order, employment permit, other permits, basic knowledge, living space).

The system is important: Section 18c (1) „draws on“ central elements from Section 9, but replaces the 5-year waiting period, for example, with 3 years and reduces the pension period to 36 months.

4.2 Even faster after domestic qualification: 2 years / 24 months

The deadlines are shortened:

• the 3-year period to 2 years and

• the 36-month pension period to 24 months,

if the specialist has a successfully completed vocational training in Germany or a degree programme in Germany has.

Practical tip: In this case, it is worthwhile preparing the training/study certificates (degree certificate, certificate of exmatriculation, recognition if applicable) and the subsequent continuity of employment.

5 EU Blue Card: Settlement permit in accordance with Section 18c (2) AufenthG (21 or 27 months)

For holders of the EU Blue Card there are particularly practical time corridors:

5.1 Standard period: 27 months of employment + contributions + A1

A settlement permit must be issued if

• at least 27 months employment pursuant to § 18g was exercised,

• pension contributions (or comparable entitlements) can be proven for this period,

• central requirements from § 9 para. 2 sentence 1 are fulfilled (including livelihood, safety/order, employment permit, basic knowledge, living space),

• and basic knowledge of German are available (A1).

5.2 Acceleration: 21 months for B1

The deadline is shortened to 21 months, when Sufficient knowledge of German (B1) can be proven.

Typical stumbling blocks from practice:

• Change of period due to change of employer/position (is the employment still „in accordance with Section 18g“?)

• Gaps in contributions (DRV history does not match the claimed period of employment)

• Unclear distinction between „A1 is sufficient“ (27 months) and „B1 brings acceleration“ (21 months) - especially in mixed cases with partial certificates or outdated certificates

6. special constellations, demarcation from Sec. 19 AufenthG and procedural practice

6.1 „Highly qualified persons“ in special cases: Section 18c (3) AufenthG

§ Section 18c (3) opens for Highly qualified specialists with an academic education in special cases a path that is not linked to rigid prior residence periods. The settlement permit shall be granted if the assumption is justified that

• successful integration into the living conditions of the Federal Republic of Germany,

• their livelihood is secured without state assistance,

• and there are no conflicting reasons in terms of public safety/order (in accordance with Section 9 (2) sentence 1 no. 4).

„According to the legal definition, “highly qualified" means in particular (with several years of professional experience)

• Scientists with special expertise,

• Teachers or academic staff in a prominent position.

For colleagues: The wording of the standard is deliberately open („special cases“, prognosis decision). In practice, the quality of the documents is often decisive: expert opinions, project/publication lists, third-party funding, prominent function, remuneration system, strategic importance of the position.

6.2 Clarification: Section 19 AufenthG is (as of 19 December 2025) the ICT card, not „highly qualified persons“

In older descriptions, „§ 19 AufenthG“ appears as a pathway for highly qualified persons. According to the current legal situation However, § 19 AufenthG regulates the ICT card for employees transferred within the company (managers, specialists, trainees in group transfers). For the „highly qualified“ settlement permit, the following is decisive today § Section 18c (3) AufenthG.

This differentiation is important in counselling, because otherwise applications start with the wrong standard justification - and the authority (rightly) presses for a changeover.

6.3 Other common special routes (brief overview)

Depending on the circumstances, other legal abbreviations may be considered, e.g:

• Spouses of Germans: As a rule, settlement permit after 3 years with continued family cohabitation, without interest in deportation and with B1 (cf. Section 28 (2) AufenthG).

• Self-employment: Possibility of a settlement permit after 3 years successful self-employment with a secure livelihood and fulfilment of the security requirement (see Section 21 (4) Residence Act).

• Permanent residence-EU: Alternative with added EU mobility value (cf. Section 9a AufenthG).

Which option is „better“ rarely depends solely on deadlines, but often on the strategic objective (mobility, job change, family reunification, burden of proof, future planning).

6.4 Procedural practice: application, fictitious effect and timing

Section 81 AufenthG is central to procedural law:

• Residence permits are generally issued only on request issued.

• Anyone who is legally resident in Germany and applies for a residence permit can apply for a Fictional effect (depending on the initial situation).

• Particularly relevant: Who before expiry If the applicant applies for an extension of the current title or another title, the previous title may continue to apply until the decision is made (with important exceptions, such as in the case of Schengen visas).

Practical advice: Timing is not „just organisational“, but can determine legal residence, employability and travel options. In complex cases, a well-documented, deadline-compliant approach is therefore a core legal service.

Note: This article is general information (as of 19.12.2025) and does not replace individual case counselling. The assessment in residence law regularly depends on details (title history, insurance history, criminal offence/offence constellations, proof of integration, family constellation, local authority practice).