Permanent residence in Germany: when you can apply

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

A settlement permit has no end date and is not tied to an employer. You can change jobs, become self-employed or be out of work for a while without risking your right to stay. The waiting time depends on the permit you hold now.

Rules, amounts and deadlines change. Check the official source named at the end before you act, and ask the office in your city, because procedures differ from town to town.

Step by step

1. Find your waiting period

   General rule: five years. Skilled workers and researchers: three years with 36 months of pension contributions. EU Blue Card: 27 months, or 21 months if you can show German at level B1. Graduates of a German university or vocational training who hold a skilled worker permit: two years with 24 months of contributions.

   Done

2. Check your pension record

   The months that count are months with contributions to the statutory pension insurance. Ask the Deutsche Rentenversicherung for your record (Versicherungsverlauf). It is free.

   Done

3. Prove your German

   For the general rule and the three-year route you need level B1, shown with a recognised certificate. Blue Card holders on the 27-month route need only basic German.

   Done

4. Show that you can support yourself

   Your income must cover your family's living costs without help from the Jobcentre or the social welfare office. Child benefit and parental allowance do not count against you. The flat must be large enough for the household.

   Done

5. Show knowledge of life in Germany

   This is usually done with the test Leben in Deutschland at the end of an integration or orientation course. Blue Card holders and several other groups are exempt. Ask your immigration office.

   Done

6. Apply in writing at the immigration office

   Apply to the Ausländerbehörde of your town before your current permit expires. Typical documents: passport, work contract, the last three payslips and a current confirmation from the employer, proof of health insurance, the rental contract, language and course certificates, the pension record and three months of bank statements. A fee is charged.

   Done

Good to know

The settlement permit is valid in Germany only. A different permit, the EU long-term residence permit (Daueraufenthalt-EU), makes it easier to move on to another EU country. You can ask for it under similar conditions.

A settlement permit can lapse if you leave Germany for more than six months without an agreement with the immigration office. Ask before a long stay abroad.

Spouses of skilled workers can usually apply after three years.

Blue Card conditions and thresholds: EU Blue Card Germany 2026. The step after this is citizenship: German citizenship and keeping both passports.

In short: Five years in general, three for skilled workers, 27 or 21 months with a Blue Card, two for German graduates. Pension months, German, income, apply at the Ausländerbehörde.