EU permanent residence permit

The EU permanent residence permit is a special form of settlement permit. With an EU permanent residence permit, you also have the option of obtaining a residence permit in other EU countries. You can then - under certain conditions - also live and work in another EU country. The EU permanent residence permit is unlimited. You can also apply for it in addition to a settlement permit. With a permanent residence permit, you may stay in another EU country for up to 90 days. However, you are not allowed to live or work there. You can find out more about the settlement permit in our chapter"Settlement permit".

Please note:On July 7, 2023, a new law was passed regarding the immigration of skilled workers to Germany. It contains numerous changes and innovations as well as simplifications to make Germany more attractive for skilled workers. It is not yet clear exactly when the various changes and innovations will be introduced. When the time comes, we will publish updates on our website. We recommend that you visit our website regularly to stay well informed.

If you have any further questions, you can also contact our community platform "Together in Germany", our community managers will be happy to answer your questions!

What do I need to know?

Can I apply for an EU permanent residence permit?

In order to obtain an EU permanent residence permit, you must meet the following requirements:

You must currently and permanently earn your own living. This means that you must not receive any money from the job center or social welfare office.
You must speak German at level B1 and provide proof of this.
You must have sufficient living space for yourself and your family. The size of an apartment varies from state to state. Ask your case worker at the immigration office or an advice center.
You must have successfully completed the orientation course. The orientation course is part of the integration course. You will learn about German society and history.
You must not have committed any major criminal offenses.
You must have held your residence permit for at least five years. If you are a person entitled to asylum, a recognized refugee or a person entitled to subsidiary protection, the time that your asylum procedure has lasted will be included.

Important: If you have a residence permit based on a national ban on deportation, you cannot obtain an EU permanent residence permit.

How do I apply for an EU permanent residence permit?

You first apply for an EU permanent residence permit at the immigration authority responsible for you. To do this, proceed as described in the section "Where do I apply for a settlement permit?" in the chapter"Settlement permit". You must then apply for a residence permit in the EU country of your choice. You will find out how to do this in the following sections.

What requirements must I meet in order to obtain a residence permit in another EU country?

If you have an EU permanent residence permit and would like to live in another EU country, you must submit an application to the foreigners authority there. In order to obtain a residence permit in this other EU country on the basis of your EU permanent residence permit, you must generally meet the following requirements:

You must have an EU permanent residence permit.
You must not receive any state benefits to secure your livelihood.
As a rule, you must present an employment contract or similar from your future employer or a certificate of enrollment from your future university or similar documents.
You must have health insurance.

If the local immigration authority in the new country approves your application, you will usually have to submit a further application to the local employment agency in the new country, which must issue you with a work permit for that country.

Please note: Denmark and Ireland have not implemented the relevant EU directive. This means that you cannot apply for a residence permit in these countries on the basis of your EU permanent residence permit.

Can I lose my EU permanent residence permit?

Yes, you can lose your EU permanent residence permit if one of the following situations applies:

Your EU permanent residence permit can be revoked if you have obtained it on the basis of false information.
If you are a threat to public safety and order, you may be deported. In this case, you will also lose your EU permanent residence permit.
If you stay outside the EU or in Denmark and Ireland for longer than twelve months, you will generally lose your EU permanent residence permit.
If you have not resided in Germany for more than six years, you will generally lose your EU long-term residence permit.
If you acquire a long-term residence permit in another EU country, you will lose your EU permanent residence permit
If you have an EU long-term residence permit as a recognized refugee, person entitled to asylum or person entitled to subsidiary protection and travel to your home country, your refugee/asylum recognition or protection status may be revoked. If your recognition is revoked, the immigration authority has two options: 1. it can also revoke your EU permanent residence permit 2. it can leave your permit in place. This is usually done if you have been in Germany / the EU for a long time, have a job and do not receive any benefits from the job center or social welfare office and if you are well integrated linguistically. Your foreigners authority alone can decide which of the two options to choose. (§52 I AufenthG)

Important

The EU permanent residence permit is generally not the only way to obtain a right of residence in another EU country. Qualified workers can often also obtain other residence permits. Enquire at advice centers and authorities in the country of your choice. For Germany, you can also find a lot of information on this in our "Migration" section.

If you meet the requirements such as earning your own living, speaking German at level B1, having sufficient living space, completing the orientation course, and not having committed major criminal offenses after holding your residence permit for at least five years, you can apply for an EU permanent residence permit. With an EU permanent residence permit, you can also apply for a residence permit in other EU countries under certain conditions, allowing you to live and work there permanently.

Source: handbookgermany.de