Young people

If you received a residence permit for family reunification or for humanitarian reasons as a minor and have held a residence permit for five years, you can apply for a settlement permit.

Two options are available to you:

• Option 1: You have held the residence permit for five years by the time you reach your 16th birthday
• Option 2: You are already of age (at least 18 years old) and have held a residence permit for five years.

This page lists the requirements necessary to the granting of a settlement permit.

Settlement permit for minors (Requirements)

1. Holder of a residence permit for five years
   You must have held a residence permit for five years by the time you reach your 16th birthday.
   
   If this does not apply to you, please consult the following section entitled “Settlement permit for adults” for information on how to obtain a settlement permit.
    
2. Living expenses or school attendance
   You must cover your living expenses through earned income, i.e. through your work.
   
   This requirement may be waived if you are currently undergoing training leading to a recognised school-leaving certificate or vocational qualification, e.g. if you are currently completing a school-leaving certificate or are undergoing training.
    
3. Passport obligation
   You have a valid passport from your home country.
    
4. No criminal offences
   You must not commit any criminal offences in Germany. In this case, even fines may prevent the granting of a settlement permit.

Settlement permit for adults (Requirements)

1. Holder of a residence permit for five years
   You must have held a residence permit for five years and have been granted said residence permit when you were still a minor (under 18 years of age).
    
2. Sufficient knowledge of German
   You must have sufficient knowledge of German. This corresponds to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You can provide evidence of your German language skills by means of an appropriate certificate. Alternatively, your knowledge of German is also established if you have obtained a school leaving certificate (at least a secondary school leaving certificate).
    
3. Living expenses or school attendance
   You must cover your living expenses through earned income, i.e. through your work.
   
   This requirement may be waived if you are currently undergoing training leading to a recognised school-leaving certificate or vocational qualification, e.g. if you are currently completing a school-leaving certificate or are undergoing training.
    
4. Passport obligation
   You have a valid passport from your home country.
    
5. No criminal offences
   You must not commit any criminal offences in Germany. In this case, even fines may prevent the granting of a settlement permit.

 

All requirements must usually be met in order for a settlement permit to be granted.

Grounds for exclusion

The granting of a settlement permit is excluded if

• Grounds for deportation exist
  Grounds for deportation always exist if you have been convicted of at least one criminal offence. Here, it is irrelevant whether you have been sentenced to community service, a fine or imprisonment. Grounds for deportation may also exist if you give false information to the authorities, for example, in order to obtain an advantage.
• You have been convicted of a criminal offence
  The granting of a settlement permit is excluded if you have been sentenced to at least 90 daily fines in lieu of time in prison or a three-month prison sentence.
• Living expenses are not covered
  As described above, you must be able to cover your living expenses. This can be waived if you are attending school. However, if you do not attend school, the receipt of social welfare benefits constitutes grounds for refusal.

If one of these points applies to you, you will unfortunately not be granted a settlement permit.

Please bring the following with you…

If you would like to apply for a settlement permit, please bring the following documents with you (if we do not already have them):

• Your valid passport
• A current passport photo
• A completed application form
• Employment contract and current salary statements (if available) / certificate of school attendance and latest school report
• Tenancy agreement (and current rent certificate, if available)
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of German language skills at B1 level (if required)
• Fee: € 113,00 (if you are still a minor: € 55.00)

Further documents may be required in individual cases. If this applies to you, we will inform you accordingly.

Please note: An appointment is required to receive the settlement permit. Please send us an appointment request.