Apply for settlement permit
If you already live in Germany and have a residence permit, you can apply for a permanent residence title, the settlement permit, under certain conditions.
You can find important information here:
Basic information
As a rule, the settlement permit is to be issued if you:
- have held a residence permit for five years,
- you have secured your own livelihood,
- you have made contributions to pension insurance for a total of five years,
- you have sufficient knowledge of the German language and basic knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in the Federal Republic.
Under certain legal conditions, the granting of a settlement permit is also possible earlier. This must be examined individually.
What documents do I need?
- Health insurance certificate
- valid passport
- completed application form
- 1 digital biometric passport photo
Further information on this can be found in the "Information sheet on the biometric passport photo from 01.05.2025" in the "eAT / electronic residence permit" service.
- Employment contract and payroll
of the last 3 months
- Proof of pension insurance contributions paid to date
- Rental agreement
Current rent and ancillary costs
