Settlement permit for former Germans

Description

A settlement permit is a residence permit of indefinite duration which allows you to live and work in Germany without any restrictions on time or location.

Former German nationals are entitled to a settlement permit if, at the time they lost their German citizenship, they had been habitually resident in Germany as German nationals for five years and the application for a settlement permit is submitted within six months of becoming aware of the loss of citizenship.

Application and appointment

You can submit your application and the required documents online:

• Please upload your documents as PDF files where possible.
• Once you have submitted your application, a confirmation message will appear on screen. You can save this as a PDF file for your records.
• This confirmation states that your current residence permit remains valid in Germany beyond its previous expiry date and that you may continue to work to the same extent as before (legal fiction).
• You can present this confirmation as proof to the authorities or at your place of work.
• Once your application has been assessed, you will be given an appointment.

Requirements

• You are registered in Munich.
• You have a recognised and valid passport.
• You have lost your German citizenship (for example, due to the acquisition of a foreign citizenship upon application or by renunciation).
• If you have lost your German citizenship, you have had your habitual residence as a German in Germany for five years.
• An application for a settlement permit was submitted within six months of becoming aware of the loss.
• Your livelihood is secured.
• You have adequate health insurance cover.
• You have no criminal record.

Required documents

• A fully completed application form
• A valid and recognised passport
• A recent biometric passport photograph, submitted digitally by a certified photography studio or chemist’s. Alternatively, you may use one of the photo terminals at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Centre for a fee.
• Proof of loss of German citizenship (for example: certificate of renunciation, certificate of discharge or decision by the citizenship authority)

• Proof of acquisition of foreign citizenship (extract from the civil register or certificate from the Consulate-General or Embassy)
• Proof of five years’ habitual residence as a German national within Germany – you can also apply for an extended registration certificate at the Citizens’ Bureau
• Proof of benefits such as parental allowance, child benefit, child supplement, childcare allowance, child-rearing allowance, or under the Advance Maintenance Payments Act may also be enclosed.
• Proof of monthly housing costs. Declaration regarding cohabitation. For rented accommodation: tenancy agreement and bank statements showing the rent amount, or a certificate of accommodation. For owner-occupied flats: purchase contract specifying the size of the flat in square metres, and proof of mortgage repayments and of the monthly housing allowance/service charge.

Proof of a secure livelihood

For employees:

• Payslips (earnings statements for the last three months)
• Confirmation of employment
• Declaration regarding means of support

For the self-employed/freelancers

• Proof of profit after tax (latest income tax assessment, current profit and loss account from your tax adviser, current business accounts)
• Proof of health insurance
• Business registration (if required under trade law)
• Certificate from the tax office (information on tax matters)
• Declaration regarding means of support

Note

• The documents submitted (such as proof of identity and language certificates) will be checked for authenticity. We will consistently report any forgeries to the police.
• ​ If we require any further documents, we will write to you.

Legal basis

§ Section 38 (1) AufenthG

§ 5 AufenthG