What does permanent residency mean in Germany in 2022?

If you obtain a permanent residency in Germany, you will be able to access many benefits. Germany provides two types of residence permits: the limited one is known as Aufenthaltserlaubnis, and the unlimited is Niederlassungserlaubnis. The limited one is valid for only a few years. You can, however, apply for its extension.

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The unlimited residence permit allows its holders to work and reside in Germany for as long as they wish. To acquire permanent residency, you are required to meet certain eligibility criteria.

Stay duration

You can apply for a PR permit if you have resided in Germany for at least five years. Individuals who work or study with a legal residence permit in Germany can apply for a PR visa.

Qualifications

If you are a talented worker with an annual income of €56,400 and hold an EU Blue Card, you are eligible to apply for a PR. On the other hand, individuals earning €43,992 and employed in an occupation for which there is a shortage in Germany are also entitled to a German PR visa.

German language proficiency 

German language proficiency is mandatory to obtain a PR. German language proficiency of B1 level is needed if you have been a country resident for over two years. Additionally, you must have basic familiarity with German society, including legal, political, and social establishments.

Pension insurance

To be eligible to apply for a PR visa, you should regularly contribute to German statutory pension insurance. The contribution duration varies as per the criteria you fit into. Individuals who belong to the general category must have contributed to this fund for a minimum of 60 months. EU Blue Card holders must have contributed for 33 months to the fund, while graduates must have contributed for 24 months.

Documents necessary for PR application

Those applying for PR must submit their passport and visa, a letter with a job offer stating that the income is sufficient to take care of yourself and your family members, documents of educational qualifications and work experience, proof of having acquired accommodation, proof of possessing health insurance, a certificate proving German language proficiency of B1 level, degree certificate if you who have studied in a German university, a marriage certificate if wedded to a German citizen, and a letter from your employer/educational qualifications.

Self-employed individuals

To be eligible for a residence permit that allows you to be self-employed in Germany, you have to have a successful business. You should also provide evidence that you have sufficient financial resources to support yourself and your family members. Self-employed professionals can apply for a PR visa after they have stayed for three years in Germany.

Advantages of having a PR visa

• If you obtain a PR visa, you need not contact the local Foreigners Office, or Ausländerbehörde, for any approval or permission to change your house or job or for your visa extension.
• A permanent residence permit in Germany allows you any kind of employment, even if it is not related to your academics. Workers living in Germany on either a normal visa or a jobseeker visa are not permitted to apply for a job that is not related to their profession.
• A PR visa entitles you to start your own business in Germany, and the government there provides many incentives to people who are keen to start their businesses in the country.
• PR visa holders are also eligible for social benefits such as healthcare, childcare, and welfare if they lose their jobs.
• Holders of PR visas can pursue any course of their choice in a German educational institution and would be eligible for scholarships or financial assistance.
• With PR visas, its holders can travel unrestrictedly to other EU countries without having to apply for a visa,
• Holders of PR visas can avail of bank loans without much ado if they wish to buy a house in this European nation.
• They, however, are not permitted to vote in elections, unlike their German counterparts, who are citizens of the country.

 EU Blue Card

To have an EU Blue Card, which is a residence permit, you do not need to have a visa. The EU Blue Card allows you to reside and work in Germany for four years, after which you can apply for a permanent residency. It accords the same privileges that a German PR does.

• You are allowed to shift to another country within the EU after you complete a stay of 18 months in Germany.
• You are eligible for a residence permit from other EU member states, provided you meet certain criteria.
• You are allowed complete access to job opportunities and the EU's social security schemes.

German citizenship

All German PR visa holders are eligible for the country's citizenship after they complete of stay of eight years on a PR visa in Germany.

If you are currently a UAE resident and plan to work or migrate to Germany, contact Y-Axis, the World's No. 1 Immigration Consultant.

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