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Residence permit for various purposes
The residence permit is issued for medium- and long-term stays and is probably the most common residence title for this purpose. This is because the residence permit can be issued for many different purposes and for different durations. You can find out below whether a residence permit should be obtained for your stay in Germany and how to apply for one.
The most important facts in a nutshell:
- In practice, the residence permit is the most important residence title.
- The residence permit can be issued for a limited period of time for various purposes.
- These purposes include, for example: education, gainful employment, humanitarian or political reasons.
What is the residence permit?
The residence permit is a residence title that allows you to stay in the Federal Republic of Germany for a limited period of time. The requirements for issuing a residence permit and the period of validity of your residence permit depend on the purpose of your stay.
For what purposes can a residence permit be issued?
The purposes for which a residence permit can be issued include:
- Education
- Gainful employment
- International law, humanitarian or political reasons
- Family reasons
What does a residence permit cost?
The initial issuance of a residence permit usually costs about €100.00. The extension of a residence permit costs €93.00. These fees are halved for minors
What are the requirements for issuing a residence permit?
The requirements for issuing a residence permit depend - as already explained - on the purpose of the stay. Below you will find an overview of the most important requirements for different purposes of residence.
Residence permit for the purpose of education (§§ 16-17 AufenthG)
A residence permit can be issued for the purpose of training. In addition to vocational training, this also includes studies, language courses, student exchanges or study-related internships as well as in-company further training. First of all, for all forms of training, you must prove that you have a training, study or internship place.
In addition, you must have a secure livelihood. In the case of an apprenticeship, proof of the apprenticeship salary is often sufficient for this. In addition, income from other jobs may also be taken into consideration, provided this is permitted.
In addition, the necessary money can be transferred to a blocked account before the stay in Germany. Furthermore, applicants in the context of a study programme or a pupil exchange can often cover their living expenses through a scholarship.
In addition, applicants must prove language skills for vocational training (B1 level) and for studies (B2 level, if applicable). For studies, however, certain language skills are often already required by the university when awarding the place.
Residence permit for the purpose of gainful employment (§§ 18 ff. AufenthG)
Those who want to work in Germany can also obtain a residence permit under certain conditions. This is intended to strengthen the immigration of skilled workers to Germany in particular. To obtain such a residence permit, you first need a professional qualification, i.e. vocational training or a degree that is recognised in Germany or is comparable to a German qualification. For nationals of certain states (Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Great Britain and the USA), a residence permit can even be granted without a special professional qualification.
Furthermore, you must prove that you have a job in Germany. In principle, the Employment Agency must also agree to your taking up employment. A residence permit can also be granted to take up self-employment. For this, there must be an economic interest or a regional need, a positive economic effect must be expected and the financing must be secured through equity capital or a loan commitment. Applicants who are already older than 45 must additionally provide proof of sufficient pension provision.
Residence permit for reasons of international law, humanitarian or political reasons (§§ 22 ff. AufenthG).
A residence permit can also be granted for reasons of international law, humanitarian or political reasons. The most important area of application is that of asylum for politically persecuted persons: After examining the asylum application, the authorities grant the applicant a residence permit. In addition, there are some special regulations that only apply in individual cases, for example in the case of serious illness. There are also other special regulations, for example for granting a residence permit to well-integrated young people.
In addition, the granting of residence permits can also be ordered for entire groups of persons. Residence permits for these reasons are generally issued for up to three years. After that, an extension is generally possible if the prerequisites continue to exist.
Residence permit for family reasons (§§ 27-36 AufenthG)
Sections 27 to 36 of the Residence Act regulate the granting of a residence permit for family reasons. Family reunification of relatives of a foreigner living in Germany is possible in particular for children and parents. The family member living in Germany must live in Germany legally for this purpose and have sufficient living space.
For other family members who are not spouses or children of a foreigner living in Germany, family reunification can only be considered in exceptional cases to avoid exceptional hardship. A residence permit may also be granted to foreign family members of a German citizen. This applies in particular to the children and spouse of a German citizen as well as to the parent of a child of a German citizen.
For other family members, a residence permit can also only be considered in exceptional cases to avoid exceptional hardship.
Short & sweet
The residence permit is one of several residence titles in Germany. It is issued for a wide variety of purposes and is only valid for a limited period of time. For example, a residence permit can be issued for the purpose of education. In addition to traditional vocational training, this also includes study visits, language courses and student exchanges. In the case of a residence permit for the purpose of gainful employment, the applicant must usually prove that he or she has a suitable vocational qualification and a concrete job offer. In the case of a residence permit for reasons of international law, humanitarian or political reasons, there are a wide variety of constellations. In particular, such a residence permit is also granted to persons who receive asylum in Germany. Finally, it is possible to obtain a residence permit as a foreign family member of a foreigner living in Germany or of a German. This comes into consideration above all for children and spouses.