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READER INSIGHTS

‘Lack of transparency’: What it’s like to apply for permanent residence in Germany

Getting permanent residency can be a great way to secure your rights in Germany - but what's it like going through the application process? The Local spoke to readers about their experiences.

Application form for a residence permit.
Application form for a residence permit. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Wolfram Kastl

For non-EU citizens living in Germany, permanent residence is often the go-to status when they decide to build a life here. For years, there have been strict rules that make it difficult to obtain dual nationality, so those who aren’t keen on losing their old citizenship can secure their rights by becoming permanent residents instead.

On the Make it in Germany website – set up by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) – information in English states that most applicants simply need to fulfil a short list of requirements. They need to prove they know German, are well integrated, have a secure livelihood, and have held another residence permit for at least five years.

But how are these rules applied in practice, and how long does it take to switch from a temporary visa to permanent residence?

When The Local spoke to readers about their applications, we found hugely varied experiences for people on different types of visa and in different parts of the country.

“The requirements for permanent residency are clearly defined in the law,” said 27-year-old Manpreet J., who’s originally from India. “What is not defined is how to prove that they are met. This is where the problem begins.”

According to Manpreet, there are even different definitions of a secure livelihood in different regions. In Aachen, for example, a temporary work contract wouldn’t be enough to fulfil this requirement, while just 30km away in Heinsberg, it would.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How German citizenship differs from permanent residency

‘Bring everything you can think of’

Jaton’ West, a 77-year-old retiree who lives in Berlin, found the criteria for accepting applications similarly inscrutable.

“We applied twice,” She told The Local. “The first time they only renewed our visa – no explanation as to why. We reapplied when it expired and were granted it. Seems like it’s a crapshoot and just depends on the whim of the person processing your application.”

For Jonathan in Nuremberg, the whole process was marked by a “lack of transparency” – starting with the fact that there was no available information, in English or German, about what documents would be needed during the process.

Forms for visa applications at the Foreigners' Office.

Forms for visa applications at the Foreigners’ Office. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jonas Walzberg

Six weeks after sending in his application for permanent residency, his local Foreigner’s Office emailed him to inform him that he would need 10 additional documents – including a German language test and integration test that he didn’t know he’d have to take.

With his residence permit due to expire in a matter of weeks, he was left with no time at all to find hard copies of all the other documents, let alone manage the 14-week turnaround for booking and receiving results for the tests. 

“The frustration is that I could have taken these tests anytime in the past year, if I had known that I needed them,” he said.

Düsseldorf resident Dmitry, 33, also received incomplete information about the documents he needed to provide – both on the website of his local Foreigner’s Office and in an email he was sent.

“As far as I recall, no list mentioned bringing the work contract, and the contract for the flat was also required. Finally, I had to provide them translations of my degrees, despite already having provided them for my Blue Card,” he said. “In the end, it’s worth bringing everything a person can think of.”

READ ALSO: Reader question: Is my British residency title the same as permanent residency in Germany?

‘Smoother than expected’ 

For the vast majority of respondents, the sheer amount of paperwork involved in the application was the hardest thing about securing permanent residency.

Others said they had found it tricky to brush up their German skills to meet the B1 language requirement.

However, a number of people said they been pleasantly surprised by how relaxed their case workers had been and how simple the process was.

This was the case for 32 year-old Angela, who moved to Berlin from Colombia. 

“I prepared a lot of documents, but in the end all they checked was my salary and that I had contributed to the pension fund and Krankenkasse (health insurance),” she told us. “I don’t know why it was so easy for me – my intuition tells me higher income people have it easier.” 

Folders filled with documents sit on a windowsill.

Folders filled with documents sit on a windowsill. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | arifoto UG

For 39 year-old Shila, who lives in Mainz, the experience of applying for permanent residency was similarly hassle-free. After emailing the Landesamt and her local case worker, she was given an appointment and a list of documents to bring with her. 

Despite the fact that she wasn’t able to supply a language certificate, the application was a success – and her case worker even offered to talk to her in English.

“It was in 2021 in the middle of lockdown, but it was a very positive surprise to me after hearing all the bad experiences on Facebook groups,” Shila said.

The huge variation in experiences even extended to the amount of time it took for permanent residence to be granted.

While some lucky applicants managed to complete the whole thing within a month, others have waited as long as a year and a half – and in some cases are still waiting for an outcome. 

Easier with a Blue Card

Among those respondents who had an easier time, many told us they had originally come to Germany on a Blue Card – a special EU visa for skilled workers on high incomes.

Blue Card holders with basic German language skills are able to receive permanent residency after living in the country for just 33 months. Meanwhile, those with slightly more advanced skills (B1) can secure their permanent status after just 21 months.

Berlin resident Steven, 50, told us he was pleasantly surprised to find out that he’d only need an A1 language certificate, thanks to the fact that he’d been living in Germany on a Blue Card.

Others took advantage of the fast-tracked option and secured their B1 certificate in order to get a permanent residence permit after less than two years.

Adi Singh, 33, said getting a hold of permanent residence in Munich had been an incredibly smooth process – largely because he’d applied through his employer.

READ ALSO: TEST: Is your German good enough for citizenship or permanent residency?

With his B1 language skills, Adi was able to apply after just 21 months, and he received his card within just six months.

“I had one in-person appointment at the KVR close to the approval stage, but that was quick and short,” he said. “But they make it a point to speak to you in German, likely to establish that B1 level.”

Compared to the experience of applying for his Blue Card himself, Adi said applying via his employer had helped him avoid bureaucratic issues.

“I was fortunate to do it through my firm, and I would recommend that if your company does not apply for it for you, it is a good idea to hire an immigration firm that will do the process,” he advised. “It’s worth the time and energy saved.”

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GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

Elation and worry as German citizenship law passes final hurdle

With dual citizenship set to come into force at the end of June, foreigners in Germany are feeling overjoyed - but there are fears that the country's notorious bureaucracy could stand in the way.

Elation and worry as German citizenship law passes final hurdle

For those who have never been asked to renounce their citizenship, the shift to a new set of rules may not seem like an overly important one.

But for millions of people who live in Germany without the right to free movement or the right to vote, allowing multiple nationalities feels like a paradigm shift that could change their lives forever.

Though the government has been clear about its intentions to remove hurdles to citizenship since the start – including lifting a ban on dual nationality for non-EU citizens – some were unwilling to believe it would ever become a reality.

So when the news emerged that President Frank Walter-Steinmeier had finally signed off on the law on Tuesday, March 26th, the excitement in the air was palpable. 

For Hakan Demir, a Social Democrat (SPD) politician who helped draft Germany’s citizenship reforms, the change is all about “recognition, co-determination and belonging”. 

READ ALSO: What do I need to apply for German citizenship under the new law?

“Many people in Germany have been waiting for this law for a very long time because they finally want to participate,” Demir told The Local. “In future, they will be able to play a greater role in shaping our society, vote and be elected. In this way, we are strengthening our democracy.”

Hakan Demir, an MdB for Berlin-Neukölln, serves as SPD rapporteur on the new German draft law to allow dual citizenship.

Hakan Demir, an MdB for Berlin-Neukölln, serves as SPD rapporteur on the new German draft law to allow dual citizenship. Photo: Photothek

This was also the view of Demir’s colleague, Greens MP Filiz Polat, who worked as a rapporteur on the legislation.

Not only is the citizenship law “a step towards a modern migration society”, Polat said, but also “an important step for our democracy”.

“At a time when the AfD and right-wing extremists are spreading anti-constitutional deportation fantasies, we are strengthening fundamental rights and cohesion with this law.”

Stephan Thomae of the Free Democrats (FDP) welcomed the news that the reform was on its way, but emphasised that only those who shared German values could naturalise under the new conditions. 

“We are making naturalisation easier for all those who have no criminal record, speak our language and can support themselves,” Thomae explained.

“At the same time, we are making it clear that criminals, anti-Semites or people who do not share our values will not be naturalised.

“Corresponding checks will be significantly tightened.”

READ ALSO: Why Germany is shaking up citizenship test questions

‘Great news’

For those involved in drafting the bill, the end of the long parliamentary process is a major step forward. But it’s foreigners in Germany who are most excited – and nervous – about the change.

British in Germany, a group who campaigned to secure the residence rights of Brits after Brexit, said they were thrilled that the new law would put all UK citizens in Germany on an equal footing.

With EU citizens allowed to hold multiple nationalities under German law, British citizens had previously been able to obtain dual nationality only before the end of the transition period, while others were faced with difficult choices. 

“This is great news for those of us in the British community in Germany who were not able to apply for dual citizenship before the end of the Brexit transition, unlike the some 70,000 of us who have already become British Germans,” said BiG’s Matt Bristow.

A British and German passport.

A British and German passport. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Britta Pedersen

“We know there will be a big increase in citizenship applications and not just among those with a British migration background. Now the challenge is for the authorities to have the resources to respond to their desire to become Germans.”

Satya Kasindla, a British citizen who lives in Leonberg near Stuttgart, agreed that the passing of the bill was “good news” for immigrants in the country.

Nevertheless, Satya believes the law will have a limited impact if the authorities aren’t able to process applications at the speed required.

“It would help all the immigrants if the government gives a clear guideline for processing these applications by observing six months as statutory limit,” he told The Local.

“Without clear guidelines on processing times, this law doesn’t change much for the immigrants who are eligible now and also who are actually in the queue. And it only will help only new arrivals if the government takes necessary action on staffing to process the applications within the six-month deadline.”

READ ALSO: Foreigners in Berlin furious over German citizenship delays

The fears about the endless waiting times for applications to be approved – and the influx of future applications – was one shared by several foreigners on social media.

Referring to the long backlogs faced by applicants in Berlin, one X user said he was concerned that older applicants would be deprioritised the second a new influx of applications came in. 

A citizenship applicants reads the German constitution.

A citizenship applicant reads the state constitution in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marijan Murat

Another worry for migrants is that some conditions of the law – and most notably restrictions on claiming benefits – could create a two-tier system between privileged and less privileged applicants. 

This was the concern of Zeynep Yanasmayan, head of the migration department at the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research. 

However, despite the bill’s shortcomings, the symbolic impact of easing citizenship rules remained important, she said. 

“While the concrete impact of the law will very much depend on individuals’ national and socio-economic background, it certainly sends a strong message of recognition and acceptance to people of migration background,” Yanasmayan told The Local.

Of course, not everyone in German political life is happy about the changes. 

The Local approached the right-wing CDU/CSU parties for comment, but at the time of writing had no received a response.

However, the view of the long-term opponents of dual nationality can be summed up by Alexander Throm, a specialist on domestic issues for the CDU.

READ ALSO: How long does it take for your German to be good enough for permanent residency and citizenship?

In the final Bundestag debate on the legislation, Throm claimed that people who gain dual nationality “lack a fundamental commitment to our land.”

For politicians from the far-right AfD, the fears are even more extreme. According to AfD MP Christian Wirth, “Our proud nationality is about to be flogged off.”

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