How to Relocate to Germany for Permanent Residence: Practical Tips

To relocate to Germany, you must have grounds for long-term residence in the country (employment, business establishment, or other purposes). Initially, visa legalization is required, followed by applying for a temporary residence permit upon arrival. A temporary residence permit requires constant renewal with confirmation of the purpose of stay in Germany. To obtain permanent residence, you must live in the country for 2 to 5 years. However, without knowledge of the German language, becoming a permanent resident is not possible.

As an alternative, you may consider relocating to Germany with a passport from another European Union member state. EU citizens can live and work in Germany indefinitely without obtaining additional permits. Simplified citizenship programs are available in Romania, Poland, and Bulgaria. Our specialists will explain the features of each program and verify your eligibility during a consultation — schedule an appointment and begin your path to an EU passport!

Benefits of Immigration to Germany

Immigrating to Germany and staying to live in the country permanently motivates emigrants from post-Soviet countries due to:

• High average salaries (in Germany, you can earn from 3,800 EUR monthly).
• Quality medical care (Germany ranks 13th in the international healthcare ranking).
• Opportunity to receive free prestigious European education (Germany ranks 2nd in international education quality rankings).
• Government social support (for example, in Germany, there is no maximum unemployment benefit amount, and the sum depends on previous salary).
• High quality of life (Germany ranks 13th in the international Numbeo quality of life index).

Important Information About Immigration Methods to Germany

You can relocate to Germany for permanent residence in two ways: by gradually legalizing your stay through obtaining a visa, applying for temporary residence, and requesting permanent residence, or by immigrating based on an EU passport. To become a permanent resident using the first method, you will need to live in the country with a temporary residence permit for 2 to 5 years, depending on the purpose of stay and level of German language proficiency.

Relocation based on an EU passport is a simpler and faster immigration method. EU citizens do not need to obtain temporary or permanent residence permits in Germany, as they can live in the country indefinitely. Some EU states have simplified programs for obtaining local passports, whose participants are exempt from requirements for long-term residence and passing language exams or integration tests.

Relocation with an EU Passport Obtained Under Simplified Conditions

EU citizens have the right to enter Germany freely and remain there for an unlimited period. Upon arrival, you only need to register your place of residence in the country at the nearest registry office. There is no need to obtain additional residence permits, however, an EU citizen may optionally request a German eID card, which is used to access various government services.

EU citizenship can be obtained quickly and affordably — without complying with long-term residence requirements or taking language tests. Obtaining an EU passport under simplified conditions is available even if you are already in Germany based on a local temporary or permanent residence permit. You can learn details about the accelerated procedure for legalizing your stay in Germany from our specialists. Schedule a consultation through our contact form.

Relocation for Employment

You can move to Germany and obtain permanent residence based on employment with a German company. To find a suitable vacancy, you should study offers from employers (on specialized websites like jobware.de, de.indeed.com, and others), recruitment agencies in your country of residence. You can also directly contact the Federal Employment Agency (Jobcenter) in Germany.

A work immigrant becomes eligible for permanent residence after 5 years of living in the country. However, a worker has the right to become a permanent resident after 3 years if they:

• Have higher education and/or qualifications appropriate to their position.
• Made mandatory and voluntary pension insurance contributions throughout all three years and can document this.
• Have sufficient German language skills (not below B1 level).

A work immigrant who successfully graduated from a German university can apply for permanent residence after 2 years of residence.

Immigration for Studies

You can relocate to Germany for permanent residence in connection with enrollment in full-time education at a German school/state university (including preparatory courses) or for internships at local enterprises. The main feature of this legalization method is obtaining the right to work during studies. School students and interns can work up to 20 hours per week, while university students can work a maximum of 140 working days per year.

A German residence permit is issued for the duration of education, but the period cannot exceed two years at a time. To be able to apply for permanent residence, you will need to find another basis for legalizing your stay after graduating from school/university or completing an internship.

Relocation as an Entrepreneur

A businessman can relocate to Germany for permanent residence if:

• Their entrepreneurial activity, in the authorities’ opinion, will have a positive impact on the German economy.
• They will independently finance their project implementation with their own or borrowed funds.

If an entrepreneur is over 45 years old, a residence permit is issued only on the condition that in the future, when they turn 67, they will have a sufficient pension to cover their needs (receive a pension of at least 1,503.34 EUR monthly for 12 years or have assets totaling at least 216,481 EUR). After living in Germany for 3 years, a businessman can obtain permanent residence if they confirm their financial stability and the fact of continuing self-employment activities.

Relocation as a Family Member

Family members of German citizens and/or residents can relocate to live in Germany. Immigration and temporary residence permit registration are available to:

• spouse;
• minor and unmarried children;
• parents of a child under 18 years old.

A family member of a German citizen has the right to apply for permanent residence after 3 years of living in the country, and if the inviting party is a resident — after 5 years. If the inviting spouse is a qualified worker with corresponding permanent residence, their partner can obtain permanent residence after 3 years, provided they work at least 20 hours per week.

Relocation Based on EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit that highly qualified specialists can obtain. To receive this type of residence permit, you must meet the requirements:

• Have German or foreign higher education equivalent to German (study period cannot be less than three years).
• Sign a contract with a German employer for a period exceeding six months;
• Confirm that the annual salary will be at least 45,300 EUR.

The EU Blue Card in Germany is also issued with a lower annual salary, namely 41,041.8 EUR. This condition applies to doctors, veterinarians, architects, and other workers who, according to the Federal Employment Agency, are considered specialists in shortage occupations.

An EU Blue Card holder has the right to obtain permanent residence in Germany, however, the period after which they can apply for status depends on their German language proficiency level — details in the table below.

Relocation as a Refugee

You can emigrate to Germany by requesting asylum, for example, due to political persecution or threats to life and health. Initially, refugees receive a 3-year residence permit with the right to subsequent multiple renewals if the conditions for its issuance remain.

A foreigner has the right to apply for permanent residence after 5 years of living, if they prove German language proficiency at A2 level and can support themselves independently. The term is reduced to three years provided the refugee confirms German language knowledge at C1 level or higher.

How Relocation to Germany for Permanent Residence Works: About Legalization

Relocating to Germany for permanent residence requires careful legal preparation and compliance with German immigration regulations. This section explains how the legalization process works, including residence permit requirements, document validation, registration procedures, and key legal steps that must be completed to obtain long-term resident status in Germany.

Document Preparation

To obtain permanent residence in Germany, you will need to prepare a document package in advance for submitting the application, which consists of:

• Valid passport or identity document replacing it.
• Recent photograph sized 35 x 45 mm taken against a light background.
• Proof of income (salary certificates for the last six months, pension insurance history, and others).
• Valid state or private health insurance policy.
• Housing rental/purchase agreement and receipts confirming maintenance expenses.
• Certificate of passing the language test and exam on knowledge of legal and social orders of Germany.
• Certificate of residence registration.

What You Need for Simple Relocation to Germany

Emigrants from post-Soviet countries often note that life in Germany differs significantly from their usual lifestyle in their country of origin. For example, digital government services are not developed — all communication occurs through sending paper letters. Opening a bank account cannot be done in one day: the payment card arrives in the mailbox after several weeks, and the PIN code comes even later. In Germany, all purchases must be planned in advance, as most stores (including supermarkets) are closed on Sundays.

When renting housing in the country, you should consider that apartments/houses are predominantly rented unfurnished (except for plumbing and built-in kitchen). A deposit may also be required (the amount does not exceed three times the basic monthly rent). Rental costs depend on the city. For example, in Berlin, a 60 m² apartment costs 1,400 EUR per month, while in the small town of Kaisersesch — 850 EUR.

Average salaries in Germany are quite high — you can earn 3,800 EUR monthly. However, specialists in some fields earn much more. For example, a doctor can earn 7,900 EUR monthly, a banking or financial sector worker — 4,750 EUR, and an engineer — 4,600 EUR.

Health insurance is mandatory for all residents of Germany. The policy fully or partially covers treatment costs. You can obtain state (Die gesetzliche Krankenversicherung — GKV) or private insurance. The main difference is that the GKV contribution percentage is fixed at 14.6% of income (7.3% each from the insured and their employer). In private insurance, the payment is calculated individually depending on your gender, age, occupation, and health status.

Overall, living in Germany is not expensive. On average, a German spends 991 EUR on basic expenses excluding housing rent, which is acceptable compared to salaries in the country. It should be noted that wireless home internet is very expensive in Germany. The average monthly price is about 46 EUR (for comparison, in Romania — 8 EUR).