How to Get Germany Permanent Residency: Step-by-Step Guide

Germany, the world's third-largest economy, is also one of the most immigrant-friendly nations across the globe. Skilled professionals always look for better infrastructure, a world-class healthcare system, better educational facilities, and social-economic benefits in order to migrate to a foreign land, and Germany has proved its potential in all of these terms.

Obtaining Germany permanent residency is a structured process that can be obtained by following certain pathways. Well, if you are wondering about settling in Germany, then explore our step-by-step guide on how to get Germany permanent residency?

Before we move ahead, let us take an example so as to better understand Germany permanent residency.

For example: An applicant who wants to immigrate to Germany and wants to apply for PR from India. What steps does he have to take so he can immigrate to Germany with the benefit of PR status?  

Eligible Pathways for Germany Permanent Residency Visa

With the intention of immigrating to Germany and applying for Germany PR, the applicant can choose one of the eligible pathways available, such as:

 ➔ Pathway 1

Pathway 1, applies to candidates who presently do not have any job offer from Germany and now desires to be a part of Germany’s economic scenario, he then has to apply for Germany Opportunity Card. As an initial step, his application for the Germany Opportunity Card will allow him to search for jobs in Germany within a period of one year. While working in Germany, with a continuous stay for at least 3 years, he becomes eligible for EU blue card. After residing for at least 5 years of continuous stay, he becomes eligible for Germany permanent residency visa.

 ➔ Pathway 2

Pathway 2, applies to applicants who already have a specific job offer from a company in Germany. With a specific job offer, applicants become eligible for Germany EU Blue Card. Germany EU Blue card will then get converted to Germany PR with certain requirements and eligibility criteria such as with a continuous stay for at least 2 years. Pathway 2 also bifurcates into sub-sections as:

1.   The job offer must meet some of the essential requirements such as:

●    the employment period must be at least 6 months.

●    the job must match the educational qualifications of the applicant. 

●    The job in Germany must provide an annual salary of at least € 48,300.

2.   Another option applicants from Pathway 2 can opt for is when the applicant is employed in the Shortage Occupation with the annual salary requirement of € 43,759. Following professions are considered to be shortage occupations in Germany are:

●    Manufacturing, mining, construction and distribution managers

●    Information and communications technology service managers

●    Professional services managers, such as childcare services, health services and education managers

●    Academic STEM professionals

●    Academic professionals in architecture, spatial planning and transport planning

●    Medical doctors

●    Veterinarians

●    Dentists

●    Pharmacists

●    Academic and comparable nursing and midwifery professionals

●    School and out-of-school teachers and educators

 ★   Read the entire occupations listed on the Germany Shortage Occupation List.

 You must have noticed how employment opportunities change the entire scenario for relocating to the foreign land. Over the years, Germany, with open arms, started accepting skilled professionals to immigrate and find employment opportunities with some of the highest paying professions.

 ★   To know more about job opportunities in Germany, then read our guide as Build Your Future in Germany: Job Opportunities You Should Know

 ➔   Pathway 3

Pathway 3 applies to individuals who wish to settle their business in Germany that benefits the German economy. Also known as Business Visa, applicants with viable business plans can obtain permanent residency in Germany by investing substantial investment of € 3,60,000 with the aim of creating 5 full-time jobs and securing a livelihood. This pathway allows applicants to convert their temporary visa to permanent residency after 3 years of continuous residing in Germany.

Permanent Residency Requirements-Germany

The Germany permanent residency visa is a structured process and has some of the essential requirements which are as follow:

❖  the applicant have a valid job offer.

❖  the applicant must be residing in Germany for at least 3 years.

❖  the applicant must be able to bear the living cost without the assistance from the state.

❖  the applicant must have paid compulsory or voluntary contributions to the statutory pension insurance scheme for at least 36 months.

❖  the applicant must be able to demonstrate German language skills at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

❖  they must have basic knowledge of the legal and social system and way of life in Germany. This is usually proven by the “Living in Germany” test.

Documents Required for Germany Permanent Residency Visa

There are certain documents that are required for a Germany permanent residency visa are as follows:

❖  Visa application form

❖  Biometric photographs

❖  Valid passport

❖  German language proficiency test score report

❖  Proof of employment

❖  Proof of income threshold

❖  Proof of pension payments

❖  Proof of sufficient funds

How to Apply Germany Permanent Residency Visa From India

The process to apply for the Germany permanent residency visa is a structured process, and applicants who wish to immigrate to Germany and later stay as permanent residents of Germany can follow these steps:

Step 1: Check Eligibility

The foremost step an applicant must take is to check eligibility factors such as the minimum income threshold, occupation to be listed on the Germany Shortage Occupation List. 

Step 2: Gather Essential Documents

After checking in eligibility criteria, gather all the above-mentioned essential documents, such as a passport, photographs, application form.

Step 3: Book an Appointment

The next step after accumulating documents is to book an appointment at the local immigration office, also known as Ausländerbehörde.

Step 4: Submit Application

Once an appointment has been booked, submit a completed application form with all the documents.

Step 5: Attend Interview

After submitting an application, attend an interview at the immigration office.

Step 6: Pay Fees

With submitting the application form and attending the interview, applicants are required to pay the application fee, somewhere between € 140 to € 150.

Germany PR Visa Cost from India

The cost of applying for a Germany PR visa from India, has a set of regulations. So, here is a cost breakdown for applicants applying for the Germany PR visa from India, such as:

1.   Application Fee: € 140 to € 160 

2.   Language Test: € 100 to 300 

3.   Health Insurance: € 80 to €  2,000 

4.   Residency card insurance test: €  50 to € 100.

Obtaining a Germany PR visa is a major step toward building a stable and successful life in one of Europe’s strongest economies. With permanent residency, you gain the freedom to live, work, and travel across Germany without restrictions. It also offers long-term security, access to social benefits, and a path to German citizenship in the future. By meeting the eligibility requirements and following the right process, you can make Germany your permanent home and enjoy the benefits of living in a progressive and globally connected country. But still, if you have any kind of doubts about how to obtain PR for Germany, consult Province Immigration, one of the best immigration consultants in India.

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