Requirements for a residence permit

All information on the general requirements for issuing a residence permit in Germany (Section 5 of the Residence Act)

Requirements for a residence permit

Anyone wishing to apply for a residence permit in Germany must meet certain legal requirements . A residence permit is generally only granted if there is a recognized purpose of residence – such as employment, training, family reunification, or humanitarian reasons – (so-called special requirements for granting a permit ). In addition, applicants must, among other things, have a secure livelihood, a valid passport, and the correct visa (so-called general requirements for granting a permit). On this page, you will find all the information on the general requirements for granting a residence permit (Section 5 of the Residence Act).

A residence permit can always be issued if the general residence requirements and the special residence requirements are met. The special residence requirements are usually the purpose of the stay (e.g. work (§§ 18 ff. AufenthG) , studies (§§ 16 ff. AufenthG) or family reunification (§§ 27 ff. AufenthG)) and vary from case to case. In addition to these special residence requirements, the general requirements must also be met . These general requirements are the same for every visa and residence case, which is why every foreign national must always meet them. This page presents all the general residence requirements that foreign nationals must meet.

To stay in Germany you must meet the following general residence requirements:

clarified identity or passport (Section 3 of the Residence Act)
secure livelihood (financial resources, housing and health insurance; Section 5 (1) No. 1 Residence Act)
no previous convictions or other reasons for deportation (Section 5 (1) No. 2 Residence Act)
Entry with the correct visa (Section 5 (2) Residence Act)

Deviations from these requirements are only permitted under certain circumstances. This can only occur if an exceptional case exists . Whether this is the case is subject to full review by the courts (Federal Administrative Court, judgment of April 30, 2009, 1 C 3/08). If in doubt, you can find out when such an exceptional case exists from a lawyer.

VISAGUARD guides to the general requirements for issuing a visa (Section 5 of the Residence Act)

Security check for foreigners

All information on the security checks of foreign nationals applying for a residence permit.

Discretion of the authorities

All information at the discretion of the immigration authorities and embassies.

Fees and costs for residence permits

Everything about the costs and fees when applying for a residence permit.

Extension of residence permit

All information on the requirements for extending your residence permit.

Expiry of the residence permit

All information on the expiration of the residence permit and the reasons for expiration.

Re-applying the visa procedure

All information on visa requirements and visa application procedures.

Interest in expulsion

All information on the subject of residence permits and deportation interests.

Passport requirement and identity clarification

All information for foreigners on passport requirements and identity verification in Germany.

Health insurance residence permit

All information about the health insurance required for a residence permit.

Living space for residence permits

All information about the required living situation for a residence permit.

Securing livelihood Residence permit

All information on securing your livelihood when applying for a residence permit.

Appointment and application for residence permit

All information on how to apply for a residence permit.

Responsibility of the immigration authorities

All information to determine the immigration authority responsible for your case.

Are you looking for a lawyer in German immigration and foreigners law? We are happy to support you in residence procedures before embassies, immigration authorities and administrative courts.