Skip to content
Home » Visas and Immigration » Residence in Germany

Residence in Germany

Temp Aufenthalt

A Visa allows you to enter Germany, and stay for no more than 90 days in a 180-day cycle.
When you want to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days, you will need to apply for the correct visa in your home country and once you are in Germany, apply for the subsequent residence permit (Aufenhaltstitel) at the competent Aliens Authority in Germany.

There are two types of residence permits in Germany:

  • Temporary  Your first type of residence in Germany will always be temporary. You can only apply for permanent residence once certain conditions are met.  
  • Permanent –  may be granted in the form of a Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) or Permanent EC residence permit. The settlement permit entitles you to pursue any gainful employment and does not contain any further restrictions.
    Holding a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) for several years, a secure livelihood and sufficient knowledge of the German language are the minimum requirements for the granting of a settlement permit.
Proof of residence is in the form of a physical electronic card. Read more about what it offers and how to use it here.

Temporary Residence

Temporary Residence A Visa allows you to enter Germany, but your stay is limited to no more than 90 days in a 180-day cycle.If you want to stay in Germany for longer than 90 days, you will need to apply for the correct visa in your home country. Once in Germany, you must apply for the subsequent residence permit (Aufenhaltstitel)

Read More »

Permanent Residence

Permanent residence in Germany is called a Niederlassungserlaubnis and may be granted in the form of a Settlement permit or Permanent EC residence permit. Very important!! The card has an expiration date that corresponds to that of your passport. Your residence card is linked to your passport number see the PASS field. See the remarks section on the card as well

Read More »

Related content

Applying for residence

A visa allows you to enter Germany. If you want to stay longer than 3 months you will need to apply for a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) at

List of Long Stay Visas

Long Term visas are seen as visits longer than 90 days and will typically be for work or study visits. If your application is approved,

Ways of obtaining German citizenship

Please note: Although the information on this website has been prepared with the utmost care, we cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies contained herein. Always