Residence Permit; Application on the Basis of International Law, Humanitarian, or Political Grounds

Foreign nationals who have been recognized by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees as persons entitled to asylum, refugees, or persons entitled to subsidiary protection, or for whom a ban on deportation has been established, may apply for a residence permit.

For every asylum application, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) assesses, based on the Asylum Act, whether one of the four forms of protection applies. The following positive decisions are possible:

• Granting of refugee status under the Geneva Convention on Refugees (Section 3(1) of the Asylum Act),
• Recognition as a person entitled to asylum (Article 16a(1) of the Basic Law),
• Granting of subsidiary protection (Section 4(1) of the Asylum Act),
• Determination of a prohibition on deportation (Section 60(5) or (7) of the Residence Act).

Further information on the individual forms of protection can be found under “Related Links.” 
If a positive decision from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) granting protection has been issued, an application for a corresponding residence permit may be filed (Section 25(1)-(3) of the Residence Act).

The residence permit must be granted for one of the following reasons:

• Granting of refugee status
• Recognition as a person entitled to asylum
• Recognition as a person entitled to subsidiary protection
• Determination of a prohibition on deportation
• urgent humanitarian or personal reasons
• Cases of exceptional hardship
• Victims of criminal offenses under Sections 232 through 233a of the Criminal Code (StGB)

When considering an extension, factors taken into account include, among other things, whether any obligation to participate in an integration course has been fulfilled.

Many immigration offices offer an online application process. Please check to see if this option is available at your local immigration office. If your immigration office does not offer an online application process, please contact them by email or visit in person.

If the application is approved, the immigration office will commission the Federal Printing Office to produce the electronic residence permit in the form of a debit card.

The office will notify you when your residence permit is ready for pickup.

• When submitting an application, the following documents—if available—should be presented to the Office of Immigration and Naturalization:
  
  • Identification document (passport, temporary travel document) or alternative proof of identity (e.g., birth certificate, ID card),
  • Current residence document and supplementary sheet (residence permit, visa, temporary residence permit, or provisional residence permit),
  • Proof of authority to act on behalf of another person if the application is being submitted on behalf of someone else (parents do not need this proof),
  • Proof of current employment,
  • Evidence of sufficient means of support (typically proof of income, a decision granting government assistance, or a declaration of financial support),
  • Proof of qualifications
  • Proof of name usage in cases where the name is spelled differently
    You may have documents in which a different name or spelling was used. To ensure that supporting documents can be clearly matched to you, you should inform the Foreigners’ Registration Office in an appropriate manner if different names or spellings of your name exist (for example, by submitting your marriage certificate, a certified transliteration of your name into the Latin alphabet, a certificate confirming the validity of the name declaration with the civil registry office).
  • Proof of financial or personal circumstances if there have been changes since your last contact with the authorities,
  • Proof of family relationship, if the right of residence is derived from a family member or if the application includes other family members,
  • Proof of sole custody, if applicable, and a statement from the custodial parents consenting to the residence if the application includes minor children,
  • Evidence of prior criminal convictions
  • For persons who entered Germany under a German reception program for those seeking protection: a copy of the admission document (letter of admission, admission notice, or admission order).
  • For persons who must remain in Germany temporarily for urgent reasons: 
    • Evidence justifying the temporary stay,
    • Proof of existing support obligations.
  • For individuals with a right of residence based on prospects (§ 104c of the Residence Act) and holders of a “Duldung” who wish to apply for a permanent residence permit:
    • Curriculum vitae,
    • Proof of school attendance or a recognized school or vocational degree,
    • Evidence of the ability to support oneself (proof of income, scholarship),
    • Proof of health insurance coverage,
    • Proof of existing support obligations,
    • Proof of basic knowledge of the legal and social system,
    • Proof of knowledge of the German language,
    • Proof that the children are attending school,
    • Proof of illness or disability, if applicable.
  • For the renewal of a residence permit: Proof of participation in an integration course (certificate), if participation was mandatory.
• Depending on the specific circumstances, the Immigration Office may require additional documents from you.

• Adults: 100.00 EUR 
• Minors: 50.00 EUR
• For refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and recipients of social benefits: none

Your immigration office will inform you of the applicable fee amount.