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Permanent Residence Card — Non-EU Family Member of EU/EEA Citizen

GermanyFree movement

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Which citizenship, status or regional agreement creates the person's right to move/reside?

The right derives from being a family member of an EU citizen (or of an EEA national, or a UK national with Withdrawal Agreement rights); family members who have acquired a permanent right of residence are themselves entitled to free movement.

See recorded sources

Under which circumstances can the person reside: worker, self-employed, student, jobseeker, self-funded person or another recognised basis?

The family member's right derives from the EU citizen: family members of EU citizens residing as workers/trainees, jobseekers, self-employed, service providers/recipients or non-economically active persons have the right of entry and residence when they accompany or join the EU citizen (for the non-active, subject to section 4).

See recorded sources

What entry, registration or residence-document formalities remain?

Non-EU family members with a permanent right of residence are issued a permanent residence card within six months of applying. Before that, non-EU family members receive ex officio a residence card, intended to be valid for five years, within six months of providing the required information.

See recorded sources

Which non-member-country family members can accompany or join, and what broad rights do they receive?

Family members are: the spouse; the registered partner; direct descendants of the person or of the spouse/partner who are under 21 or are maintained by them; and direct ascendants of the person or spouse/partner who are maintained by them. Family members who have acquired a permanent right of residence are themselves entitled to free movement.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/freiz_gg_eu_2004/BJNR198600004.html
    3. sind Familienangehörige einer Person a) der Ehegatte, b) der Lebenspartner, c) die Verwandten in gerader absteigender Linie der Person oder des Ehegatten oder des Lebenspartners, die das 21. Lebensjahr noch nicht vollendet haben oder denen von diesen Unterhalt gewährt wird, und d) die Verwandten in gerader aufsteigender Linie der Person oder des Ehegatten oder des Lebenspartners, denen von diesen Unterhalt gewährt wird,
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/freiz_gg_eu_2004/BJNR198600004.html
    1. Unionsbürgern, 2. Staatsangehörigen der EWR-Staaten, die nicht Unionsbürger sind, 3. Staatsangehörigen des Vereinigten Königreichs Großbritannien und Nordirland nach dessen Austritt aus der Europäischen Union, denen nach dem Austrittsabkommen Rechte zur Einreise und zum Aufenthalt gewährt werden, 4. Familienangehörigen der in den Nummern 1 bis 3 genannten Personen,
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/freiz_gg_eu_2004/BJNR198600004.html
    7. Unionsbürger und ihre Familienangehörigen, die ein Daueraufenthaltsrecht erworben haben.

When do permanent/long-term rights arise and what continuity, absence or retention conditions matter?

Non-EU family members acquire the permanent right after five years of continuous lawful residence in Germany with the EU citizen; family members with retained rights (death, departure, divorce) after five years of continuous lawful residence. Continuity is not affected by absences of up to six months a year, military service, or one absence of up to 12 consecutive months for an important reason (e.g. pregnancy, serious illness, study, posting). Absence for a non-temporary reason of more than two consecutive years causes loss of the permanent right.

See recorded sources

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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