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Settlement Permit for a Family Member of a German Citizen

GermanyLong-term residence

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

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Explore pathways in Germany Read the five questions ↓

What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

A settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), an unlimited residence title, normally granted to the foreign family member of a German (§ 28(2) AufenthG).

See recorded sources

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

Three years holding a residence permit, with the family unit continuing in Germany.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No separate start date is stated beyond holding the residence permit.

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

Under the general crediting rule, earlier periods with a residence or settlement permit count if the person held a settlement permit when leaving (minus intervening absences that ended the settlement permit; at most four years are credited), and lawful residence for study or vocational training in Germany counts at half.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • § 9(4) AufenthG is the general crediting rule for settlement permits; the captured sources do not state expressly how it applies to this specific settlement basis.

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

Each stay outside Germany that did not end the residence permit counts for at most six months; a residence title expires if the person leaves and does not return within six months (or a longer period set by the foreigners authority).

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • § 51(1) no. 7 AufenthG is the general expiry rule for residence titles; no route-specific absence rule was found.

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

The family unit with the German must continue in Germany, there must be no expulsion interest and the person needs sufficient German; otherwise the residence permit is extended while the family unit lasts. The settlement permit of a foreigner living in marital cohabitation with a German does not expire on leaving Germany unless certain serious expulsion interests exist. The official source does not state the application procedure.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured sources do not describe the application procedure or document/card validity for this permit.

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

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