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Auswrtiges Amt - Immigration Act

Immigration Act
Re side nce pe rm its Re side nce for the purpose of e duca tion or tra ining La bour m igra tion See k ing e m ploym e nt in Ge rm any A sim ple r im m igra tion process for re sea rchers Im m igra tion on hum a nita ria n, politica l a nd sim ila r grounds a sylum Subsequent im m igra tion of fa m ily m e m bers and children Foste ring integration The Immigration A ct entered into force on 1 January 2005 and contains provisions on the entry of foreigners into Germany, their residence in the country, various residence purposes, the termination of residence and asylum procedures. It will hereinafter be referred to as the Residence A ct (A ufenthaltsgesetz). Am e ndm ents to the Act took e ffe ct on 28 August 2007. These am e ndm ents include provisions to im plem ent e le ve n EU directive s on re side nce a nd a sylum rule s, to preve nt sham or force d m arriage s, to e nhance inte rna l se curity, to im ple m e nt decisions of the Ge rm a n Confe re nce of Inte rior Ministe rs on na tionality law, to facilita te the im m igration of com pa ny founde rs a nd, above a ll, provisions to foster the integra tion of lega l im m igra nts. Residence permits The Re sidence Act stipulate s for the first tim e e ve r tha t a visa is of itse lf a k ind of residence pe rm it. This provision is of significance for short sta ys. A visa now e xpressly perm its the holde r to reside in Ge rm any for its dura tion; unde r the old Foreigners Act only re sidence pe rm its a cquire d a fte r e ntry into Ge rm any entitle d the holder to sta y in the country. In the ca se of longer sta ys, the only distinction tha t is still m a de is be twe en (tem porary) re sidence pe rm its a nd (pe rm a ne nt) se ttle m e nt pe rm its. First-tim e entry into the country still re quire s a visa for Germ a ny (na tiona l visa ), which is the n converted into a re sidence or se ttle m e nt perm it once the holde r has a rrive d in the country. Re side nce pe rm its are issue d for the purpose s spe cifie d in the Act (e ducation or tra ining, gainful e m ploym ent, inte rna tional-law, hum a nitaria n, political or fam ily rea sons). Settlem ent perm its are issue d if a fore igne r ha s possesse d a re side nce pe rm it for five ye a rs a nd m e e ts the a dditiona l re quire m e nts (secure incom e , no crim ina l re cord, a dequate com m and of the Ge rm a n la ngua ge , e tc). These ca n be issued m ore quick ly to highly qua lifie d fore igne rs a nd holders of an EU Blue C ard. The a m e nde d Im m igra tion Act also introduced the EC long-term re sidence pe rm it as a se pa rate re side nce pe rm it. It is ve ry sim ilar to the se ttle m e nt pe rm it. Im plem entation of the EU C ouncil Directive on the conditions of entry a nd re sidence of third country na tionals for the purposes of highly qualifie d e m ploym ent (the so ca lled Blue Ca rd Dire ctive), m e a nt introducing a new re sidence title with e ffe ct from 1 August 2012: the EU Blue C ard which is ve ry sim ila r to a te m pora ry reside nce pe rm it but m a k es it e asie r to ge t a se ttle m e nt pe rm it.

Residence for the purpose of education or training Foreigners m ay be issued with a re newable re side nce pe rm it for the purpose of applying to a nd studying a t a state or sta te -re cognized higher educa tion institution or com pa rable training esta blishm e nt. After graduating, the y m ay ha ve their re sidence pe rm it e xte nde d for up to one ye ar (from 1 August 2012 for up to 18 m onths) for the purpose of se e king e m ploym e nt re leva nt to the ir fie ld of study. A re sidence pe rm it ca n a lso be issue d to those wishing to pa rticipate in a la nguage course without there after going on to university. R eside nce perm its to e nable a child to attend school can only be issue d in e x ce ptiona l case s. If the Fede ra l Em ploym e nt Age ncy give s its approva l, reside nce pe rm its m ay a lso be issue d for the purpose of com ple ting in-com pa ny initial a nd continuing tra ining. Gra dua tes of Ge rm an schools abroa d who wish to com plete a qualifie d in-com pany tra ining course for a sta te-re cognize d or sim ila rly a ccre dite d training occupa tion m a y be grante d a

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re side nce pe rm it without the a pprova l of the Fe de ral Em ploym ent Agency.

Labour migration A ne w k ind of re sidence pe rm it that also grants a ccess to the labour m ark et wa s introduced on 1 Ja nua ry 2005, repla cing the pre vious syste m of se pa rate re side nce a nd work perm its. Fore igne rs will thus now only ha ve to de al with one a uthority. Abroad this will be the Ge rm a n m issions (e m bassy a nd consulate visa sections), in Germ a ny the fore igners a uthoritie s. The la bour a uthoritie s will be contacte d a s re quire d by the m issions or fore igners authoritie s the m se lve s. The gene ra l ba n on recruitm e nt, that is restrictions in a cce ss to the la bour m a rke t, rem ains in pla ce , though e xceptions m ay be m a de for individua l occupa tion ca tegorie s by ordinance . Approva l m a y be granted in justified insta nces if the re is a public inte re st in a n individua l ta king up e m ploym ent (Re side nce Act, se ction 18 (4)). The Act provides for highly qualifie d persons to be gra nte d perm a ne nt reside nce from the outse t. The y m a y obta in a se ttle m e nt perm it im m e dia tely upon a rriva l. The ir fa m ily m e m be rs who com e to Ge rm any with the m or join the m at a la ter da te a re e ntitle d to tak e up ga inful e m ploym ent. Se lf-em ployed pe rsons ca n be issued with a re side nce pe rm it if the re is pa rticula r e conom ic or spe cific re giona l inte rest in the pla nned business proje ct. To this end, e ach ca se is e xa m ined also ta k ing due a ccount of the im pa ct on the e conom y a nd the se curing of fina ncing. Following gradua tion, stude nts ca n re m ain in Ge rm a ny to se ek e m ploym e nt for up to 18 m onths (with effect from 1 August 2012). A re sidence pe rm it m a y only be issue d once a concre te job offer ha s be en m a de . Approva l by the authoritie s is gene ra lly de pe nde nt on the ne eds of Ge rm any as a busine ss loca tion, with due considera tion given to the situation on the la bour m ark et.

Seeking employment in Germany From 1 August 2012, unive rsity gra duate s with a de gre e from a Ge rm a n or a nothe r re cognized unive rsity or a degre e from a foreign unive rsity which is com pa rable to a Ge rm an de gre e will ha ve the opportunity to e nte r Ge rm a ny to see k e m ploym e nt. The jobse ek e rs visa a llows a stay of up to six m onths. Alongside a university degree , proof of a dequa te m ea ns of subsiste nce for the pla nne d duration of the sta y is require d. During the pe riod whe n e m ploym e nt is being sought, it is not pe rm itte d to work whethe r on a self-e m ployed ba sis or othe rwise .

A simpler immigration process for researchers R eside nce perm its will be gra nte d to pe ople inte nding to do rese arch at a rese a rch facility re cognize d by the Fe deral O ffice for Migra tion a nd Re fuge es, provide d a va lid adm ission a gre em ent ha s be e n conclude d by the fore igne r and the re sea rch fa cility. The visa proce dure for these re se arche rs is conducte d a s a sim plified procedure without the involve m e nt of the fore igners authoritie s. Adm ission of third-country nationa ls to Germ a ny for the purpose of scie ntific rese a rch (P DF, 751 KB)

Immigration on humanitarian, political and similar grounds asylum In line with the EU Asylum Q ua lification Directive , re fugee sta tus is a lso granted under the Re sidence Act in the ca se of non-sta te persecution. In a ddition, ge nde r-spe cific perse cution is now a lso re cognize d, i.e . a thre a t to a pe rson's life or thre a te ned bodily harm a lso constitute s pe rse cution if it ta ke s pla ce sole ly on a ccount of the ir gender.

Subsequent immigration of family members and children A foreigner m ust ha ve a settlem ent or reside nce perm it or an EU Blue Ca rd a nd sufficie nt living spa ce be fore his/he r fa m ily is a llowe d to join him /he r. Furthe r require m e nts m ust a lso be fulfille d, de pending on the status of the foreigner re side nt in Germ a ny. As re gards the subse que nt im m igration of spouses, the a m e nde d Im m igra tion Act introduce d the rule that both spouses m ust be 18 ye a rs or olde r a nd tha t the pe rson arriving in Ge rm any to join the ir spouse m ust in principle have at le a st a ba sic knowle dge of Germ a n.

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As re gards the subse que nt im m igration of childre n, the uppe r a ge lim it of 16 ye a rs has be e n reta ine d. Young people be twe en the a ge s of 16 and 18 m ay be gra nte d a re side nce perm it in ca se s of ha rdship or if the ir prospe cts of integration a re good. W he re a pa re nt with sole custody of a child unde r 16 im m igra tes to Ge rm any, the child is entitle d to the necessa ry reside nce perm it.

Fostering integration Inte gra tion is a long-te rm process a im ing to dra w all pe ople living le ga lly and pe rm ane ntly in Ge rm any into socie ty. Im m igrants a re to be able to pa rticipate fully a nd whe re possible e qua lly in all a re a s of socie ty. Im m igra nts ha ve a duty to le a rn the Ge rm a n la nguage a nd to know, re spect and com ply with the C onstitution and le gisla tion. At the sa m e tim e , im m igra nts ne e d to be gra nte d e qua l a ccess whe re possible a ll a cross socie ty. Migrants who ha ve successfully com ple te d a n integration course a re a ble to shorte n the tim e the y ha ve to wa it for a se ttle m e nt perm it or, if de sire d, for citize nship. The inte gra tion course is he ld in Ge rm an.

La st upda ted 23.07.2012 More information on this topic Integra tion Ga te way (Fe dera l O ffice for Migra tion and Re fugee s) Asylum a nd im m igration (Fe deral Ministry of the Inte rior) Fe de ra l O ffice for Migration a nd R efuge e s (BAMF) 1995-2012 Fede ra l Fore ign O ffice

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