Settlement permit

Highly qualified professionals like professors with a third country (non-EU/non-EFTA states) nationality, can obtain a permanent settlement permit [Niederlassungserlaubnis] without prior periods of residence in Germany (§ 18c AufenthG). Higly qualified professionals are for example scientists with special expertise, teachers in a high-level position or scientific staff in a prominent position at a university.

Before entering of Germany you have to apply for a National  Work Visa (duration over 90 days) from your current place of living. After that is issued you can enter Germany and apply for a settlement permit as highly qualified professional.

If you are starting as professor at a W3 level (full our associate professorship), you do need a settlement permit in order to receive your certificate of appointment (Ernennungsurkunde). Please note that otherwise the Ernennungsurkunde cannot be handed over to you and you can not start your commencement. Your residence permit needs to be valid at least for the overall duration of your professorship or respectively unlimited (appointed for life).

If you are an EU Blue Card holder, you can request to obtain a settlement permit in accordance with Sect. 18c (3) AufenthG (German Residence Act).

You need to apply in person. After application it takes 10-12 weeks for the electronic settlement permit to be issued. 

National Work Visa for Qualified Professionals

As a high qualified professional § 18c Abs. III FachkrEG you can apply for a visa.

Steps - How to get your Visa as a highly qualified professional!

1. German Embassy

Please find a list of all German Embassys around the world here and pick the one of your current place of residence.

2. Appointment

Please book an appointment at the German Embassy of your current place or residence.

Required documents:

• Visa application form (twice filled out and signed) only in the language version used by the German Embassy you are applying!
• Valid passport
• Academic CV
• If relevant other current residence titles
• 2 Biometric photos of yourself
• Proof of recognised foreign higher education degree or of comparable to a German one if you did not aquire your degree in Germany.
• Concrete job offer/Presidential offer from TUM
• Declaration of TUM as your future employer (filled out from HR)
• A gross annual income of at least € 56,400.00 (as of 2022)
• Proof of health insurance from on now until your actual starting date

You can check if your graduation is recognissed in the data base Anabin. If that is not the case you have to apply for a statement of comparability at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

A Statement of Comparability certifies that your degree is equivalent to a German university degree. Please find out how to apply for a statement of comparability here and find the checklist which documents you have to submit regarding the country of your academic graduation.

3. Visa appointment

To apply for the visa you have to submit your file personally at the German Embassy. Please bring the original documents with two photocopies of each as listed above and maybe more documents as required from your relevant German Embassy. Moreover have the actual visa fee of about 75€ ready to pay.

After your visa is issued you can enter Germany and start applying for your settlement permit.