Comparison of All Residence Permit Types

Complete reference table for all residence permit types in Germany. Use it to compare requirements and choose the best option for your situation.

Permit Type	Who Qualifies	Salary Requirement	Language Requirement	Duration	Path to Permanent Residence	Family Reunification	Can Switch To
WestbalkanregelungMost popular	Citizens of 6 Western Balkans countries (Serbia, BiH, MN, AL, KS, NMK)	Minimum wage (12.82 EUR/h)	Not required	1-4 years (renewable)	5 years + B1 German	Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16	Blue Card, Fachkraft, Niederlassungserlaubnis
Blue Card EUFastest permanent	Highly qualified with degree (or IT with 3+ yrs experience)	50,700 EUR/yr (45,934.20 shortage)	Not required for visa	4 years	21 months (B1) or 33 months (A1)	Yes — spouse WITHOUT language req., immediate work	Niederlassungserlaubnis (accelerated)
Fachkraft (vocational)	Workers with recognized 2+ yr vocational training	Adequate (no fixed threshold)	B1 German (usually)	4 years	4 years (shortened with special qualifications)	Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16	Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis
Fachkraft (academic)	Workers with recognized university degree	Adequate	B1 German (depends on job)	4 years	4 years + B1 German	Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16	Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis
ChancenkarteNew since 2024	Job seekers (min. 6 points: degree, experience, age, language)	Self-sustenance (no work rights except trial)	A2 German or B2 English	1 year (for job search)	Must switch to another permit, then 5 years	Not in this phase	Blue Card, Fachkraft, Westbalkanregelung
NiederlassungserlaubnisPermanent	Persons with 3-5 years residence + met requirements	Stable income (no social assistance)	B1 German	Permanent (unlimited)	This IS the permanent permit	Yes — best conditions	Naturalization after 5-8 years
Family Reunification	Spouses and minor children of permit holders	Sponsor must have sufficient income	A1 for spouses (exceptions: Blue Card)	Tied to sponsor's permit	5 years with own permit	Work rights (spouse)	Independent permit after 5 years, Niederlassungserlaubnis

Westbalkanregelung

Blue Card EU

Fastest permanent

Who Qualifies:Highly qualified with degree (or IT with 3+ yrs experience)

Salary Requirement:50,700 EUR/yr (45,934.20 shortage)

Language Requirement:Not required for visa

Duration:4 years

Path to Permanent Residence:21 months (B1) or 33 months (A1)

Family Reunification:Yes — spouse WITHOUT language req., immediate work

Can Switch To:Niederlassungserlaubnis (accelerated)

Fachkraft (vocational)

Who Qualifies:Workers with recognized 2+ yr vocational training

Salary Requirement:Adequate (no fixed threshold)

Language Requirement:B1 German (usually)

Duration:4 years

Path to Permanent Residence:4 years (shortened with special qualifications)

Family Reunification:Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16

Can Switch To:Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis

Fachkraft (academic)

Who Qualifies:Workers with recognized university degree

Salary Requirement:Adequate

Language Requirement:B1 German (depends on job)

Duration:4 years

Path to Permanent Residence:4 years + B1 German

Family Reunification:Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16

Can Switch To:Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis

Chancenkarte

New since 2024

Who Qualifies:Job seekers (min. 6 points: degree, experience, age, language)

Salary Requirement:Self-sustenance (no work rights except trial)

Language Requirement:A2 German or B2 English

Duration:1 year (for job search)

Path to Permanent Residence:Must switch to another permit, then 5 years

Family Reunification:Not in this phase

Can Switch To:Blue Card, Fachkraft, Westbalkanregelung

Niederlassungserlaubnis

Permanent

Who Qualifies:Persons with 3-5 years residence + met requirements

Salary Requirement:Stable income (no social assistance)

Language Requirement:B1 German

Duration:Permanent (unlimited)

Path to Permanent Residence:This IS the permanent permit

Family Reunification:Yes — best conditions

Can Switch To:Naturalization after 5-8 years

Family Reunification

Who Qualifies:Spouses and minor children of permit holders

Salary Requirement:Sponsor must have sufficient income

Language Requirement:A1 for spouses (exceptions: Blue Card)

Duration:Tied to sponsor's permit

Path to Permanent Residence:5 years with own permit

Family Reunification:Work rights (spouse)

Can Switch To:Independent permit after 5 years, Niederlassungserlaubnis

Key Takeaways

No qualifications?

Westbalkanregelung is your option. The only program requiring no degree or certificate. You just need an employer in Germany.

IT professional?

Blue Card — even without a degree if you have 3+ years of experience. Fastest path to permanent residence (21 months with B1).

Want permanent residence fast?

Blue Card + B1 German = 21 months to Niederlassungserlaubnis. The fastest path in the entire EU.

Looking for a job without an offer?

The Chancenkarte gives you 1 year to find a job in Germany. Required: minimum 6 points: degree (4 points), professional experience (3 points), B2 German (3 points), under 35 (2 points), B1 German (1 point), close relative in Germany (1 point). While searching: only trial work (up to 2 weeks) and part-time (up to 20h/week).

Not sure which permit suits you?

Our interactive guide will recommend the best permit type based on your situation — education, experience, job offer, salary.

Start guide

Legal References and Sources

BeschV § 26 — Westbalkanregelung (Beschäftigungsverordnung)
AufenthG § 18c — Blue Card EU
AufenthG §§ 18a–18b — Fachkraft (vocational and academic)
AufenthG § 19c st. 3 — Chancenkarte (points system)
EU Directive 2021/1883/EU — revised Blue Card framework
Make it in Germany

Last updated: March 2026.

Blue Card EU All permit types

Permit Type

Who Qualifies

Salary Requirement

Language Requirement

Duration

Path to Permanent Residence

Family Reunification

Can Switch To

WestbalkanregelungMost popular

Citizens of 6 Western Balkans countries (Serbia, BiH, MN, AL, KS, NMK)

Minimum wage (12.82 EUR/h)

Not required

1-4 years (renewable)

5 years + B1 German

Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16

Blue Card, Fachkraft, Niederlassungserlaubnis

Blue Card EUFastest permanent

Highly qualified with degree (or IT with 3+ yrs experience)

50,700 EUR/yr (45,934.20 shortage)

Not required for visa

4 years

21 months (B1) or 33 months (A1)

Yes — spouse WITHOUT language req., immediate work

Niederlassungserlaubnis (accelerated)

Fachkraft (vocational)

Workers with recognized 2+ yr vocational training

Adequate (no fixed threshold)

B1 German (usually)

4 years

4 years (shortened with special qualifications)

Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16

Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis

Fachkraft (academic)

Workers with recognized university degree

Adequate

B1 German (depends on job)

4 years

4 years + B1 German

Yes — spouse A1, children up to 16

Blue Card (if salary exceeds threshold), Niederlassungserlaubnis

ChancenkarteNew since 2024

Job seekers (min. 6 points: degree, experience, age, language)

Self-sustenance (no work rights except trial)

A2 German or B2 English

1 year (for job search)

Must switch to another permit, then 5 years

Not in this phase

Blue Card, Fachkraft, Westbalkanregelung

NiederlassungserlaubnisPermanent

Persons with 3-5 years residence + met requirements

Stable income (no social assistance)

B1 German

Permanent (unlimited)

This IS the permanent permit

Yes — best conditions

Naturalization after 5-8 years

Family Reunification

Spouses and minor children of permit holders

Sponsor must have sufficient income

A1 for spouses (exceptions: Blue Card)

Tied to sponsor's permit

5 years with own permit

Work rights (spouse)

Independent permit after 5 years, Niederlassungserlaubnis

Key Takeaways

No qualifications?

Westbalkanregelung is your option. The only program requiring no degree or certificate. You just need an employer in Germany.

IT professional?

Blue Card — even without a degree if you have 3+ years of experience. Fastest path to permanent residence (21 months with B1).

Want permanent residence fast?

Blue Card + B1 German = 21 months to Niederlassungserlaubnis. The fastest path in the entire EU.

Looking for a job without an offer?