Permanent residence in Germany without B1? The German you need

For permanent residence in Germany – the settlement permit, Niederlassungserlaubnis – you usually need B1: the Residence Act asks for “sufficient” German and equates it with B1. Less is enough in two cases the law names explicitly: with the EU Blue Card, A1 after 27 months; as a recognised refugee, A2 after five years. German is waived entirely only if illness or disability makes it impossible.

What German does the settlement permit require?

The general rule is in § 9 (2) of the Residence Act. Besides five years with a residence permit, secure income, 60 months of pension contributions and adequate housing, you need two things that have to do with language:

• sufficient knowledge of German – under § 2 (11) of the Residence Act that is B1;
• basic knowledge of the legal and social order and of living conditions in Germany.

Both count as proven if you have completed an integration course. Otherwise you show the language with a B1 certificate.

The law uses fixed terms: simple German means A1, adequate A2, sufficient B1, good B2, and someone with “command” of German is at C1. When a section uses one of these words, you know which level is meant.

Are there routes with less than B1?

Yes, but only for certain residence titles. The overview by the law:

The time is only one of several conditions; income, pension contributions and housing apply on top, depending on the section. For other humanitarian residence permits, such as under § 24, § 26 (4) says the settlement permit can be granted if the general conditions of § 9 (2) are met – B1 included.

The Blue Card stands out: there B1 saves six months. If you are learning German anyway, a B1 certificate gets you to permanent residence sooner.

What about the EU long-term residence permit?

It is the second permanent title and often confused with the settlement permit. On German it asks for the same: under § 9a (2) of the Residence Act you need sufficient German, so B1, and basic knowledge of the legal and social order, plus five years of residence with a title and a secure, regular income. The exceptions of § 9 (2) described in the next section apply there too; there is no separate route with A1 or A2 like the Blue Card’s. A B1 certificate for one title can be shown for the other as well.

When is German waived?

§ 9 (2) names three cases. If you cannot prove the language because of a physical, mental or psychological illness or disability, it is waived. To avoid hardship the authority may waive it – a discretionary decision, not an entitlement. And if, in certain cases, you had no entitlement to an integration course or were not obliged to attend one, it is enough that you can communicate orally in simple German.

Whether your case falls under one of these is decided by the foreigners’ office (Ausländerbehörde). If you rely on an exception, bring the proof for it.

How do you prove B1 for the settlement permit?

With a completed integration course or with a certificate that says B1. The integration course’s final exam, the DTZ, certifies A2 or B1; for the general settlement permit only B1 counts. Outside the course you take telc Deutsch B1, for example, also called Zertifikat Deutsch. How the two exams differ is in DTZ vs telc B1.

In telc Deutsch B1 you need 60 % in the written and 60 % in the oral part, each part on its own. What each part of the exam is worth is on telc Deutsch B1 exam.

You will need the same B1 certificate later for citizenship. What applies there on top is on German test for citizenship.

This article restates the law; it is not legal advice. Which rule applies to your residence title, your foreigners’ office will tell you – ask there before you register for an exam.