Disclaimer
What Bleiben can and can't do for you.
General information, not legal advice
Bleiben explains the general rules for the settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) and helps you prepare. It does not check your individual case and is not legal advice. Dates and routes in the calculator, planner and dashboard are estimates based on your answers.
Your Ausländerbehörde decides
Only your local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) decides whether and when you get a settlement permit. Offices can ask for other documents, count times differently or charge different fees. Check with your office before you make important decisions, for example about your job or a move.
Rules and sources
The rules we use are taken from official sources, such as the Residence Act (AufenthG), the Residence Ordinance (AufenthV), Make it in Germany and your city's service pages. Each result lists its sources and the date we last checked them. Laws and office practice can change, and we may not update straight away.
Leben in Deutschland questions
The test questions come from the official catalogue of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The English translations and explanations are written by us to help you learn; only the German questions count in the test.
AI feedback
Writing and speaking feedback is created by AI. It only covers your German and can be wrong. It never answers questions about immigration law. If you think feedback is wrong, you can flag it.
Independent service
Bleiben is an independent service. It is not affiliated with the BAMF, any immigration office, the Goethe-Institut or telc.
Need advice on your case?
Ask your immigration office, a lawyer for migration law, or a free counselling service such as the Migration Counselling for Adult Immigrants (mbeon).