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Act on the Residence, Economic Activity and Integration of Foreigners in the Federal Territory¹
Residence Act

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Übersetzung durch den Sprachendienst des Bundesministeriums des Innern

Translation provided by the Language Service of the Federal Ministry of the Interior

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 4b des Gesetzes vom 17. Februar 2020 (BGBl. I S. 166)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/BJNR195010004.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 4b of the Act of 17 February 2020 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 166)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/BJNR195010004.html.

Zur Nutzung dieser Übersetzung lesen Sie bitte den Hinweis unter "Translations".

For conditions governing use of this translation, please see the information provided under "Translations".

           
Chapter 1
General provisions
Section 1Purpose of the Act; scope
Section 2Definitions
Chapter 2
Entry into and residence in the federal territory
Part 1
General
Section 3Passport requirement
Section 4Residence title requirement
Section 4aAccess to economic activity
Section 5General prerequisites for granting residence titles
Section 6Visas
Section 7Temporary residence permit
Section 8Extending the temporary residence permit
Section 9Permanent settlement permit
Section 9aEU long-term residence permit
Section 9bCounting residence periods
Section 9cSubsistence
Section 10Residence titles and applications for asylum
Section 11Ban on entry and residence
Section 12Area of application; ancillary provisions
Section 12aResidence rule
Part 2
Entry
Section 13Border crossing
Section 14Unlawful entry; exceptional visa
Section 15Refusal of entry
Section 15aAllocation of foreigners who have entered the federal territory unlawfully
Part 3
Residence for educational purposes
Section 16Principle underlying residence for educational purposes
Section 16aVocational training; advanced vocational training
Section 16bFurther education
Section 16cMobility of students
Section 16dMeasures regarding the recognition of foreign professional qualifications
Section 16eStudy-related EU training programmes
Section 16fLanguage courses and school attendance
Section 17Seeking a vocational training place or a place in higher education
Section 17aRecognition of foreign professional qualifications
Section 17bStudy-related EU training programmes
Part 4
Residence for the purpose of economic activity
Section 18Principle of skilled immigration; general provisions
Section 18aSkilled workers with vocational training qualification
Section 18bSkilled workers holding a university degree
Section 18cPermanent settlement permit for skilled workers
Section 18dResearch
Section 18eShort-term mobility for researchers
Section 18fTemporary residence permit for mobile researchers
Section 19ICT Card for intra-corporate transferees
Section 19aShort-term mobility for intra-corporate transferees
Section 19bMobile ICT Card
Section 19cOther employment purposes; civil servants
Section 19dTemporary residence permit for the purpose of employment for qualified foreigners whose deportation has been suspended
Section 19eParticipation in European voluntary service
Section 19fReasons to deny residence titles referred to in sections 16b, 16c, 16e, 16f, 17, 18b (2), 18d, 18e, 18f and 19e
Section 20Skilled workers seeking employment
Section 20aShort-term mobility for researchers
Section 20bTemporary residence permit for mobile researchers
Section 20cGrounds for rejection in the case of researchers, students, pupils, trainees, participants in language courses and European voluntary service
Section 21Self-employment
Part 5
Residence granted for reasons of international law or on humanitarian or political grounds
Section 22Admission from abroad
Section 23Granting of residence by the supreme Land authorities; admission when special political interests apply; resettling persons seeking protection
Section 23aGranting residence in case of hardship
Section 24Granting of residence for temporary protection
Section 25Residence on humanitarian grounds
Section 25aGranting residence in the case of well-integrated juveniles and young adults
Section 25bGranting residence in the case of permanent integration
Section 26Duration of residence
Part 6
Residence for family reasons
Section 27Subsequent immigration of dependants
Section 28Subsequent immigration of dependants to join a German national
Section 29Subsequent immigration of dependants to join a foreigner
Section 30Subsequent immigration of spouses
Section 31Independent right of residence for spouses
Section 32Subsequent immigration of children
Section 33Children born in the federal territory
Section 34Children’s right of residence
Section 35Children's independent, permanent right of residence
Section 36Subsequent immigration of parents and other family members
Section 36aSubsequent immigration to join persons granted subsidiary protection status
Part 7
Special rights of residence
Section 37Right of return
Section 38Residence title for former Germans
Section 38aResidence permit for long-term residents in other member states of the European Union
Part 8
Involvement of the Federal Employment Agency
Section 39Approval of employment for a foreigner
Section 40Grounds for denial
Section 41Revocation of approval and withdrawal of the work permit
Section 42Authorisation to issue statutory instruments and instructions
Chapter 3
Integration
Section 43Integration course
Section 44Entitlement to attend an integration course
Section 44aObligation to attend an integration course
Section 45Integration programme
Section 45aJob-related language training; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Chapter 4
Administrative provisions
Section 46Administrative orders
Section 47Prohibition and restriction of political activities
Section 47aObligation to cooperate; checking photographs
Section 48Obligations related to identification papers
Section 48aCollection of access data
Section 49Verification, establishment and documentation of identity
Chapter 5
Termination of stay
Part 1
Grounds establishing the obligation to leave the federal territory
Section 50Obligation to leave the federal territory
Section 51Termination of lawful residence; continued validity of restrictions
Section 52Revocation
Section 53Expulsion
Section 54Interest in expulsion
Section 55Interest in remaining
Section 56Monitoring for internal security reasons foreigners required to leave the federal territory
Section 56aElectronic location monitoring; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Part 2
Enforcement of the obligation to leave the federal territory
Section 57Removal
Section 58Deportation
Section 58aDeportation order
Section 59Deportation warning
Section 60Deportation bans
Section 60aTemporary suspension of deportation (Duldung)
Section 60bTemporary suspension of deportation for persons whose identity is not verified
Section 60cTemporary suspension of deportation for the purpose of training (Ausbildungsduldung)
Section 60dTemporary suspension of deportation for the purpose of employment (Beschäftigungsduldung)
Section 61Geographic restrictions, residence restriction, departure facilities
Section 62Custody awaiting deportation
Section 62aEnforcement of custody awaiting deportation
Section 62bCustody to secure departure
Chapter 6
Liability and fees
Section 63Obligations of transport carriers
Section 64Return transport obligation of transport carriers
Section 65Obligations of airport operators
Section 66Parties liable for costs; security
Section 67Scope of liability for costs
Section 68Liability for living expenses
Section 68aTransitional provision regarding declarations of commitment
Section 69Fees
Section 70Limitation of actions in respect of claims
Chapter 7
Procedural provisions
Part 1
Areas of competence
Section 71Competence
Section 71aJurisdiction and notification
Section 72Obligation to consult
Section 72aSecurity check of visa application data
Section 73Other consultation requirements in visa procedures, in public register and asylum procedures and in issuing residence titles
Section 73aNotification of the issuance of visas
Section 73bBackground check of persons and organisations involved in visa procedures
Section 73cCooperation with external service providers
Section 74Consulting the Federation; authority to issue instructions
Part 1a
Transit
Section 74aTransit of foreigners
Part 2
Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
Section 75Duties
Section 76(repealed)
Part 3
Administrative procedures
Section 77Written form; exemption from formal requirements
Section 78Documents with an electronic storage and processing medium
Section 78aForms for residence titles in exceptional cases, substitute identity card document and certificates
Section 79Decision on residence
Section 80Legal capacity
Section 81Applying for the residence title
Section 81aFast-track procedure for skilled workers
Section 82Cooperation by the foreigner
Section 83Limits on the right of appeal
Section 84Effects of an objection and legal action
Section 85Calculation of residence periods
Section 85aProceedings in case of specific indications of wrongful acknowledgement of paternity
Part 4
Data protection
Section 86Collection of personal data
Section 86aCollection of personal data to promote voluntary departure and reintegration
Section 87Transfer of data and information to foreigners authorities
Section 88Transfer of data and information in the case of special statutory regulations on the processing of data
Section 88aProcessing data in connection with integration measures
Section 89Procedures to investigate, establish and document a foreigner’s identity
Section 90Transmission of information by foreigners authorities
Section 90aNotifications by the foreigners authorities to the registration authorities
Section 90bComparing data between foreigners authorities and registration authorities
Section 90cData transfer in visa procedures via the Federal Foreign Office
Section 91Storage and deletion of personal data
Section 91aTemporary protection register
Section 91bTransfer of data by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees as the National Contact Point
Section 91cIntra-Community information to implement Directive 2003/109/EC
Section 91dInformation to implement Directive 2016/801/EU
Section 91eCommon provisions for the register for the purposes of temporary protection and intra-Community data transfer
Section 91fInformation to implement Directive 2009/50/EC within the European Union
Section 91gInformation to implement Directive 2014/66/EU
Chapter 8
Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration
Section 92Office of the Commissioner
Section 93Duties
Section 94Scope of authority
Chapter 9
Punishment of criminal offences and fines
Section 95Penal provisions
Section 96Smuggling foreigners into the federal territory
Section 97Smuggling foreigners into the federal territory resulting in death; smuggling for gain and as organised gangs
Section 97aObligation of secrecy
Section 98Fines
Chapter 9a
Legal consequences of unlawful employment
Section 98aRemuneration
Section 98bExclusion from subsidies
Section 98cExclusion from the award of public contracts
Chapter 10
Authorisation to issue statutory instruments; transitional and final provisions
Section 99Authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 100Linguistic adaptation
Section 101Continued validity of previous rights of residence
Section 102Continued validity of other measures under the law relating to foreigners and consideration of prior periods
Section 103Application of previous law
Section 104Transitional provisions
Section 104aRegulations governing old cases
Section 104bRight of residence for integrated children of foreigners whose deportation has been suspended
Section 105Transitional arrangements for the temporary suspension of deportation for persons whose identity is not verified
Section 105aProvisions as to the administrative procedure
Section 105bTransitional provision for residence titles issued according to a standard form
Section 105cTransition of measures to monitor for internal security purposes foreigners subject to expulsion orders
Section 106Curtailment of fundamental rights
Section 107City-state clause