National ban on deportation

In the case of a national ban on deportation, you will be given a residence permit for one year. This residence permit will be extended by the immigration authority upon application if the protection status still applies and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has not revoked the ban on deportation.

The immigration authority must issue you with a residence permit even if you are not able to present a valid passport from your home country. However, it may demand that you present other documents to help clarify your identity.

If you do not have a a  passport from your home country, you will be issued a residence permit with a substitute ID document. But you cannot use it to travel abroad. If you have made every effort to obtain a passport issued by your home country but were unsuccessful, you can obtain a German travel document for foreigners from the German immigration authority (“grey passport”). You can use it to travel abroad.

A residence permit allows you to work in Germany. In addition, you are entitled to social welfare benefits according to the German Social Code II (“SGB II”) if you do not earn enough money. This also includes health insurance. If you are ill, you can go directly to a doctor with the health card issued by the insurance company (further information). You have to file the application for social welfare benefits at the job center.

You are not automatically entitled to participate in an integration course. If you do not earn enough and receive money from the job center, the job center will usually oblige you to attend an integration course and pay the costs.

Family reunion for spouses and minor children is only possible in special cases of humanitarian emergency.

The earliest you can obtain a permanent residence title (settlement permit) is after you have been working and paying pension contributions in Germany for five years. Among other things you must provide evidence of B1-level German language skills.