You don't need permanent residency to be qualified for a German passport, but the type of permit you have does matter. Here's the scoop on which residence permits allow you to naturalise and which do not.
Paul Krantz - paul.krantz@thelocal.com
Updated: Thu 16 Jul 2026 14:10 CET
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Two Blue Cards for foreign skilled workers are on a table at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann
You don't need permanent residency to be qualified for a German passport, but the type of permit you have does matter. Here's the scoop on which residence permits allow you to naturalise and which do not.
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