https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/immigration-law/ Recent content in immigration law on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia Hugo en-US Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/immigration-law/german-immigration-law/ Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://legal.excellentwiki.com/germany/immigration-law/german-immigration-law/ <h2 id="the-residence-act-and-the-freedom-of-movement-act">The Residence Act and the Freedom of Movement Act</h2> <p>The primary legislative framework for German immigration law is the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) of 2004, which replaced the Foreigners Act (Ausländergesetz) of 1990 and represents a fundamental reorientation of German immigration policy from a discretionary system to a rights-based statutory framework. The Residence Act governs the entry, residence, employment, and integration of third-country nationals in Germany. The Freedom of Movement Act (Freizügigkeitsgesetz) implements the EU right of free movement for Union citizens and their family members. The Asylum Act (Asylgesetz) regulates the asylum procedure. The EU settlement permit (Daueraufenthalt-EU) grants long-term resident status to third-country nationals who have held a residence permit for five years and meet integration requirements, in implementation of the EU Long-Term Residents Directive.</p>