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Changing purpose, settlement permit, naturalisation after five years, benefits.

Change of purpose

Switching from, for example, student to employee needs a new application before your permit ends (fee €98, § 45 AufenthV). See Study, Skilled worker.

Waiting for the permit (§ 81 AufenthG)

If you apply in time for an extension, your existing permit, with its work permission, continues to apply meanwhile (§ 81 (4)). The fiction of lawful stay after an application under § 81 (3) gives no permission to work. A Schengen visa gives no such fiction (§ 81 (4) S. 2). Work before the new permit is issued is possible only under § 81 (5a), for future permits under Chapter 2 Sections 3 and 4: from the moment the issue of the document is initiated until it is handed over, only the employment described in the future permit, noted on the certificate (Fiktionsbescheinigung).

Settlement permit

See Skilled worker (§ 18c); general rule § 9 AufenthG.

Naturalisation

• Regular naturalisation after 5 years of lawful residence (§ 10 StAG) with secure living costs, German at B1, knowledge of the legal system and no serious convictions. The three-year fast naturalisation was repealed as of 30 Oct 2025 (BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 256; asyl.net).
• Multiple citizenship has been allowed in Germany since 27 June 2024. Whether Ghana lets you keep Ghanaian citizenship was not checked.

Benefits

The Bürgergeld was replaced by the Grundsicherungsgeld on 1 July 2026. Claiming benefits can affect residence and naturalisation. Ask an adviser first.

Without a valid permit? Get legal advice quickly; do not pay agents.