# Faust Academy

## B1 German for permanent residence in Germany

URL: https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-b1-permanent-residence
Language: en
Updated: 2026-09-25

For the settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis), German law asks for B1 German (section 9 AufenthG). The Goethe-Institut states that the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is accepted as proof for it. EU Blue Card holders can apply after 27 months with A1 German, or after 21 months with B1 (section 18c AufenthG).

The settlement permit is a residence permit without a time limit. It is the German form of permanent residence. The Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) has several routes to it, and most of them ask for B1 German.

This page lists the routes, the time each one takes, the German each one asks for, and the ways to prove B1.

### Settlement routes and the German they ask for

| Route | Time and contributions | German | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General rule | 5 years with a residence permit, 60 months of pension contributions | B1 | § 9 (2) AufenthG |
| Skilled worker | 3 years with a skilled worker permit, 36 months of contributions | B1 | § 18c (1) AufenthG |
| Skilled worker with a German vocational training or degree | 2 years, 24 months of contributions | B1 | § 18c (1) AufenthG |
| EU Blue Card | 27 months of work with contributions | A1 | § 18c (2) AufenthG |
| EU Blue Card with B1 | 21 months of work with contributions | B1 | § 18c (2) AufenthG |
| Spouse of a skilled worker with a settlement permit | 3 years with a residence permit, work of at least 20 hours per week | B1 | § 9 (3a) AufenthG |

### Other conditions besides German

German is one condition among several. Under section 9 you also need secure living costs, basic knowledge of the legal and social order and of life in Germany, and enough living space for you and your family.

A passed integration course proves both the German and the basic knowledge. The office does not ask for these two conditions if an illness or a disability stops you from meeting them, and it can drop them to avoid hardship.

### Ways to prove B1

The Goethe-Institut states that the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is accepted as proof of German for the settlement permit and for citizenship in Germany.

The integration course is the other route. The BAMF gives the Zertifikat Integrationskurs when you reach B1 overall in the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ) and pass the test Leben in Deutschland. The Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ) certifies A2 or B1 as the overall result. Below A2 there is no certificate, only a result letter.

The Goethe B1 is modular. The law does not say whether the office needs all four modules, so ask your immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) before you book.

### The Goethe B1 exam at a glance

| Part | Length | Tasks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reading (Lesen) | 65 minutes | 30 tasks in 5 parts |
| Listening (Hören) | 40 minutes | 30 tasks in 4 parts |
| Writing (Schreiben) | 60 minutes | 3 writing tasks |
| Speaking (Sprechen) | Oral exam | 3 parts, paired exam |
| Pass mark | 60 of 100 points | In each module |

### Citizenship asks for the same level

For German citizenship you need German at level B1 (section 10 StAG). A B1 certificate for the settlement permit can serve you again later.

### Steps to your B1 certificate

- Check which settlement route fits you and when you can apply.
- Ask your immigration office which B1 proofs it accepts and whether it needs all four Goethe modules.
- Find your level with the Faust placement test.
- Practise each module in the exam format until you score 60 of 100 points in a scored paper.
- The Goethe-Institut exam rules name three formats: on paper at a test centre, digital on a laptop at a test centre, and, under certain conditions, online on your own computer. The structure, content and grading are the same in all three formats. Ask your test centre which formats it offers.

### How Faust helps

Faust Academy has 48 Goethe B1 practice papers in the Goethe exam format for Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen, and practice papers for the DTZ. Every paper gets a result.

One scored online paper per part is free, and every PDF is free.

Faust Academy is independent practice. It is not a product of the Goethe-Institut and issues no certificates.

### Practise for B1

- [Goethe B1 Lesen papers](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-b1-lesen)
- [Goethe B1 Lesen paper 1 with answer key](https://www.faustacademy.com/pruefungsmaterial/goethe-b1-lesen-01)
- [DTZ practice papers](https://www.faustacademy.com/dtz-a2b1-modelltest)

### Questions

**What German level do I need for permanent residence in Germany?**

B1. The settlement permit asks for ausreichende Deutschkenntnisse, which German law defines as B1 (sections 9 and 2 AufenthG). EU Blue Card holders can also apply with A1 after 27 months.

**Is the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 accepted for the Niederlassungserlaubnis?**

The Goethe-Institut states that the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is accepted as proof of German for the settlement permit and for citizenship in Germany.

**Can I get the settlement permit with A1 German?**

An EU Blue Card holder can get the settlement permit after 27 months of work with simple German (A1), or after 21 months with adequate German (B1) (section 18c (2) AufenthG).

**Does the integration course count as proof?**

Yes. A passed integration course proves both the B1 German and the basic knowledge of life in Germany (section 9 (2) AufenthG).

**Do I need all four Goethe B1 modules?**

The law does not say. Ask your immigration office which modules it needs before you book the exam.

**How is the Goethe B1 exam scored?**

Goethe B1, B2, C1 and C2: each module has 100 points. You pass a module with 60 points.

**Is B1 also the level for German citizenship?**

For German citizenship you need German at level B1 (section 10 StAG).

### Sources

- [§ 9 AufenthG, Niederlassungserlaubnis](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__9.html)
- [§ 18c AufenthG, Niederlassungserlaubnis für Fachkräfte](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18c.html)
- [§ 2 AufenthG, Begriffsbestimmungen](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__2.html)
- [§ 10 StAG, Einbürgerung](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__10.html)
- [Goethe-Institut: Deutschprüfungen A1 bis C2](https://www.goethe.de/de/spr/prf.html)
- [BAMF: Abschlussprüfung Integrationskurs](https://www.bamf.de/DE/Themen/Integration/ZugewanderteTeilnehmende/Integrationskurse/Abschlusspruefung/abschlusspruefung-node.html)
- [Goethe-Institut: Durchführungsbestimmungen B1, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Durchfuehrungsbestimmungen_B1.pdf)