Settlement permit with 18d and 50% 6-month fixed-term contract
Hello.
I have been doing my doctorate for almost 3 years now, having 65% TV-L E13 contract. However, the extension for the next period is only 50%, same type of contract, same place (no probationary period then), but only for 6 months.
Technically, when this next period starts, I will meet all the requirements according to 18c AufenthG: 3 years of 18d, will keep 18d residence(this contract extension still allows me to have 18d, I checked), 36 months of pension insurance payments, no problems with housing; already passed B1 TELC and Einbürgerungstest to prove knowledge of German language and society.
But I am worried about the subsistence criterion. Won't I get the refusal because of only 6 months contract duration and relatively low salary (still enough for all my needs)? I expect to have 500-600 euros left after ALL expenses (rent, fees, food, etc.), as this money will go to my savings. Does it make sense for me to provide ABH with all the information from all my bank accounts for the last 3 years to show that I could not only live on 65% of my salary, but also make decent savings, and that a salary reduction of 65%->50% will not put me at risk of finance instability? Also, I have saved enough money during these 3 years to live the same life with the same expenses, even if I will not have a job during the next 3 years (the aim is to demonstrate that I am unlikely to use unemployment benefits).
I saw a post on the internet where a person in an almost similar situation got rejected with a 3 month contract, but would 6 months be enough for ABH officials? Especially as the application process takes time. I will have to defend my dissertation at the end of this 6 month contract, so I really want to have a settlement permit as soon as possible in order to be able to find my next job without stress (which is why a job-seeker's visa, even with future German university degree, would be nerve-wracking and undesirable option) and also to be more interesting for the next employer (since visa and temporary residence issues mean more paperwork for the organisations). Do you know anything about cases similar to mine? What are my chances of getting a settlement permit? Is it possible that the new coalition will tighten the 18c paragraph soon (since CDU wants to constrain the migration)? Do you have any idea how long the processing time of the application might be? Is there anything else I can do to support my application?
Thank you so much!
Welcome to our forum, @nereis !
How nice that you are already thinking about applying for a settlement permit and that you already fulfill so many requirements!
You have already been living in Germany for 3 years, paid pension contributions for 36 months, have a B1 language certificate and have passed the Living in Germany test - that's really great! Surely you can also prove that you have sufficient living space.
In fact, your situation is a little more complicated with a temporary part-time contract just regarding sufficient living expenses. In order to prove sufficient living expenses, it is certainly advantageous that you have already saved so much. Unfortunately, only the salary is often taken into account when calculating living expenses. However, this is handled differently in all federal states, depends on your rent and is also dependent on the case worker. A guideline is about €663/month, which should be available to you after deducting your rent.
Please note, that applications for a settlement permit can take quite a while. So, until your application gets processed your employment situation might have changed. Maybe it is better to apply for both: an extension of your current permit and a settlement permit afterwards to avoid have some time without any residence permit.
You can contact a migration advice center. You can look at your documents together, submit your application and prepare the documents so that it is clear that you can secure your livelihood and have good prospects on the job market. You can look for an advice center near you on the BAMF website or tell me where you live.
Please let me know if you have further questions.