You may be able to obtain a residence permit for humanitarian reasons (according to § 25 par. 5 Asylum Act), when it is not possible for you to return to your country for an extended period, for instance, due to your incapacity to travel or as a result of your country's refusal to issue you a passport.
However, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must have lived in Germany with a "Duldung" according to §60a Residence Act.
- You must have lived in Germany with a "Duldung" for at least 18 months. If you have been here for less than 18 months, the Immigration Office can still consider issuing you a residence permit- the duration of your stay in Germany and the extent to which you have managed to integrate yourself into the German job market play a determining role in their decision.
- You cannot return to your home country because you are incapable of travelling or unable to acquire a passport from your home country's embassy and not allowed to travel to your home country without a passport.
- You must be able to speak German at level A2. You can prove your proficiency, for instance, by presenting a language certificate or a school diploma, vocational training certificate or university degree.
- Your livelihood must be predominantly secured by your own income, which means, in principle, you cannot receive financial aid from the government. However, the Immigration Office can refrain from this condition if they assume that you can personally secure your livelihood in the future.
- If you have children, they must attend school.
- You must be committed to Germany's free democratic constitution and have basic knowledge regarding the laws and regulations which are usually discussed in the Orientation Course. The orientation course is, in fact, a part of the Integration Course. However, you can also just take the "Living in Germany" test. If you are studying to obtain a German school leaving certificate, such a test is not necessary.
- You must not have prevented your deportation by withholding information or lack of cooperation.
- You must not have been convicted of any crimes.
- You must have a passport, passport substitute or a foreigner's travel document ("Reiseausweis für Ausländer") or prove that you have tried to acquire a passport or passport substitute but you did not manage to obtain one.
To learn more about §25 paragraph 5 Residence Act (residence permit for humanitarian reasons) read the information sheet provided by the Saxony-Anhalt's Refugee Council (in German).
When it comes to extending your residence permit, the Immigration Office checks whether it is possible for you to leave Germany or be deported. If your departure or deportation is feasible, your residence permit may not be renewed and you may be asked to leave Germany. If this is the case, contact a counselling centre or a lawyer immediately. You can search for a lawyer or counselling centre, namely at Pro Asyl.