Duldung (tolerated stay permit)

Was does tolerated stay permit (Duldung) mean?

Duldung is a bad status. Many rights are denied, for example you cannot decide for yourself where you live.

But it does not always mean that deportation is imminent. Some people live in Germany for many years with this tolerated status.

The actual risk of deportation is individual.

However, a tolerated stay / Duldung causes many problems:

You are not allowed to re-enter Germany with a tolerated stay permit. So be careful when travelling abroad.
A Duldung always has a time limit, often 3 or 6 months. But you can also be deported within this period without warning. The danger is great if the tolerated stay permit states: ‘Expires regardless of validity on the day of deportation’ or a similar text.
Many Duldungen contain further prohibitions:

• “Zur Wohnistznahme verpflichtet” = “Obliged to take up residence in…” : This means that you must live at this address. If you want to move, you must first submit an application to the immigration authorities, who must authorise your move. This often takes a long time and you usually have to have a job. In the meantime, you may be able to rent a second flat or room through a friend or acquaintance. However, you must officially live in the flat that is on your tolerated stay permit.
• “Beschäftigung nicht gestattet” = “Employment not permitted” : This means you are not allowed to work.
• “Beschäftigung nur mit Erlaubnis gestattet” = “Employment only permitted with authorisation” : This means that you and your future employer must submit an application to the foreigners authority.

You can find more information on work permits here:

You can legally defend yourself against the bans and submit applications to the foreigners authority to have these bans cancelled. It is more difficult to find a job or a flat with a Duldung. This is because landlords or employers are not familiar with the rules at the foreigners authority and are unsure because Duldungen are only valid for a few months. It often helps if your family, friends and supporters help you to find a flat or a job through their networks.

Here you can find further important information on your rights and obligations if you get a Duldung:

A Duldung is not a substitute for a passport. Therefor it is no proof of your identity. This is why there can sometimes be problems if you want to get a driving licence or if you want to buy a SIM card or open a bank account.

Passport obligation

If you have a Duldung and have not yet presented a passport, the foreigners authority will definitely want to see your passport. They have many ways of forcing you to do this, for example they can ban you from working or reduce your social benefits if you don’t get a passport.

You have a so-called ‘duty to co-operate’, which means you have to obtain a passport and prove your identity.

If you try to obtain a passport, write down exactly what you have done: Visited embassy, called family etc.

Here you can find multilingual information on the obligation to cooperate and obtaining a passport:

In some countries you can only be deported with a passport. If you give your passport to the immigration authorities, the risk of deportation increases. At the same time, it is your duty to prove your identity and you need a passport for a residence title. However, you can also be deported to many countries without a passport, for example to Georgia, Pakistan or Tunisia. Here, the risk of deportation with and without a passport is roughly the same.

Here you can find information on how you can still obtain a residence permit with a tolerated stay: