EC long-term residence permit
This residence permit (Section 9a of the Residence Act) was introduced by the Act to Implement Residence- and Asylum-Related Directives of the European Union.
It is a permanent resident permit issued to third-country nationals after five years of legal residence in a member state of the European Union. This permit allows foreigners to move to another EU member state; like the settlement permit, it gives third-country nationals largely the same status as nationals, for example with regard to labour market access and social insurance benefits.