# Blue Card holder but I have to go back to my country



## alexwenner87

Hello,

I'm a Blue Card holder and been living in Berlin with my wife for a year now. I have to go back to my home country and probably stay there for a couple of years due to personal issues. I understand that my Blue Card will get voided but in the future, we want to come back and live in Germany again.

A couple of questions:
1- What are the steps I should take before leaving Germany? I heard there is a de-registeration process
2- Knowing that we want to be back in the future, what should be taken into consideration?
3- Is there a way to ask German Foreign Office to not void the Blue Card and hold it for 2-3 years?

Thank you in advance.


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## Bevdeforges

1. Just as you registered with the Rathaus when you first arrived, you need to "Abmelden" (register your departure) when you leave. It's a fairly quick process and they will give you a certificate that you may need for some of the other processes of moving.

2. There's not really much you can or should do. Do make sure you have settled all your accounts and properly cancelled subscriptions, insurance policies and other debts.

3. Maybe someone will pop in here, but normally there is no way to put a visa/residence permit on hold pending your return. When you want to come back, you'll have to go through the process again.


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## ALKB

alexwenner87 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm a Blue Card holder and been living in Berlin with my wife for a year now. I have to go back to my home country and probably stay there for a couple of years due to personal issues. I understand that my Blue Card will get voided but in the future, we want to come back and live in Germany again.
> 
> A couple of questions:
> 1- What are the steps I should take before leaving Germany? I heard there is a de-registeration process
> 2- Knowing that we want to be back in the future, what should be taken into consideration?
> 3- Is there a way to ask German Foreign Office to not void the Blue Card and hold it for 2-3 years?
> 
> Thank you in advance.


1- Go to a Bürgeramt (look for an appointment online now, they can be hard to get) and deregister about a week before you leave. Alternatively, download the form, fill it in and, right after leaving, send it to the Bürgeramt by email, asking for the deregistration certificate to be sent to you by email, too. You will need to send copies of this document to your health insurance and probably any places you have a contract with (mobile phone, cable TV, gymn, etc.). 

2- Hang on to your deregistration certificates, make sure you cancel all contracts, most of all keep your health insurance in the loop, talk to them before you leave and send them a copy of your deregistration as soon as possible. Otherwise they will keep billing you at maximum cost and it will certainly hound you when you try to come back.

3- There is a way for regular residence permits (spouse, indefinite, etc.). Not sure about employer-sponsored work permits and BlueCard, as those are tied to specific jobs which will probably not be kept open for you for a few years? No harm in going to the Ausländerbehörde and asking.


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## alexwenner87

Thanks for the reply Bevdeforges and ALKB.

Would the situation have been different if I had a Permanent Residence Permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)? What happens if I leave Germany for extended period of time but for intentions to come back in 2-3 years after I have my Permanent Residence Permit?

Thanks.


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## ALKB

alexwenner87 said:


> Thanks for the reply Bevdeforges and ALKB.
> 
> Would the situation have been different if I had a Permanent Residence Permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)? What happens if I leave Germany for extended period of time but for intentions to come back in 2-3 years after I have my Permanent Residence Permit?
> 
> Thanks.


If you have a Niederlassungserlaubnis, six months outside Germany invalidate it, unless you contact the Ausländerbehörde beforehand and get a Fiktionsbescheinigung/get your absence put in the system as kind of authorised. 

On BlueCard, you can stay out of Germany up to 12 months but I am not sure what kind of requirements have to be met regarding your job in that case. Best to ask the Ausländerbehörde.

https://www.berlin.de/labo/willkomm...-aufenthaltstitels/artikel.597926.en.php#EUBC

BAMF - Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge - EU Blue Card


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## alexwenner87

Thanks for the info ALKB.

Let's say I de-register and leave by end of this year and thus my Blue Card gets voided. When I'm back in the future, would this 1+ year of Blue Card residency be counted towards Permanent Residency requirement of 21 or 33 months or I will start from zero?

I know I will definitely be back in 2-3 years to permanently reside here. That's why I want to make sure by the time I leave, I have everything setup accordingly for a smoother return.


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## ALKB

alexwenner87 said:


> Thanks for the info ALKB.
> 
> Let's say I de-register and leave by end of this year and thus my Blue Card gets voided. When I'm back in the future, would this 1+ year of Blue Card residency be counted towards Permanent Residency requirement of 21 or 33 months or I will start from zero?
> 
> I know I will definitely be back in 2-3 years to permanently reside here. That's why I want to make sure by the time I leave, I have everything setup accordingly for a smoother return.


My understanding is, that once the BlueCard loses validity and you leave Germany, your clock for permanent residence resets to zero. I'd definitely go to the Ausländerbehörde and run the scenario by them before leaving. Case workers have quite a bit of leeway, they may or may not be able to help you.

How good is your German? Is there no way you could possibly stay until you have been resident for 21 months?


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## ALKB

alexwenner87 said:


> Thanks for the info ALKB.
> 
> Let's say I de-register and leave by end of this year and thus my Blue Card gets voided. When I'm back in the future, would this 1+ year of Blue Card residency be counted towards Permanent Residency requirement of 21 or 33 months or I will start from zero?
> 
> I know I will definitely be back in 2-3 years to permanently reside here. That's why I want to make sure by the time I leave, I have everything setup accordingly for a smoother return.


Actually, I just found out that your year on BlueCard can indeed be counted towards settlement if you return to Germany on a different BlueCard later.


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