Does buying real estate in Germany give me residency rights?

Short answer: No, buying real estate in Germany does not give residency rights; property ownership and immigration status are governed by separate laws.

Does buying real estate in Germany give me residency rights? No. German immigration law ties residence permits to employment (Blue Card, work visa), family reunion or self-employment—not to owning a flat in Berlin or a rental house in Frankfurt. Even a €5 million purchase is considered a purely private investment and will not trigger a so-called “Golden Visa” like in Portugal or Spain. If you already hold a temporary residence permit, property ownership can strengthen your financial profile during renewal, but it is never a stand-alone path to German residency or citizenship.

At Finance for Expats we therefore run two parallel tracks: our real-estate desk handles the purchase, while your immigration lawyer—or one of our partner attorneys—guides the visa process. We coordinate proof of funds, lender letters and notarised contracts so the immigration office receives every document it might request, but we make it clear that the legal basis for staying in Germany must come from employment or entrepreneurial activity.

Key take-aways:

• Property ownership does not stand for automatic residence permit or citizenship.
• Residence rights come from work, family or business visas, not from investment alone.
• Finance for Expats synchronises mortgage paperwork with your immigration lawyer to keep both tracks on schedule.