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North Rhine-Westphalia

State · Germany

Foreign residents, 31 Dec 2025
3,265,690
Share of Germany
23.2%
With a residence title for employment
81,910
Change on 31 Dec 2024
-0.2%
Largest nationality
Türkiye
Foreign residents, 33,265,69031 Dec 2025
Year by year
Data as at 31 Dec 2025
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Residence status

Foreign residents on 31 December 2025 by residence status in the Central Register of Foreigners. Residence titles are grouped by purpose; EU citizens and their families hold rights under the Free Movement Act.

Foreign residents by residence status
  1. EU free movement1,119,465
  2. Permanent residence title696,350
  3. International law, humanitarian or political reasons609,700
  4. Family reasons230,880
  5. Application for a residence title pending216,640
  6. Neither tolerated nor permitted120,555
  7. Employment81,910
  8. Education and training56,035
  9. Permission to reside during the asylum procedure50,400
  10. Tolerated stay (Duldung)43,610
  11. Special residence rights and national visas38,005
  12. Exempt from the permit requirement2,075
Residence statusResidentsShare
EU free movement1,119,46534.3%
Permanent residence title696,35021.3%
Employment81,9102.5%
Education and training56,0351.7%
Family reasons230,8807.1%
International law, humanitarian or political reasons609,70018.7%
Special residence rights and national visas38,0051.2%
Application for a residence title pending216,6406.6%
Tolerated stay (Duldung)43,6101.3%
Permission to reside during the asylum procedure50,4001.5%
Neither tolerated nor permitted120,5553.7%
Exempt from the permit requirement2,0750.1%
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), foreign population from the Central Register of Foreigners, 31 December 2025 (reproduction permitted with source)Data as at 31 Dec 2025

Nationalities

Most common nationalities on 31 December 2025.

Foreign residents by nationality
  1. Türkiye483,035
  2. Ukraine288,310
  3. Syria280,650
  4. Poland211,865
  5. Romania170,100
  6. Italy136,990
  7. Bulgaria103,620
  8. Greece94,465
  9. Iraq87,800
  10. Afghanistan75,265
  11. Kosovo72,655
  12. Serbia69,645
  13. Netherlands68,055
  14. Spain60,475
  15. Croatia54,185
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), foreign population from the Central Register of Foreigners, 31 December 2025 (reproduction permitted with source)Data as at 31 Dec 2025

Districts and cities

Districts and district-free cities, 31 December 2025.

Foreign residents by district
  1. Köln (city)235,320
  2. Düsseldorf (city)190,660
  3. Dortmund (city)147,075
  4. Essen (city)136,580
  5. Duisburg (city)131,490
  6. Städteregion Aachen113,885
  7. Recklinghausen99,585
  8. Wuppertal (city)95,975
  9. Rhein-Erft-Kreis91,165
  10. Mettmann84,130
  11. Rhein-Sieg-Kreis81,270
  12. Rhein-Kreis Neuss78,475
  13. Gelsenkirchen (city)76,535
  14. Bonn (city)70,840
  15. Bielefeld (city)69,995
  16. Märkischer Kreis67,235
  17. Bochum (city)67,050
  18. Kleve65,150
  19. Gütersloh63,935
  20. Unna62,130
District or cityForeign residentsEmploymentHumanitarian
Köln (city)235,3206,53031,545
Düsseldorf (city)190,66011,23016,610
Dortmund (city)147,0753,50527,970
Essen (city)136,5804,26028,860
Duisburg (city)131,4902,21518,760
Städteregion Aachen113,8854,67517,770
Recklinghausen99,5851,18025,140
Wuppertal (city)95,9751,92517,490
Rhein-Erft-Kreis91,1651,78514,015
Mettmann84,1301,32013,310
Rhein-Sieg-Kreis81,2701,76015,680
Rhein-Kreis Neuss78,4751,78012,345
Gelsenkirchen (city)76,53586014,145
Bonn (city)70,8404,58012,445
Bielefeld (city)69,9951,67513,090
Märkischer Kreis67,23583013,400
Bochum (city)67,0501,94011,125
Kleve65,1507558,250
Gütersloh63,93579510,775
Unna62,13068012,800
Mönchengladbach (city)61,9551,18511,550
Steinfurt60,6301,78515,145
Wesel56,7101,19513,450
Krefeld (city)53,1051,1059,075
Hagen (city)48,0807358,075
Borken47,28567011,155
Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis45,83568011,405
Münster (city)42,6801,7957,695
Oberhausen (city)42,0501,1309,320
Düren41,9351,2208,905
Heinsberg40,8605355,985
Siegen-Wittgenstein40,3051,3309,770
Viersen40,1456807,170
Warendorf39,9255857,685
Lippe39,37576511,815
Paderborn38,4001,28011,180
Minden-Lübbecke38,37077512,600
Hamm (city)36,5358505,685
Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis36,4456908,440
Soest35,8157758,615
Mülheim an der Ruhr (city)35,6001,2607,060
Oberbergischer Kreis35,4754608,340
Leverkusen (city)34,9301,0805,370
Herne (city)34,4554208,735
Herford33,2854808,575
Hochsauerland-Kreis32,4408158,000
Solingen (city)31,0058054,890
Remscheid (city)23,7754853,565
Coesfeld23,0455307,545
Euskirchen20,9455405,335
Bottrop (city)17,2502053,875
Olpe15,6604303,635
Höxter12,9053554,530
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), foreign population from the Central Register of Foreigners, 31 December 2025 (reproduction permitted with source)Data as at 31 Dec 2025

Arrivals and departures in 2025

Changes recorded in the register during 2025: first and repeat arrivals from abroad, departures abroad and moves within Germany.

Measure2025
Foreign residents, 31 Dec 20243,273,570
First arrivals from abroad150,140
Repeat arrivals from abroad39,675
Births23,990
Moves in from elsewhere in Germany135,490
Departures abroad65,375
Deregistrations abroad66,710
Deaths12,985
Moves to elsewhere in Germany128,365
Net migration from abroad57,730
Foreign residents, 31 Dec 20253,265,690
Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), foreign population from the Central Register of Foreigners, 31 December 2025 (reproduction permitted with source)Data as at 31 Dec 2025

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more