The visa for family reunification enables family members of persons living in Germany to enter and reside together. It is aimed at spouses, registered life partners, (minor) children, and under certain conditions, parents. The person in Germany to whom reunification occurs (reference person) must either possess German citizenship or have a valid German residence permit.

Duration of stay

The visa for family reunification is initially issued for entry. After entry, a residence permit must be applied for at the competent immigration office, which is generally granted for one year and can subsequently be extended.

Employment

After entry and with a granted residence permit for family reunification, unrestricted employment in Germany is permitted.

Requirements for issuance

The diplomatic mission examines whether the following conditions are met:

• Valid residence permit of the reference person in Germany or at least an already submitted visa application for a long-term stay.
• Sufficient financial means of the person living in Germany.
• Sufficient living space for the family.

Additional requirements for the respective purpose are:

Reunification with spouses or registered life parters

• Both partners have reached the age of 18.
• Proof of an existing marriage or registered life. partnership, or in case of engagement, registration for marriage in Germany.
• German language skills at level A1.

Reunification with spouses with a Blue Card

• No specific language skills necessary.

Immigration of minor children

• The child has not yet reached the age of 18 at the time of application.
• The parent living in Germany has sole or joint custody.

Immigration of children over 16 years

• German language skills at level C1.

Immigration of parents

• Child has not yet reached the age of 18.
• For children with residence permit for humanitarian reasons: no parent with custody is yet residing in Germany.
• Children with residence permit as professional: age irrelevant; residence permit must have been issued after March 1, 2024.

Application submission

The application is submitted in person at the German embassy or consulate in the home country. Scheduling an appointment is generally required in advance. For children, the application is submitted by a person with custody. As a single parent, the consent of the second parent with custody is required. Further information on scheduling appointments and the on-site appointment process at a German embassy can be found here.

The application form

The visa application form can be filled out online and then be brought as a printout to the on-site appointment. The application form D is available for download here.

A detailed guide for correct completion can be found here.

Required documents

The following documents must be submitted for the application. To avoid additional requests and delays, all required documents should be checked for completeness:

• Completed and signed application form D
• Valid passport (valid at least until the end of the planned stay)
  
• Biometric, recent passport photo
• Proof of residence permit of the reference person in Germany or of a submitted visa application
• Proof of sufficient living space in Germany
• Proof of language proficiency at least at level A1
• Proof of financing of the person living in Germany
• Proof of health insurance

Also relevant for the application depending on the purpose:

Reunification with spouses or registered life partners

• Marriage certificate or certificate of registered life partnership or registration for marriage

Immigration of minor children

• Birth certificate of the child
• Proof of custody; for single parents additionally a declaration of consent from the second parent with custody

Immigration of children over 16 years

• Proof of language proficiency at level C1

Immigration of parents

• Birth certificate of the child in Germany
• For minor child: Proof that no other parent with custody lives in Germany
• For employed child as reference person: Proof of child's residence permit as professional

Detailed information on proof of financial means and choosing the right health insurance can be found in the respective articles.

Time frame for application

When submitting the application, it is important to present a comprehensible plan that clearly outlines the visa purpose. For the family reunification visa, this means: The family relationship to the reference person in Germany should be clearly documented. For spouses or registered life partners, this is done through a marriage certificate or corresponding partnership certificate; for children, through the birth certificate and, if applicable, proof of custody.
The spouse is exempt from the requirement to provide proof of language proficiency in certain cases, particularly for family reunification with highly qualified professionals holding an EU Blue Card.
It is also important to demonstrate that sufficient living space is available for the joint accommodation of the family and that financial security can be guaranteed by the person living in Germany. These documents are central to showing that the joint family residence is actually feasible.
For children over 16 years, proof of language proficiency at level C1 is additionally required, which necessitates long-term preparation. For reunification with spouses or life partners, German language skills at level A1 are sufficient – here too, this proof should be planned in advance.
The application should be submitted several months before the planned entry, as processing times can vary. Early appointment scheduling is particularly important, as processing can take some time.

Processing time and fees

Processing of a national visa typically takes between six and eight weeks. In individual cases, processing may take longer. The fee for a national visa is currently 75 euros. It is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the procedure. More information on processing times of the visa application can be found here.