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Residence permit for family reunification

  • Migration und Integration 



    	    

		    
You would like your foreign spouse and / or your children to move to Germany with you? Or your foreign spouse and / or your children are already in Germany, but do not have a residence permit? 

You can find the most important information on this so-called family reunification here:

		    


                					    

						    

							    Competent Department
						    

						    
					    

                        
					    

						    

							    Basic information
						    

						    

							    

								    
Family reunification usually requires that a visa for family reunification has been successfully applied for beforehand at the German mission abroad in the country of origin of the spouse or children (see under "i Where can I find out more?"). This applies to family reunification with foreigners as well as to family reunification with Germans! An entry without a required visa for family reunification usually results in the foreign family member joining the family having to leave the country again in order to apply for a visa in the country of origin. 

Positive exceptions apply to nationals from EU and EFTA member states. You can join your family members in Germany without a visa and the issuance of a residence permit (further exceptions exist for the following countries: Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, USA, Republic of Korea / see under Procedures). 

Family reunification of foreigners to foreigners in Germany is only possible if the family member already living here is in possession of a residence permit that allows family reunification. The following §§ do not permit family reunification: 25 IV, 25 IVb, 25V, 25a II, 25 b IV AufenthG Spouses who are to reunite with foreigners in Germany must, as a rule, already have a basic knowledge of the German language. This also applies to the subsequent immigration of a spouse to a German. For family reunification with foreigners, the livelihood of all family members must be secured. If foreign children join a German spouse, the livelihood of these children must be secured. This list is not exhaustive. Information can be obtained from the German missions abroad (see "i Where can I find out more?").

								    								    
What documents do I need?
    
    
  • completed application form        
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  • 1 biometric passport photo (not older than 3 months)        
    According to Bundesdruckerei's photo sample board: https://www.bundesdruckerei.de

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  • Health insurance certificate        
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  • valid passport        
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  • for entry without visa are also to be brought along:        
    • Marriage certificate in the original and translation, legalized if necessary (and possibly divorce decree if already married)
    • Language certificate A1 for the newly arrived spouse
    • In case of subsequent immigration of children: original birth certificate of the child and translation, legalized if necessary
    • Rental agreement
    • employment contract and salary statements for the last three months
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