Citizens of countries that are not member states of the European Union can bring their dependents with them to Germany through a family reunion visa. You can apply visa for Germany if you are married to a foreign national who holds either a residence permit, a Blue Card EU, an ICT Card, a permanent settlement permit or a permit for permanent stay in the European Union and if you and your spouse are both at least 18 years old.
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Family members eligible for family reunion visa:
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Registered partners
- Under certain conditions, other family members
Requirements to apply family reunion visa:
If your family member residing in Germany must fulfill the following requirements to bring their family members to Germany
- Should be residing in Germany for more than 6 months (If less than 6 months, apply dependent visa)
- possession of a settlement permit or a valid resident permit or EU Blue card
- Health insurance
- Financial proof to support partner
- Must be able to provide sufficient living space
- An additional letter from employer stating of unlimited employment (optional)
- at least 18 years old.
Documents required to apply family reunion visa for spouse:
The below documents are required for family reunion visa for spouses
- Valid passport
- Application form, declarations form and contact information form duly filled signed
- Personal covering letter explaining the exact purpose and duration of stay
- Copy of all pages of your passport (A4 size copy)
- Copy of all pages of your spouse’s passport (A4 size copy)
- Certificate of residence (“Meldebescheinigung”) of the spouse living in Germany, not older 6 months
- Copy of spouse’s residence permit (“Aufenthaltstitel”)
- Marriage certificate (Translated in German would be nice)
- Birth certificate
- Educational documents
- Proof of Residence in India
- Proof of German knowledge (A1 level)
- 4 passport pictures
- copy of the lease agreement for accommodation in Germany
- copy of the valid employment contract and salary slips of the last three months of the spouse living in Germany
Please prepare two identical application sets consisting of copies of the above-mentioned documents and bring all your original certificates along. Please DO NOT staple any documents.
Documents required for minors:
- Filled application form
- Passport
- Biometric passport photo
- Birth certificate
- Proof of nationality
- Proof of parent residing in Germany possessing the sole right of care and custody
- Copy of your parent‘s residence permit
Procedure to apply family reunion visa:
- Prepare the documents as mentioned above
- Book an appointment at the German embassy based on your region
- Pay visa fees. The visa fees cost around €75 for adults and €37.50 for children up to 18 years
FAQ:
Should I pay document verification fees before the Interview?
Not needed at the time of the visa interview. In some cases, the visa can be approved without document verification fees and some cases not. If required, you will be notified to pay an additional amount for document verification after the visa interview.
Should I apply for health insurance?
Everyone residing in Germany requires health insurance. If your partner has Public health insurance then it is covered for the entire family. Your partner has to send an email or get a confirmation letter from insurance provider stating partner is also covered and you can submit same at the time of visa interview.
How long does it take to get visa approval?
Usually, it depends on document verification and location. It takes up to 3 months to get visa approval. Just be with patience 🙂
Can I work on family reunion visa?
Ofcourse, you are eligible to work in Germany if you partner meets the following requirements
- holds a Blue Card or resident permit that authorizes to work
- working as a highly-skilled person or researcher.
Can I bring my parents to Germany for longer period?
You can bring your parent(s) to Germany on a long term visa if any of the conditions below are met
- If you have only a single parent and parent needs support from their children
- If you are young and live alone in Germany, then it may possible to bring both parents or a single parent
- If the person is young and is recognized as a refugee or has a subsidiary protection status and still does not have a parent authorized as a custodian in Germany, then he/she can bring their parent(s). The person should also either provide evidence of sufficient income or living space so that the parents are permitted to follow
Unless one of the conditions above is met, the law does not allow bringing parents for longer or permanently.
Moreover, you can still bring anyone (not just parents) to Germany for 3 months on a tourist visa (Schengen visa).
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Can the parents stay permanently in Germany after the visa gets approved?
Hi Pratik,
Thank you for the comment. You can bring your parent(s) to Germany on a long term visa if any of the conditions below are met
Unless one of the conditions above is met, the law does not allow bringing parents for longer or permanently.
Moreover, you can still bring anyone (not just parents) to Germany for 3 months on a tourist visa (Schengen visa).
Thank you for this detailed information. Its very helpful.
Based on your experience, Please help me with your perspective. I have been in Germany for 5 months on JSV, got a job for 1 year contract, will be starting next month. I got the temporary permit for 3 months, blue card appointment is scheduled after 3 months due to the corona impact.
Do you think I can apply for spouse visa for my husband using this temporary permit? I have written to the ausländerbehorde but have not heard back so far. I am not too sure if they are the right person to reach out too. Your valuable inputs will be really helpful.
Hi Agnes, thanks for your comment.
You can use the temporary residence permit as proof for Right of residence and proceed with arranging for a visa for your spouse. It would be better if you visit the ausländerbehorde directly with the necessary documents along and your job contract. Writing to them in most cases do not get the desired results.
Thank you , for the initiative .
Could you please also share some details ,
– If as a student I can apply for spouse visa? I am working part time in an IT company.
– What is the time duration for which , the spouse can stay in Germany
– Can the spouse continue his job in India , and look for one here if they get the visa ?
Best Regards
Trisha
Hi Trisha,
1. Yes, you can apply for a spouse visa even as a student only when meeting the below requirements:
– You must show proof of financial resources to cover the living costs of yourself and your spouse/partner. and should cover the entire period of stay in Germany, and without relying on Germany’s public funds.
– You must show proof of enough space in Germany to accommodate yourself and your spouse. Your apartment must be big enough for 2 people
– The marriage should have happened before you’ve obtained the German Student Visa.
– Your spouse can join you if you have a German residence permit for a study course lasting at least 1 year.
– In some cities, it’s possible that might ask for an A1 certificate for your spouse
2. Your spouse can stay as long as your visa expires and enough funds to stay in Germany
3. No, it’s not possible to do. As soon as he comes to Germany, he needs to do residence registration. Once registered, he will get a Tax id here and there will be complications of income from India as Non-Resident India. And, once he arrives in Germany he can start looking for jobs.
I hope this clears your questions.