Family reunification in Germany is not one rule. The conditions change with who is already in Germany, which residence title that person holds and who is joining. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) sets out the main cases in a page dated 1 March 2024, which is the basis for this guide. Check the date on any page you rely on.

The starting point

BAMF says spouses, registered partners and minor children can in principle accompany or join third-country nationals. Two things are needed as a rule: adequate accommodation and a secure livelihood. The person already in Germany must hold a valid residence title. Rules are less strict for relatives of skilled workers and recognised refugees.

Spouses and partners

For spousal reunification BAMF lists these conditions as a rule:

  • both spouses are at least 18
  • the joining spouse can communicate in simple everyday German
  • adequate accommodation is available
  • the family’s livelihood is secured

A spouse who comes for family reunification may also work. The rules apply to same-sex civil partnerships as well.

The German language requirement

A BAMF information sheet defines basic German as level A1 of the Common European Framework: familiar everyday expressions, very simple sentences and the ability to fill in your name and address on a form. The proof is normally a certificate from a standardised test that meets ALTE standards. BAMF names Start Deutsch 1 from the Goethe-Institut or telc, Grundstufe Deutsch 1 from the Austrian language diploma, and TestDaF. The sheet adds that the German mission where you apply alone decides whether your proof is accepted.

The same sheet lists exceptions, for example when the spouse in Germany holds an EU Blue Card or a skilled-worker residence permit, or when the joining spouse has a university degree and can probably find work with their language skills. Not every exception is listed there, so ask the visa office whether one applies in your case. BAMF’s family reunification page also says you can sometimes learn German after arrival, for example when joining skilled workers.

Children

BAMF’s rules for an unmarried minor child joining parents depend on age:

  • Under 16: no further conditions.
  • 16 or older: the child normally has to move together with the parents, within six months of them. A later move needs German at level C1 or a good chance of integrating, which BAMF illustrates with a German-speaking school abroad, an upbringing in another EU or EEA state, or a German-speaking household.

For the children of a skilled worker who are over 16, BAMF says no further requirements apply, even when they arrive later than the parents.

Parents

BAMF says parents or parents-in-law of skilled workers and highly qualified persons may come if the child’s or child-in-law’s residence title was first issued on or after 1 March 2024. They must secure their own livelihood, including enough health and long-term care insurance. In all other cases other relatives can come only to prevent exceptional hardship.

When the person in Germany is a student

The Federal Foreign Office FAQ gives a narrower picture for families of students. It says reunification is usually considered only when the student holds a residence permit, the marriage existed when that permit was issued, the stay is expected to exceed one year and the student can support the family without public funds. Families apply for a family reunification visa at the competent German mission.

Titles that limit reunification

BAMF lists residence titles that restrict or rule out family reunification, such as some titles linked to a deportation ban or a temporary stay. Your electronic residence title shows its legal basis. If a family member’s title is not a standard work, study or protection title, check the page directly.

Before you start

  1. Identify the residence title of the person in Germany.
  2. Check whether the joining person falls into an easier group, such as family of a skilled worker.
  3. If German is required, book an approved A1 test early.
  4. Prove accommodation and income in the form your mission asks for.

SGC can help you organise the questions and the document file. We do not decide who qualifies, and the mission and the foreigners authority make the decision.

Official resources