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Family reunification to Germany: spouses, partners and children

For spouses and children joining a family member in Germany. See which documents are usually requested and the order of steps.

Checked 4 Nov 202614 official sources3 not yet confirmed

Your local offices

City not listed? Find your Bürgeramt with the federal service search and your Ausländerbehörde with BAMF-NAvI, or see the guide for your state.

Check with your Ausländerbehörde. This is general information drawn from official sources, checked 2026-11-04. Rules change and every case is decided individually; nothing here promises an outcome.
Your local office: documents, fees, booking and waiting times are set by each Ausländerbehörde and differ from city to city. Pick your situation and city in the step finder to get a direct link to your own office, or see the local office guide for your state. You can also find your office with BAMF-NAvI or the federal service finder.

Abbreviations: AufenthG = Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz); AufenthV = Residence Ordinance. Sources are numbered [1]–[13] at the end.

1. Who this is for

  • Spouse or registered same-sex partner of a non-EU national living in Germany. The law grants a residence permit to the spouse of a foreigner who holds, for example, a settlement permit, EU long-term residence, an EU Blue Card or ICT card, or certain other permits (AufenthG §30(1) no. 3) [1] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • Not every permit allows it. Some humanitarian permits, for example, don't allow spouses to join (AufenthG §29(3)) [10] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • Spouse or partner of a German citizen. The legal basis is AufenthG §28(1) [2] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • Minor unmarried children of a foreigner holding (among others) a Blue Card, settlement permit or residence permit (AufenthG §32(1)) [3] (checked 2026-11-04). Children of Germans are also covered by §28(1) [2]; for minor unmarried children of Germans, the permit is granted even without secured livelihood (§28 Abs. 1, checked 2026-11-04).
  • Skilled workers and Blue Card holders get easier rules (see Requirements) [1][3] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • General family-reunification rules are in AufenthG §27 and §29. §29(1) requires that the person in Germany holds a qualifying title and that sufficient living space is available; Blue Card holders coming from another EU state with the family already together there are exempt from the living-space and livelihood conditions. §27(1a) bars sham marriages and forced marriages (§27; §29, checked 2026-11-04).

2. Requirements

Spouse/partner of a non-EU national (AufenthG §30 [1], checked 2026-11-04):

  1. Age 18: both spouses must normally be at least 18 [1].
  2. Basic German (A1): the spouse must be able to communicate in simple German [1].
  3. A1 exemptions (§30(1) sentence 3 [1]): these include cases where the partner in Germany holds an EU Blue Card, ICT card, or a permit under §§18a, 18b, 18d, 18f, §21 and certain others; where illness or disability prevents learning; where there is clearly a low need for integration; where the partner in Germany may enter Germany visa-free for long stays because of their nationality; or where it is impossible or unreasonable in the individual case to learn German before entry. The full list is longer; read the law.
  4. Secure income (Lebensunterhalt): usually the family must be able to live without Bürgergeld or social assistance, and both spouses' income can count Not yet confirmed.
  5. Health insurance: you need German statutory insurance or comparable private cover Not yet confirmed.
  6. Enough living space (Wohnraum): usually required [10]. The law sets no square-metre figure: it asks for no more than what suffices for a social-housing tenant, and children under 2 are not counted [13].
  7. No grounds for expulsion: even fines or ongoing investigations can block the permit Not yet confirmed.

Spouse/partner of a German (§28 [2], checked 2026-11-04): §28 applies the age-18 and A1 rules from §30 [2]. For spouses of Germans, the permit should as a rule be granted even without secured livelihood (§28 Abs. 1 S. 3, checked 2026-11-04).

Children (§32 [3], checked 2026-11-04): children who are 16 or older and do not move together with their parents must speak German or appear able to integrate. This does not apply if a parent holds a Blue Card, ICT card, or a permit under §§18a, 18b, 18d, 18f, §21 and certain others (§32(2)) [3]. When parents share custody, the permit should also be granted to join just one parent, under conditions (§32(3)) [3].

3. Documents

  • Online application "Aufenthaltserlaubnis aus familiären Gründen" (online only)
  • Colour passport copies: data page plus entry stamp and visa
  • Copy of your spouse's passport
  • Marriage or partnership certificate. If it is foreign, add a certified translation and, depending on the country, an apostille or legalisation.
  • Proof of A1 German, e.g. an A1 certificate, the Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer, or the integration course final test
  • Proof of income, for employees: employment contract, net pay slips or bank statements for the last 6 months, and an employer letter no older than 14 days. Self-employed people need a tax assessment, an accountant's report and similar documents.
  • Proof of housing: rental contract and proof of current monthly warm rent, or land register extract and costs if you own the home
  • A power of attorney (Vollmacht) if someone applies for you

For visa-stage document lists, check your German mission's website.

Documents, fees and steps at your local office

Each Ausländerbehörde publishes its own document checklist, fees and booking or online-application process, so this guide doesn't copy one city's list. Pick your situation and city in the step finder for a direct link to your office's page, or open the local office guide for your state. Fees for residence permits are set nationwide in § 45 AufenthV; your office tells you the exact amount.

5. Fees

  • Residence permit (Germany): €100 for first issue and €93 for an extension of more than three months (AufenthV §45) [8] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • National D visa fee: generally €75, €37.50 for minors (AA visa fees; §46(2) AufenthV, checked 2026-11-04). Your mission confirms the fee for your case.

6. Processing notes

  • After 3 years with this permit, spouses of Germans may qualify for a settlement permit if they meet the conditions, including sufficient German (§28(2)) [2] (checked 2026-11-04).
  • BAMF confirms that family members who come for reunification may work (BAMF, checked 2026-11-04); no conflict found. make-it-in-germany.com was not compared.

7. Sources (all checked 2026-11-04)

  1. AufenthG §30: AufenthG § 30 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  2. AufenthG §28: AufenthG § 28 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  3. AufenthG §32: AufenthG § 32 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  4. Federal Foreign Office, visa requirements overview: auswaertiges-amt.de/de/visa-service/-/231148
  5. AufenthG §4a: AufenthG § 4a (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  6. AufenthV §45: AufenthV § 45 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  7. AufenthG §27: AufenthG § 27 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  8. AufenthG §29: AufenthG § 29 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
  9. BAMF family reunification: bamf.de › familie-node
  10. Federal Foreign Office visa fees: auswaertiges-amt.de › visabestimmungen-allgemein
  11. AufenthG §2(4): AufenthG § 2 (gesetze-im-internet.de)
Check with your Ausländerbehörde. This guide never guarantees a visa or permit; the authorities decide each case.

Sources

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