Can I bring my family to Germany?

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Find out in 5 steps how to bring your family members to Germany. A quick overview:

  • Check if family reunification is possible for you and your family members.
  • Check the individual requirements.
  • Apply for a family reunification visa at the German embassy. Maybe get help.
Click on headlines to open steps
  • For more information, click on the small numbers.1Example
1. Can you bring your family to Germany?

  • You can usually bring family members to Germany if you have the following status:
    • German citizenship (for example, after naturalization)
    • EU citizenship
    • Niederlassungserlaubnis or residence permit2Exception: Family reunification is usually not possible for people with residence for humanitarian reasons (§ 25 Abs. 4 and § 25 Abs. 5) or with residence according to § 25a Abs. 2, § 25b Abs. 4, § 104a Abs. 1 Satz 1, and § 104b.
    • Positive asylum decision3Refugee status, asylum status, subsidiary protection, or deportation ban. Different requirements apply depending on the protection status.
  • You usually cannot get family reunification with the following status:
    • Duldung (tolerated stay permit)
    • During the asylum process4Exception, for example, for family members who are in another EU country (more information, only in German).
  • This information does not apply if your family members are already in Germany.5Family reunification for people who are already in Germany is only possible in exceptional cases (certain nationals or if the visa process is unreasonable, for example, due to separation from a child). Get help at a counseling center or ask a lawyer.
2. Check who from your family can come

  • With family reunification, you can bring the following family members to Germany:6EU citizens who are not German have additional options and can also apply for family reunification for relatives in the sideline (e.g., siblings, uncles, aunts). For more information, contact a counseling center or ask a lawyer.

    • Spouses7And same-sex life partners (Lebenspartnerschaft)
    • Children under 18 years old
    • Parents of persons under 18 years old8In certain cases, siblings under 18 years old can also come. Certain skilled workers can also bring their parents and parents-in-law to Germany, even if they are over 18. Find more information here.
    • Other relatives in cases of hardship9In cases of exceptional hardship: severe illness, special care needs (more information).
3. Check the requirements

  • There are usually these requirements for family reunification:
    • You must have a certain income10Rough estimate: The sum of your net income and child benefits should be higher than: €1,500 (1 person), €2,200 (2 persons), €2,600 (3 persons), €3,000 (4 persons), €3,400 (5 persons). and must not receive money from the Jobcenter (Bürgergeld/citizen’s allowance) or the social welfare office (Sozialhilfe).11This does not apply to family members of German citizens. Use an online citizen’s allowance calculator to check if your income is sufficient.12Enter your income, rent, heating costs, and the number of children in a citizen’s allowance calculator. Select your partner and children as the family members for whom you want family reunification. If the estimated citizen’s allowance is €0, your income is probably sufficient. Possible incomes include work, pension, self-employment, unemployment benefits (only Arbeitslosengeld 1/ALG 1), child benefits, child allowance, parental allowance, BAföG, and vocational training allowance (BAB).
    • Your apartment must have a certain size.13You usually need to have 12 square meters of living space per family member. This does not apply to family members of German citizens and skilled workers.
    • Your family members must have an A1 German certificate.14This rule does not apply to: family members under 16, those with a university degree, or family members of people with an EU Blue Card. There are more exceptions.
    • You need health insurance for your family. You and your family members must have passports and clear identities.15Additionally, there must be no entry or residence ban for your family members.
  • If you have a positive asylum decision, different requirements may apply:
    • Recognized refugees or asylum status (if the application is submitted within 3 months of your asylum decision): You are entitled to facilitated family reunification and do not need income or housing.16Privileged family reunification, see here.
    • Subsidiary protection: You can apply for family reunification without income or housing. But your application may be rejected even if you meet the requirements.17Only a certain number of applications for family reunification with people with subsidiary protection are processed each month. It is possible that your application will be rejected if many applications are submitted. There must also be a humanitarian reason (e.g., family has been separated for a long time, minor children, or illness). See here.
    • Protection from deportation: You usually need to meet all requirements (including income and housing). Additionally, a humanitarian reason must be present.18For example, the family has been separated for a long time, minor children, or illness. In some cases, you must have had a residence permit for at least one year.
4. Apply for family reunification

  • Note: The process is complicated. Get help from a counseling center or ask a lawyer.
  • Book an appointment at the German embassy in the country where your family lives, for a family reunification visa.19Your family is usually not allowed to enter with a Schengen visa (for visits/tourism). Appointments are hard to get, so book an appointment online early on.
  • With a positive asylum decision, you must send an additional application to your immigration office, within 3 months after receiving your asylum decision (notice of compliance).20You can send this application by fax or via the foreign office web portal. For the facilitated family reunification requirements, the 3-month deadline must be strictly observed. Get advice from a counseling center or a lawyer.
  • Collect all necessary documents and check if they are complete. You can see which documents are needed here.
  • After the appointment at the German embassy, your immigration office must give approval.21You can already ask your immigration office for “pre-approval” before the appointment. However, only some immigration offices provide this. See here (only in German). The whole process often takes many months, sometimes longer than a year.
5. Prepare for your family’s arrival

  • After the approval, your family members can collect the visa at the embassy and travel to Germany.
  • In Germany, your family members must register with the immigration office within 3 months to obtain the family reunification residence permit.22In some cases, your family members can also apply for family asylum (more information).

This page was realized with the support of the Postcode Lottery. (Last updated August 2024)
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Fußnoten
  • 1
    Example
  • 2
    Exception: Family reunification is usually not possible for people with residence for humanitarian reasons (§ 25 Abs. 4 and § 25 Abs. 5) or with residence according to § 25a Abs. 2, § 25b Abs. 4, § 104a Abs. 1 Satz 1, and § 104b.
  • 3
    Refugee status, asylum status, subsidiary protection, or deportation ban. Different requirements apply depending on the protection status.
  • 4
    Exception, for example, for family members who are in another EU country (more information, only in German).
  • 5
    Family reunification for people who are already in Germany is only possible in exceptional cases (certain nationals or if the visa process is unreasonable, for example, due to separation from a child). Get help at a counseling center or ask a lawyer.
  • 6
    EU citizens who are not German have additional options and can also apply for family reunification for relatives in the sideline (e.g., siblings, uncles, aunts). For more information, contact a counseling center or ask a lawyer.
  • 7
    And same-sex life partners (Lebenspartnerschaft)
  • 8
    In certain cases, siblings under 18 years old can also come. Certain skilled workers can also bring their parents and parents-in-law to Germany, even if they are over 18. Find more information here.
  • 9
    In cases of exceptional hardship: severe illness, special care needs (more information).
  • 10
    Rough estimate: The sum of your net income and child benefits should be higher than: €1,500 (1 person), €2,200 (2 persons), €2,600 (3 persons), €3,000 (4 persons), €3,400 (5 persons).
  • 11
    This does not apply to family members of German citizens.
  • 12
    Enter your income, rent, heating costs, and the number of children in a citizen’s allowance calculator. Select your partner and children as the family members for whom you want family reunification. If the estimated citizen’s allowance is €0, your income is probably sufficient. Possible incomes include work, pension, self-employment, unemployment benefits (only Arbeitslosengeld 1/ALG 1), child benefits, child allowance, parental allowance, BAföG, and vocational training allowance (BAB).
  • 13
    You usually need to have 12 square meters of living space per family member. This does not apply to family members of German citizens and skilled workers.
  • 14
    This rule does not apply to: family members under 16, those with a university degree, or family members of people with an EU Blue Card. There are more exceptions.
  • 15
    Additionally, there must be no entry or residence ban for your family members.
  • 16
    Privileged family reunification, see here.
  • 17
    Only a certain number of applications for family reunification with people with subsidiary protection are processed each month. It is possible that your application will be rejected if many applications are submitted. There must also be a humanitarian reason (e.g., family has been separated for a long time, minor children, or illness). See here.
  • 18
    For example, the family has been separated for a long time, minor children, or illness. In some cases, you must have had a residence permit for at least one year.
  • 19
    Your family is usually not allowed to enter with a Schengen visa (for visits/tourism).
  • 20
    You can send this application by fax or via the foreign office web portal. For the facilitated family reunification requirements, the 3-month deadline must be strictly observed. Get advice from a counseling center or a lawyer.
  • 21
    You can already ask your immigration office for “pre-approval” before the appointment. However, only some immigration offices provide this. See here (only in German).
  • 22
    In some cases, your family members can also apply for family asylum (more information).