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Address: https://welcome.dresden.de/en/residence-permits/limited-residence-permit/family-reunification.php Last revision: 03.08.2020 15:21:53 Uhr Printed on: 20.04.2024 02:42:38 Uhr

Family reunification

If you have a residence permit in Germany, your spouse may be granted a residence permit in accordance with Sect. 30 AufenthG or your child may be granted a residence permit in accordance with Sect. 32 or Sect. 33 AufenthG.

Conditions for the right of residence

A spouse coming to join you must have reached the age of 18.
At least simple communication must be possible in German (level A1).
A residence permit which can lead to a permanent settlement permit must have been issued at least two years previously
(A residence permit as a student as per Sect. 16b AufenthG cannot lead to a permanent settlement permit!) or
the marriage must have been concluded before the issuance of the residence permit and the stay in Germany will likely last more than a year.

If you are in possession of an EU Blue Card or a residence permit as a researcher, there are simpler requirements regarding family reunification.

Children must be minors for a residence permit to be issued.
In addition, both parents or the parent with sole legal custody must possess a residence Permit.

If the minor child is older than 16 at the point of reunification and does not come to live with you as parents or a parent with sole legal custody at your principal residence in Germany, reunification can only take place if your child is proficient in German or their integration in Germany is guaranteed.

Your adult children can only gain a residence permit for family reunification on the basis of Sect. 36 para. 2 AufenthG in cases of exceptional hardship. The same applies to other family members who are not your spouse or children.

Please take note:

For the issuance of a residence permit for family reunification, foreign marriage or birth certificates must be verified. It may be necessary for them to be further authenticated in the form of a legalisation or apostille. The form your documents require can be checked using the Hague Apostille Convention or on the website of the German embassy in the country where the documents were issued.

In some countries (e.g. India) there are no additional authentication procedures. If necessary, a lawyer will check the authenticity of the document. Please clarify this point with the staff of the German embassy when applying for a visa.