Family reunification in Germany: bringing your spouse and children

Who can bring family, and who qualifies

Family reunification (the official rules sit with BAMF) lets a non-EU resident in Germany bring immediate family:

• Spouse (marriage recognised in Germany; both usually must be 18+).
• Minor, unmarried children (under 18).
• Parents in limited cases - notably, EU Blue Cards first issued on or after 1 March 2024 also allow bringing parents and parents-in-law.
• Registered same-sex partners are treated as spouses.

The sponsor (you, in Germany) generally needs a settled status - a residence permit for work, study, a Blue Card, a settlement permit, or similar. Spouses of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens follow easier EU free-movement rules instead of these national ones.

The core requirements

For a standard family reunion (outside the privileged skilled-worker track), you must show:

• Secured livelihood (income): enough to support the whole family without state benefits. Authorities calculate the need dynamically from Bürgergeld standard rates - roughly €563 per adult, €390 per child under 6, €471 per child aged 6+, plus your warm rent on top. A couple with two school-age children and €1,000 warm rent needs about €2,068/month net available, for example.
• Adequate housing: enough space for the family - a common rule of thumb (Berlin) is about 12 m² per person aged 6+ and 10 m² per younger child, so a family of four needs roughly 44 m².
• Health insurance covering every arriving family member from day one (Health insurance in Germany).
• Spouse's A1 German: in most cases the spouse must prove basic German (A1) before the visa is issued (see the waivers below).

The A1 German rule (and who skips it)

The requirement that trips up many couples: the joining spouse usually must show A1-level German (a basic certificate, e.g. from the Goethe-Institut) before entry. Start early - it takes weeks to months (Learning German). But it's waived in important cases:

• Spouses of EU Blue Card holders (and other highly qualified/skilled-worker categories, §18b) - no A1 needed.
• Spouses of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (free movement).
• Cases of recognisable hardship, disability, or where learning is unreasonable, and some nationalities exempt from visa requirements.

If you're on the Blue Card or skilled-worker track, this is one of several barriers that simply falls away.

The skilled-worker and Blue Card shortcut

The single most valuable thing to know: the EU Blue Card and skilled-worker routes make family reunification dramatically easier. For these holders:

• The A1 German test for the spouse is waived.
• The income and housing proofs are effectively waived - the Blue Card itself proves your livelihood.
• The spouse gets immediate, full work rights in Germany (no separate work permit, no restriction).
• Blue Cards issued from 1 March 2024 additionally allow bringing parents and parents-in-law.

This is a major reason the Blue Card is so prized - it turns a months-long, document-heavy family process into a comparatively smooth one. If you qualify, it's worth structuring your move around it (German visas and residence permits).

The process, step by step

1. You (the sponsor) establish your residence and status in Germany, with sufficient income and housing.
2. The family member applies for a national family-reunion visa (type D) at the German embassy/consulate in their home country (the Federal Foreign Office lists requirements) - not from inside Germany.
3. Documents: valid passport, marriage certificate (and birth certificates for children), often apostilled/legalised and translated; proof of your status, income, housing, and health insurance; and the spouse's A1 certificate where required.
4. The German immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) approves, and the mission issues the visa. Expect the whole process to take 3-9 months.
5. On arrival, the family registers (Anmeldung), and converts the visa into a residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.

Book the visa appointment early - waiting times at some German missions are long.

After arrival: work, residence, and integration

• Spouse's work rights: spouses joining skilled workers/Blue Card holders can work immediately; others generally also receive work authorisation with the residence permit.
• The family's permit is usually tied to yours initially, but family members build their own path to permanent residency over time.
• Integration: the joining spouse can often attend an Integrationskurs, and children enter Kita/school - the whole-family logistics are in Moving to Germany with a family.

Important 2026 note: subsidiary protection

One category is currently restricted: family reunification for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection (§36a) is suspended for two years - from 24 July 2025 up to and including 23 July 2027. This affects a specific protection status, not the standard work/study/Blue-Card family routes above, but if it applies to you, check the current legal position before planning.

Frequently asked questions