Is an A1 certificate always required for family reunification?

Not always. Whether knowledge of German is a requirement for the visa depends on the individual case, on the legal basis of the sponsor's residence in Germany and on the statutory exceptions. In some situations no A1 certificate is required.

How long does the family reunification procedure take?

The duration depends on several factors, including the competent German embassy, the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) and the circumstances of the individual case. The procedure can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Does the spouse living in Germany have to hold permanent residence?

No. The right to family reunification does not depend solely on whether the sponsor holds permanent residence. It depends on the type of residence permit or other legal basis of residence that the sponsor has in Germany.

What if my visa application is refused?

A refusal does not mean that no further steps are possible. Depending on the grounds for refusal, an appeal may be lodged or a new application prepared once the reasons that led to the refusal have been addressed. Before deciding on the next steps it is important to analyse the reasoning of the refusal and the entire documentation.

Family reunification visa for Germany

The family reunification visa for Germany allows spouses and children to join a family member who is already lawfully residing in Germany.

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Who is entitled to family reunification in Germany?

Family reunification is available to:

Spouses of German citizens
Spouses of foreign nationals holding a valid residence permit
Minor children
In special cases, parents of minor children
Other family members, only in exceptional circumstances

What does the family reunification procedure look like?

Step 1Checking that the requirements are metIncome, housing, the residence status of the sponsor, etc.
Step 2Booking the appointment at the embassy
Step 3Preparing and submitting the documentation
Step 4Forwarding the case to the competent Ausländerbehörde
Step 5The decision and the issuing of the visa

Calculator: funds required for family reunificationCheck the financial requirements, free of charge, in about 2 minutes

Our service packages

Basic (Start) package: preparation of the documentation

Booking the appointment
Completing the VIDEX form
Assembling and organising the documentation
A basic check that the requirements are met
Sending the prepared documentation to your home address

With the basic package you receive professional administrative preparation, without an in-depth analysis of the requirements and documents and without further monitoring of the case.

Complete (Golden) package: full professional support up to the final decision

A detailed analysis of the requirements and the documentation
Identifying the risk of refusal and a strategy to reduce it
An assessment of income and housing conditions
Coordination with the employer and the landlord
Preparing supplementary documents in advance in order to speed up the decision
Communication with the embassy, the competent immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) and other authorities
Preparing and submitting any additional documents in cooperation with the client, the employer, the landlord and other relevant parties
Monitoring the procedure and responding in the event of delays

In practice, in a large number of cases the visa application is followed by requests for additional documents or further enquiries from the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). Questions then arise such as:

„What exactly are they asking me for?”
„Why was my tenancy agreement not accepted?”
„How do I solve the problem of insufficient income?”
„More than three months have passed and I have no information at all.”
„They are asking my landlord/employer for additional documents, but even they do not understand what exactly they need to provide.”

Once a procedure reaches the stage of additional requests and enquiries, administrative preparation alone is often no longer enough.

That is why the full professional support package involves taking over communication with the institutions, analysing and preparing responses to their requests, and coordinating all the relevant parties to the procedure.

This way the case is handled as a whole, without the need to engage us separately for every additional submission, with greater legal certainty and predictable costs.

Examples from practice

Nine months without a decision: resolved in two weeks

A family had been waiting for more than nine months without a response. After analysing the question of competence and correctly addressing the authority supervising the immigration office, the decision was issued within two weeks.

Two refusals for allegedly insufficient funds

Without any change in the level of income, through proper preparation and presentation of the relevant evidence we secured a positive decision.

Anticipating requests for additional documents

Drawing on experience with various immigration offices, the documentation was supplemented in advance with the evidence that is regularly requested in practice, which significantly shortened the waiting time.

Frequently asked questions

Are you planning to apply for a family reunification visa?

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