Family reunification in Germany: bringing your spouse and children

Your husband, wife or children want to join you in Germany? What is needed, the German test, rules for refugees, and how a lawyer helps.

Last checked: November 1, 2026

Who can come

If you live legally in Germany, your spouse or registered partner and your children under 18 can usually join you. Other relatives, such as parents, can only come in rare cases.

Your family applies for a family visa at the German embassy or consulate in their country. The Ausländerbehörde where you live is asked to agree.

What is usually needed

Your residence permit in Germany.
Enough space for the family to live together.
Enough income for the family without benefits. There are exceptions, for example for recognised refugees.
Basic German (A1) for a spouse, with exceptions, for example for spouses of Blue Card holders.
Marriage and birth certificates, often with legalisation or an apostille and a translation.

Refugees and subsidiary protection

Recognised refugees: if the family applies within three months of the recognition, the rules on income and living space usually do not apply.
Subsidiary protection: since 24 July 2025, family reunification is suspended until 23 July 2027. Only hardship cases are possible, and they are checked strictly.

Family of German citizens

Spouses of Germans usually also need basic German, but income is usually not checked. Children of a German parent are often German themselves: check this first.

How a lawyer in Germany helps

A lawyer in Germany can check whether the conditions are met, prepare the documents for the embassy, speak with the Ausländerbehörde, and act if the visa takes too long or is refused. In a hardship case, a well-documented application matters a lot.

Questions people ask

How long does it take?

Waiting times for an embassy appointment differ a lot by country, from a few weeks to more than a year in some places. Many embassies now accept applications online through the Consular Services Portal.

What if we are not married?

Without a marriage or a registered partnership, a family visa is usually not possible. Sometimes your partner can come on their own visa, for example for work or study.

Can my parents come?

Only in exceptional cases, if being apart would be an extraordinary hardship, for example when a parent cannot live alone and nobody else can care for them.

Official information

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different: a lawyer checks yours.

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