Germany dependent permit

The German government encourages family reunification and permits immigrant workers to bring their family members and relatives to Germany on a temporary or permanent basis. The Germany Dependent Permit is also known as the Family Reunion Visa and is a special permit for this purpose.

Eligibility for the Germany dependent permit

Immigrant workers who wish to bring their family members to Germany must meet the following conditions:

• Have enough income to support them and their family
• Have enough funds to provide housing for the family
• Family members must have basic understanding of the German language
• Children must be below 18 years
• Have a temporary or permanent residence permit or an EU Blue Card
• Have enough health insurance for them and family members

Exceptions

Your spouse or companion will not need a permit or knowledge of German to enter the country if:

• You have a Blue Card from the European Union.
• You work as a research scientist or a highly skilled worker in Germany.
• Your spouse holds a bachelor’s degree from a university.

Bringing dependent children to Germany

The requirements to bring a child to Germany may change depending on the age of the children.

Minor children

If both parents live in Germany, they can bring their child to the country. A single parent, on the other hand, is allowed to bring their minor child to Germany if he or she has sole custody and care of the child.

Adult children

To be qualified for a Family Reunion Visa, the child must not be married. However, this does not exclude her or him from applying for a different type of permit, such as a German visitor or tourist visa, a study permit to study in Germany, or an employment permit to work in Germany.

Requirements to sponsor a spouse / registered partner

• Proof of accommodation – demonstrating that the German citizen has enough room in their home for the candidate.
• Proof of the candidate’s German language skills at least at level A1.
• A foreign officer’s attestation of a registry or marriage certificate, translated into German and legalized by the German embassy
• A copy of the German spouse’s passport and identification card must be sent if the spouse is of German nationality.
• If the spouse is a non-German living in Germany, they must have proof of legal residency as well as their passport.

Requirements to sponsor children

• Certificate of birth
• Proof of the child’s nationality
• Evidence of the parent who is living in Germany who has the right to care and custody