Direct jump to the content area
Homepage Help in all aspects of daily life Immigration Entry and residence title Residence permit

Residence permit

Drucker Print Briefumschlag Recommend Stern Evaluate

Inhalt

Subsequent entry of family members (Germans) - Residence permit application

Prerequisite Procedure Required documents Costs
Bearbeitungsdauer Miscellaneous Legal basis

Children, wives and husbands of German citizens can obtain a residence permit for family reasons. This also applies to (guardian) parents of minor unmarried German citizens. These can move to Germany to be with their families and can work here.

The same applies for the following same-sex partnerships:

  • "Registered partnerships" in accordance with the German Life Partnership Law
  • "State-recognized (in accordance with foreign law) partnerships which correspond essentially to the German "civil partnership"
^  back to top

Prerequisite

Prerequisites for the residence permit are:

  • You satisfy the passport and visa obligation.
  • There are no grounds for your expulsion.
  • Your stay does not endanger or prejudice the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
  • The person whom you are joining is a German citizen and resides in Germany.
  • For immigration of spouses, also:
^  back to top

Procedure

Before entering Germany, you must apply for a national visa in your own country.

After entry, you must apply for the residence title in writing to the immigration authorities before your visa expires.

As of September 1st, 2011 the residence title is the size of a credit card and it incorporates additional electronic functions. For more information, see "Electronic residence title (eAT) - application".

The immigration authority is, depending on where you live, either the municipal administration or the district administration.

^  back to top

Required documents

  • Proof that you satisfy the passport and visa obligation
  • Proof that there are no grounds for your expulsion
  • Proof that you do not endanger or prejudice the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Proof of German citizenship and residence in Germany of the person whom you are joining
  • Proof of family membership (for example, birth and marriage certificates, certificate of civil partnership)
  • For immigration of spouses, also:
    • Proof of minimum age of both spouses
    • Proof of basic knowledge of German of the spouse arriving subsequently
^  back to top

Costs

  • Validity of up to one year: 100 Euro
  • Validity of more than one year: 110 Euro
  • Extension up to three months: 65 Euro
  • Extension of more than three months: 80 Euro

Note: You may only be exempted from the fees in exceptional cases.

^  back to top

Bearbeitungsdauer

Four to six weeks

^  back to top

Miscellaneous

Foreign nationals who live together with German citizens as part of a family usually receive a settlement permit after three years.

Young foreign nationals who

  • Have grown up in Germany or
  • Immigrated as children to Germany,

can also receive a settlement permit under eased requirements.

The subsequent immigration of family members of nationals of the EU and EEA states is based on the Freedom of Movement Law/EU. This means that:

  • Family members of nationals of the EU and EEA states, who are themselves nationals of an EU or EEA state, are free to enter the country and find employment.
  • Family members of nationals of the EU and EEA states, who are themselves not nationals of an EU or EEA state, also have to right to entry and to residence.
^  back to top

Legal basis

^  back to top

Contextspalte


A group of migrants at a training session
 
 

Select town

Please enter a town here. Service-bw will provide you with exactly the information and the authority to contact which you will need for this town.

 
 

Help & Tips

  • Explanation of the administrative terms
  • Determine postcode
 
 

You can also find this procedure in

 
 

Glossar

Identity card substitute

A foreigner who does not have a passport and cannot obtain one in a reasonable manner or whose passport or passport substitute has been handed over temporarily to a German authority, will be issued an identity card substitute upon application, if he/she has a residence title or his/her deportation has been suspended (exceptional leave to remain).

In Germany this identity card substitute satisfies the duty to prove the identity of the foreigner. It provides details of the person and has a photograph and also confirms the residence permit or the exceptional leave to remain. In addition, the identity card substitute contains detail on the place and date of issue, period or duration of validity, surname and first name of the holder, date and place of birth, nationality, gender, size, colour of the eyes as well as the holder’s own signature.

The identity card substitute is not a passport substitute. German passport substitute documents for foreigners are e.g. the travel document for foreigners, the cross-border commuter card, the emergency travel document.

 
 

Total aspects of daily life as a PDF

Please click on the link to create a PDF document with all the texts and linked procedures of the Aspects of Daily Life Immigration.

 
 

Recommended links

 
 

Bookmark

 
 

Your assessment of this page





 
 
 

Ideas, questions, criticism?

Do you have an idea how the Regional Administrative Offices can make their services for the procedure Subsequent entry of family members (Germans) - Residence permit application even more citizen-friendly, cost-effective or simpler? Then you have come to the right place.

 
 

Release note

The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Innenministerium released it on 03.11.2011. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.
In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.

 
Drucker Print Briefumschlag Recommend Stern Evaluate