Family Reunion visa (Spouse Visa)- How to Apply ?
If you are a blue card holder (EU Blau Karte) in Germany, you can bring your spouse very easily. And yes, He/She has every right like you to live here in Germany including right to work!!
How do I initiate the procedure?
Step 1: Before Spouse’s Appointment at Home Embassy
at your home country-
- Get an appointment with German embassy for National visa (Type D)- Family reunion(Spouse).
- During the appointment, spouse should furnish all the documents as per the check list provided in German consulate website).
at Germany-
During this period, important documents you got to hustle is an Insurance coverage letter and Marriage certificate in German. You already have the rest of the documents as per check list- Job contract, Apartment contract etc.
- Insurance coverage letter -Visit your insurance providers nearest office to get a letter which states that, your spouse would be included in your family insurance when she moves to Germany. You will be asked to provide your meldebestätigung for the Apartment, Marriage certificate, and passport.
- Marriage Certificate in German – We would suggest to translate your marriage certificate in German so as to avoid any unnecessary complexities during visa processing.
Step 2: After spouse’s appointment at your home embassy
at Germany
Usually it takes up to 1-2 months for your spouse’s documents to reach your local foreign office (Auslanderbehörde) here in Germany. Once the docs are here, Auslanderbehörde office will send you a letter requesting to submit the following documents-
- Job Contract – I have it
- Salary receipt– if you are in your probation period (usually 6 months in Germany), you can try to bargain by providing them at least 1 month’s salary receipt- I have it
- Passport copy– I have it
- Apartment contract– you need an apartment contract with minimum 12 sq.m. per person above six years old and 10 sq.m. per person for below six years old, valid from the intended date of your Family’s arrival in Germany. If you still find it difficult to arrange an apartment, you can request for an extension during your appointment at Auslanderbehörde.
at your home country-
- Once you furnish all the necessary docs in Germany, your spouse would receive a Telephonic call from the local embassy in 0-2 weeks to confirm the tentative date of travel to Germany.
- Now, spouse can expect an Email confirmation from local embassy in next few days to collect the passport. Passport can be collected personally or by a third person via an authorization letter.
Know More: All about German Tax System
Eazyleben tips:
- Get your apartment contract ready valid from the spouses intended date of travelling to Germany-for e.g. if your spouse’s appointment at embassy is on Jan 1, let’s say you get an invitation to Auslanderbehörde on Feb 1 and if spouse intend to travel on March 1, you need to furnish a contract valid from 1st March. Don’t rent a huge apartment in advance and waste your money!!
- If you fail to find an own apartment with minimum 24 sq.m. (2 persons), try to arrange a temporary sublet contract (Untermietvetrag for 2-3 months). Now you have enough time to find a cheap and beautiful apartment rather than settling for an expensive and uncomfortable apartment under pressure!!
- WG Room vs apartment- If your WG apartment (shared) has 2 bedrooms and total area of apartment is at least 36 sq.m. (3 people- bedroom1 intended for you &spouse, bedroom 2 for Roommate), then you can claim it as a valid contract.
- We would suggest translating your marriage certificate to Deutsch so that your spouse can submit the same along with check list documents.
- Forget all this mess!! Apply for your spouse visa along with your Visa application (National visa-Type D) at your Home country. Then you both can move to Germany together.
Cheers!! We wish you all the best with your Family reunion Visa application.
Thank you for the article,i have one question for this particular point:
“Forget all this mess!! Apply for your spouse visa along with your Visa application (National visa-Type D) at your Home country. Then you both can move to Germany together.”
What is this type of Visa ? What’s the requirements to apply for it ?
Hi, it’s the normal procedure.
1) book a visa appointment for your spouse for the same day (if possible) or after your Job visa application (but before you move to Germany).
2) Get an accommodation letter from your Employer or someone else stating accommodation for both yourself and spouse in Germany.
3) Now your spouse has to submit the regular documents as per the checklist plus the above accommodation letter and your visa application receipt slip during the interview appointment.
Cheers,
Eazyleben
Hello, thank you for this article, lot of doubts have been cleared. I still have one question.
I am living in a WG in Berlin, it’s a 6-room apartment with 3 bathrooms, common kitchen. The rooms are fine for couples as per the contract. The room area is 18 sq.m.. Will there be any additional document required from the landlord which my husband would need to submit for the appointment?
Please do let me know 🙂
Regards,
Deepali
Hello Deepali,
Since it’s a WG, they normally check the Area allocated for you (i.e. 18 sq.m.). But, nevertheless, considering the common areas like kitchen etc., normally it doesn’t create any problem (>26 sq.m.). On a safer side, get an additional letter from the landlord which says, your spouse is allowed to stay at your apartment legally.
Hello, thank you for this article, one of the best article i found on internet.
My questions are
1. 10 sq. meter also required for infant (2. month old)?
2. I am living in 38 sq. meter apartment and registered (“Meldebescheinigung”) but apartment contract is not on my name, because i sublet it for 3 month. Which document should i show for my wife visa?
Hello Ishrat,
Thank you for your kind words.
1) Normally they count it based on number of people in the household. So yes. But since it is an Infant, there should be an exception which you should personally clarify at your local Auslaenderbehoerde.
2) I suppose, still main contract is in your name. So it won’t be a problem. You basically need to prove that you have valid space to accommodate your wife and kid, when they are here in Germany.
All the best.
Dear Friend,
I am residing in Germany over 6 years, possessing Blue card & I have applied for “Permanent Residence” in July 2020 this year.
My wife/Spouse is willing to apply for Family-Reunion visa at the Embassy in India. We possessed all the necessary documents for the Spouse visa application. But, currently, I am having only a temporary Visa extension (This is the situation with me for more than 6 months).
Due to the Corona Pandemic situation, I am not able to get an appointment at the Foreign Office of Germany. For example, my last visa appointment in Germany was on 16th Dec and it again got cancelled due to second nationwide Lock-Down in Germany. And, there is no next Appointment date has been given to me. Hence, it’s absolutely unknown for me, that when can my wife will be able to apply for Family-Reunion visa.
Please kindly guide me upon the following two queries:
1. Can my Wife/Spouse get the Family-Reunion visa based on my “Notfallbescheinigung / Temporary visa extension”?
2. My current “Temporary visa extension is of Blue card”. In case if my wife appears for visa Interview with my Temporary visa extension, does she must need to provide the “A1 German language” certificate?