Family Reunification Visa

Family reunification in Germany allows close family members to join their relatives living in Germany—whether those relatives are German citizens or third-country nationals with valid residence (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) or settlement permits (Niederlassungserlaubnis).

Eligible family members include:

These rules focus on preserving the nuclear family. Other relatives, such as adult children, siblings, grandparents, or extended family, are not normally eligible, unless there are exceptional humanitarian or personal hardship circumstances that justify reunification.

Immigration authorities evaluate such cases very strictly, and approvals are rare.

Visa and Residence Permit: What You Need to Know

To join a family member in Germany, you’ll need to go through a two-step process:

First, apply for a national visa while still in South Africa. This visa allows you to enter Germany for the purpose of family reunification.
After arrival, you must apply for a residence permit from the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany to legally remain long-term.

Please note that the rules and requirements differ based on both your citizenship and the citizenship of the family member you are joining. As a general rule, the conditions vary depending on whether you are joining:

Each category has its own conditions, documentation requirements, and processing times, so it’s essential to check the correct guidelines for your situation before beginning your application.

👉 Important Note:
If you’re planning a short-term stay, such as visiting a relative or friend in Germany for a few weeks or months, this is not the right visa for you. For temporary visits, such as attending family events, holidays, or simply spending time with loved ones, a different visa category applies.

Friends or Family visits

Friends or Family visits Do you want to invite friends or family to come and visit you in Germany?For their trip, they will need a tourist visa, which is one of the short stays (less than 90 days) Schengen visas. There are two types of tourist visas. One is for general tourists and the other for family and friends who want to visit someone in Germany. More information, application forms and requirements can be found on the German Embassy website.The requirements are very clearly stated.What is not always clear is how to supply the required documentation in special cases for example an

Info on the web

As the rules and requirements change regularly, please refer to the official websites for information on a family reunification visa.

Bamf – Information for 3rd Country Nationals
Berlin Welcome Centre
Federal office for migration and refugees. Family Reunification
of third-country nationals in Germany – See page 39 for employment restrictions
The Federal Government – At a glance: Visa for the purpose of family reunification to foreigners

Where to apply

You need to submit your application at the German Embassy in South Africa, or at one of the German Consulates in South Africa. You cannot apply for a family reunification visa from inside Germany.

The following types of Family reunification Visas are available

Proof of knowledge of basic German

To join your spouse in Germany, you must demonstrate at least basic proficiency in the German language (equivalent to Level A1 of the European Language Framework).
For more information, you can find a flyer from BAMF (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge) here

We summarised the possible exceptions, but please always refer back to the official information from BAMF:

You or your spouse are a citizen of a member state of the European Union or you have exercised your right of free movement as a German citizen.
Your spouse is a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco, or San Marino.
You have a university degree and can probably find work in Germany thanks to your language skills.
Your spouse holds an EU Blue Card.
Your spouse holds a residence permit as
- a skilled worker (§ 18c (3) German Residence Act (AufenthG)).
- a researcher 2 (§ 18f AufenthG).
- a selfemployed person 2 (§ 21 AufenthG).
- a person entitled to asylum (§ 25 (1) and § 26 (3) AufenthG) to whom you were already married in your
  home country before your partner moved to Germany.
- a person who has been granted refugee status or subsidiary protection (§ 25 (2) and § 26 (3) AufenthG) to whom you were already married in your home country before your partner moved to Germany.
- a longterm resident from another EU member state (§ 38a AufenthG).
You do not wish to remain permanently in Germany.
It is impossible or unreasonable to learn the language abroad, or this has proven unsuccessful despite your attempts.
You are unable to prove basic knowledge of German on account of a physical, mental or psychological illness or disability.
You are able to cite other circumstances that make it impossible for you to learn the language, circumstances that could constitute a case of hardship.

Employment

Joining a third-country national.
According to BAMF documentation, If you are joining your spouse who is a third-country national you are also entitled to take up work if you come to Germany for the purposes of family reunification.
Joining a German spouse
According to BAMF documentation, family members coming to Germany to join their German spouses, for the purpose of family reunification are allowed to work in Germany.

Medical

For comprehensive guidance on your visa application, read our detailed tips regarding medical insurance coverage—an important requirement to ensure your application proceeds smoothly and meets all necessary criteria.

Visa application tips

Schengen Visa application tips We are not immigration agents, and your first point of contact should always be the German embassy or consulate in South Africa.Most of the information you need to apply for your visa at the Germany Embassy in South Africa can be found on their websiteHere is some additional information that could help when something is not clear. For individual queries, you can send an email to visacapetown@kaps.diplo.de or use their online form Friends

Additional information and tips

When a birth or marriage certificate is required, it must always be an unabridged copy
The embassy only accepts Marriage certificates that were apostilled by DIRCO
Unabridged birth certificates must also be apostilled by DIRCO
We have companies listed that can assist in obtaining unabridged documentation, but remember they cannot speed up the process at DIRCO. You can find a list of these companies here
When your spouse is already in Germany, it is sufficient to supply a copy of their “Anmeldung” you do not have to wait for a copy of their residence card to submit your application.
As with all visa applications, make sure you supply all the documentation required on the Checklist
Unless specifically asked for, documents that are in English does not need to be translated
During your interview, ask if you can keep your passport with you, as the process can take a long time (months), and you will only get your passport back when the visa is issued.
It is impossible to know how long your application will take. To get an indication, see our Shared stories page below. It is not a fast process, which makes it very difficult if you spouse is already in Germany and you are waiting for your visa. Do everything you can from your side to ensure a smooth application, so there are no hold ups due to missing paperwork.

Legal Basis

Section 27 -36 of the Residence Act
Section 3 of the EU Freedom of Movement Act (FreizügG/EU)

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