Foreign nationals who have relatives in Germany can join them to live and work in the country permanently with the help of a type of permanent called Family Reunion Visa issued by German Alien Authorities. This article will be discussing the eligibility, requirements, guidelines and application procedures for this German Family Reunion Visa

German Family Reunion Visa

What’s German Family Reunion Visa

German family reunion visa is a type of permanent visa issued to persons who wish to permanently join a member of their family in Germany. The holders of this visa are at liberty to live and at the same time work in Germany. Beneficiaries of these visas can be one’s children, parents, partners, siblings, cousins, aunties and other family members.

Citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area, and the European Free Trade Association are exempted from obtaining the family reunion visa as they are eligible to work in Germany without a work permit as well as bring their family members.

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For a person to be able to sponsor a family member in Germany, the individual must possed either a German settlement permit, an EU long-term residence permit, a residence permit or an EU Blue Card. The individual must have the means of catering for the person his/she wants to sponsor.

What are the Basic Requirements for German Family Reunion Visa

The basic requirements for that qualifies a sponsor for the family reunion visa are:

• The sponsor must have an EU long-term residence permit, a residence permit or an EU Blue Card.
• The sponsor must have the capacity of financing the person to be sponsored.
• The sponsor must be over at least 18 years old
• Sponsor must have the language requirement (i.e must know German)

Documents Required for German Family Reunion Visa Application

The general document required for the application of family reunion visa include:

• International passport with at least three months validity and should not be less than 10 years.
• 2 duly signed applications forms.
• 2 duly signed notification forms.
• Evidence of Health insurance for Germany.
• Sponsor proof of financial capability.
• Proof that the sponsor has enough space to accommodate the sponsored
• Sponsor invitation letter.
• Proof of German language skills at least level A1 of the applicant.
• Birth certificate (for children).
• A marriage certificate must be attested by a foreign officer, translated into German and legalized by the German embassy (for a married couple)

Steps to Apply for German Family Reunion Visa

The application procedure to apply for a German Family Reunion Visa is similar to other types of German Visas. Nevertheless, the steps to apply for the family reunion visa are:

Step 1: Get the Required Documents

Firstly, to apply for the family reunion visa, you must gather all the required documents and ensure that you double-check the checklist. The documents are required to be in either English or German. You are not eligible to apply if you have no relative in Germany.

Step 2: Book Appointment at the Embassy

Once you have all documents in your hands, proceed and book an appointment with the German embassy or consulate nearest to you. This can be done online via the German embassy website.

Step 3: Go for Interview at the Embassy

When it is a slated day for the interview, go to the embassy or consulate or better still visa service point with all the documents (copies inclusive) and attend the questioning session. You will be quizzed on the reasons for your application and you should ensure you convince the officer in charge.

Step 4: Pay Application Fee

You will be required to pay for application fee at the embassy with a credit /debit card or any other means of payment (aside from cash) at the embassy. The fee is non-refundable, even if you cancel the application.

Step 5: Wait for Collection

After the payment and interview, you will be asked to check back for your visa. You can choose to go back and collect it or asked the embassy to courier it over. Should in case your visa is denied, you will be notified as well.

What is the Application Fee for German Family Reunion Visa

The visa application fee for a German family reunion is £75.00 for adults and £35.50 for children up to 18 years.

What is the German Family Reunion Visa Processing Time

The visa process does not take much duration, but depending on the case, it ranges from few weeks to months. Some applicants can receive the visa within days if the embassy is not processing many visas at a particular time. Just ensure you keep to the appointed time to be able to fast-track your application.

Conclusion: The family union visa in Germany which gives room for non-German to bring in their family is a permanent type of visa whose process is easy but has strict guidelines which must be duly followed, lest the application will be denied. Citizens of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the Republic of Korea, as well as EU citizens are exempted from applying for this visa, however, they may apply for their residence permit after entering Germany without a visa. There is no exclusion in the family members who can be sponsored, but the immediate family are given priority especially spouse and children.