Check your family situation

Not every family needs the same route

Which rules apply depends above all on your own citizenship and your right of residence in Germany, and on the citizenship of the family members who want to join you.

• •MeaNext therefore shows you the basic route that fits.
• •The final decision is made by the responsible German mission abroad or the foreigners authority.

Your own residence title is decisive

For family reunification it matters which residence title you hold in Germany.

• •MeaNext does not know which residence title is written on your document and therefore cannot decide which easements apply to your family.
• •Check the exact name of your residence title in the step “Clarify your residence situation”.

Which requirements apply to you?

Depending on your residence title, health insurance, means of subsistence and living space can be checked, among other things.

• •For certain residence rights and skilled worker titles there are exceptions or easements.
• •So check the requirements for your specific residence title before you gather documents unnecessarily.

Which documents should you prepare?

The exact list depends on the family member and on the legal route.

• •Valid passports or identity documents
• •Marriage or partnership certificate if a partner joins you
• •Birth certificates of the children
• •Proof of custody where applicable
• •Proof of your stay in Germany or of your residence title
• •Where applicable, proof of health insurance, means of subsistence or living space

Where does the application start?

A visa for family reunification is generally applied for at the German mission abroad responsible for the family member's place of residence.

• •National visas for family reunification can generally also be applied for online through the consular portal of the Federal Foreign Office.
• •A personal appointment can still be necessary for biometric data and for checking certain original documents.

After arriving in Germany

Some steps only follow once your family is actually here.

• •You will find the address registration later as its own step in your Germany Plan.

Residence title after entry

After entry, clarify with the foreigners authority which residence title your family member needs and how it is applied for.

Translating and certifying documents

Before you have anything translated or certified: clarify with the responsible office which form is really required.

What you should do now

• •Check which family member is supposed to come to Germany.
• •Based on your citizenship and the citizenship of the family member, check which entry and residence route applies.
• •Open the official document list or the consular portal and prepare only the documents that are actually required.
• •After entry, clarify the address registration and, if needed, the residence title or residence card.