Visa and residence permit for your family members

Depending on your nationality, your family members may also need a visa to enter the country.

On the website of the Federal Foreign Office you will find an overview of the countries that require a visa to enter Germany.

If you or your family members require a visa, it is recommended that you and your family members apply at the same time. This usually also applies if your family wishes to enter the country at a later date, as it may take several weeks to process the application. It is best to make an appointment as early as possible and find out which documents you have to submit.

Please note: If your family members are travelling with you, you may need the following documents:

  • for your spouse: the original marriage certificate and a certified German translation
  • for your child/children: the birth certificate(s) and a certified German translation

If you are a citizen of the EU or the European Economic Area and an employee in Germany, your family members do not need a visa for entry or a permit for a longer stay if they are themselves citizens of an EU or EEA country. To enter the country, only a valid passport is needed.

Please note: After their entry, your family members must also register at the city's Residents' Registration Office.

Swiss nationals and their family members also enjoy freedom of movement within the EU. However, they must apply for a special (purely declaratory) residence permit.

Family members of EU and EEA citizens who are themselves neither Union, EEA or Swiss citizens may need a visa to enter Germany, depending on the regulations that apply to persons of the respective nationality. An exception applies, if they hold a valid residence permit from another member state of the EU or the EEA.

Since there are some further exceptions and regulations, for example for family members of students, please contact the responsible authorities in advance to find out which rules apply to you. Further information can be found here.

If you are a family member of a third country national, you can apply for residence permit to establish or conserve the family community. Requirements:

  • you/ the person to whom the subsequent move is to be made must have a valid residence permit
  • there must be sufficient living space available for you and your family members.
  • This must be proved by means of a rental agreement stating the number of squaremeters and the amount of monthly costs
  • the family’s livelihood must be secured
  • a proof of income for the last three months must be submitted as well as a current employer’s confirmation of the type and duration of your employment and your employment contract

If you have a residence permit for researchers (§20) or a „Blue Card EU“ (§19a) and you were married before moving to Germany, your spouse does not have to prove any knowledge of German.

Further information can be obtained from the German Missions Abroad or the Foreigners‘ Office.

More detailed information can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and of the city of Paderborn: