Residence permit in Germany through family reunification
Moving to join a spouse or parent with legal status in Germany. Housing, A1 for spouses.
- A spouse aged 18 or over and minor children of a person holding a residence permit, permanent residence or an EU Blue Card in Germany
An A1 German certificate is indeed required BEFORE entry by default (§30 AufenthG), but the following are exempt: nationals of a number of countries (the US, Canada, Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco, San Marino, the UK), spouses of holders of the EU Blue Card, the ICT Card, Fachkräfte and a number of other qualified statuses, and also cases where language courses are not available in the country of residence, where the stay required is temporary, where an illness or disability makes learning the language difficult, and a number of other individual exceptions.
The sponsor’s required income is not set as a single figure — it is calculated individually: the regional “Regelbedarf” (in 2026 — €563/month for a single person or single parent, €506/month for a partner in a couple — the rates are frozen at the 2025 level) plus housing costs, less the earned-income allowances under §11b SGB II. The final requirement depends on the make-up of the family, the region and the type of income.
Who it suits
- A spouse aged 18 or over and minor children of a person holding a residence permit, permanent residence or an EU Blue Card in Germany
- Families moving to join a sponsor
- Children under 18 joining their parents
Knowledge of German is not required where they are joining a skilled worker with a valid residence permit
Residence permit in Germany: comparing the options
The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A settlement permit in Germany | People who have lived in Germany for five years on a work or family permit, skilled workers: three years is enough, or two with a German qualification, blue Card holders: 27 months, or 21 with German at B1 | 1–12 months | from $895 |
| Switching from a §24 permit to a work permit in Germany | People on temporary protection who have found work and want to stay for the long term, graduates who need a status that leads to settlement, anyone tired of depending on the next extension of temporary protection | 1–6 months | from $1,460 |
| Residence permit in Germany through family reunificationyou are here | Families moving to join a sponsor, children under 18 joining their parents | 3–6 months | from $2,240 |
| Chancenkarte in Germany (the opportunity card) | Qualified professionals, looking for work in Germany | 2–4 months | from $2,350 |
| EU Blue Card in Germany | IT specialists, engineers, doctors, researchers | 2–3 months | from $3,360 |
| Fachkräfte — residence permit for qualified professionals in Germany | Mid-level technical staff, nurses, construction workers, electricians | 3–5 months | from $3,360 |
| Freiberufler — freelancer residence permit in Germany | IT freelancers, designers, consultants, journalists | 2–4 months | from $3,920 |
| Residence permit in Germany for remote workers (the equivalent of a Digital Nomad Visa) | Tech employees with a foreign contract, digital nomads | 2–4 months | from $3,920 |
| Relocation of IT teams to Germany | IT companies, startups, corporate HR | 3–6 months | Upon consultation |
What the service includes
| Filing with the embassy | |
| Booking the interview | |
| Support until the visa is issued | |
| A1 courses— billed separately |
Official terms
Financial requirement
Adequate health insurance and funds to support the family
Timelines and rights
Right to work
On arrival the spouse immediately has the right to work in Germany without restriction
Residence conditions
Living together with the sponsoring family member in Germany
Documents and programme requirements
- 1A marriage or kinship certificate
- 2The sponsor’s housing
- 3A1 for spouses
- 4Financial guarantees
What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship
Route to citizenship
Naturalisation after 5 years of residence
Frequently asked questions
Is an A1 German certificate really required before departure?
How much does the sponsor need to earn for family reunification?
What housing counts as “sufficient” for reunification?
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