Family reunification with EU citizens and nationals from Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein

Course description

Visa procedure:
Before you can travel to Germany as a foreign spouse/registered partner or child, you need a visa for family reunification. You can apply for this at the German mission abroad (embassy or consulate) in your home country. As soon as we have received the visa application from the responsible diplomatic mission abroad, you must submit further documents to us, depending on the reason for family reunification.

Prerequisites

1. Registering your place of residence:
   When you arrive in Munich, you must register your place of residence within one week at the Kreisverwaltungsreferat Citizens Office. There you will receive a confirmation of registration. This confirmation is often required by other authorities or institutions as proof that you are registered in Munich. You can find more information on this on the Internet at www.buergerbuero-muenchen.de.
2. Residence card:
   After entering the country, you will receive a residence card from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Office.
3. Working:
   Family members of EU nationals generally do not need a work permit.
4. Permanent right of residence:
   If you have been living here continuously and legally, you have the right to stay in Germany permanently after five years. You can apply for a permanent residence card for this purpose.

Required documents

For the residence card:

• fully completed application form
• valid passport or identity card
• current biometric passport photo, which is sent digitally by a certified photo studio or drugstore. Alternatively, you can use one of the photo terminals at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Office for a fee.
• Marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
• Birth certificate of your children (if necessary with apostille or legalisation endorsement) If no international/multilingual document is available: German, certified translation by a translator sworn in Germany.

Spouse is an employee

• Confirmation from employer about type and duration of current employment

Spouse is self-employed/freelance

• Proof of profit after tax (last income tax assessment notice, current profit and loss account from tax consultant) or
• Business registration (if required under trade law)

Please note:

Further documents may be required in individual cases (e.g. if maintenance is granted).

Permanent residence card

Documents required:

• Fully completed application form
• Valid passport or identity card
• current biometric passport photo submitted digitally by a certified photo studio or drugstore. Alternatively, you can use one of the photo terminals at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service Centre for a fee.

Please note:

Further documents may be required in individual cases.

Legal basis

EU Freedom of Movement Act