Residence permit for family reunion of parents to a foreign child
Legal basis
§ 36 Section 1 Residence Act
Documents/ forms to be submitted
You can submit this application completely online. If you are not able to use the online application, please use the "Residence permit application/Application for renewal of a temporary residence permit" (PDF 227 KB) and submit the documents by mail.
First issue
- Visa for family reunion (copy)
- Valid passport (copy)
- Birth certificate of child (in the case of foreign certificates with German translation as well as apostille/legalisation - certificates issued by the EU regarding civil status do not need an apostille.) (copy)
- Marriage certificate or custody declaration (in the case of unmarried parents)(copy)
- Rental contract (copy)
- for school-aged children: current school attendance certificate (copy)
Extension
- Valid passport (copy)
- Rent contact (only necessary if the address has changed) (copy)
- for school-aged children: current school attendance certificate (copy)
Process and procedure
Please submit your application and related documents via online application. You will be invited to collect your biometric data after a decision has been made on your application. After the decision about your application, you will be invited to have your biometric data recorded.
Costs and fees
Issue
- Adults: 100 euros
- Underage children: 50 euros
Extension
- Adults: 93 euros
- Underage children: 46.50 euros
If you receive benefits from the Jobcenter (unemployment benefit II) or the Social Office (social assistance according to the social security act XII), you may not need to pay the fees. You need to submit your current benefits letter (Leistungsbescheid) for this.
Payment possibilities
- Paying by cash
- Paying by EC card
Paying by credit card is possible.
Special requirements
Family reunion of parents to an underage child in Germany with a residence permit according to
- § 23 Section 4 Residence Act
- § 25 Section 1 Residence Act
- § 25 Section 2 1. Alternative Residence Act (refugee)
- § 26 Section 3 Residence Act
- § 26 Section 4 Residence Act (if previously resident as person with subsidiary protection status)
is only possible if no primary caregiving parent is living in Germany.
It is not possible to have a residence permit granted if the child who will be joined has a residence permit according to:
- § 25 Section 4, Residence Act
- § 25 Section 4b Residence Act
- § 25 Section 5 Residence Act
- § 25a Section 2 Residence Act
- § 25b Section 4 Residence Act
- § 104a Section 1 Residence Act
- § 104b Residence Act