Returning with a family

Nationals of a member state of the European Union can enter Germany without a visa. But foreign nationals from other countries (so-called "third countries") usually require a visa. They must apply for a visa in person at the German embassy or consulate in their home country. If there is no German embassy or consulate there, or if you live in a country other than the home country of your spouse, go to the website of the Federal Foreign Office, where you will find information about entering Germany, including visa requirements. 

If you have married abroad, your foreign partner must apply for a family reunification (or spouse reunification) visa at the German embassy (or a consulate) in order to subsequently obtain a residence permit in Germany. This also applies to children who are only nationals of a third country. Children (under the age of majority) of your foreign partner (e.g., from a first marriage) may also join you in Germany. However, your partner must prove that he/she has sole parental custody.

In order to obtain or extend a residence permit, your partner must provide proof of adequate health insurance cover in Germany. Most immigration authorities require proof that the health insurance corresponds to that of the statutory health insurance. Talk to your health insurance provider about the options that are available (e.g., family insurance)

If your partner wants to work in Germany, he/she is welcome to access our advisory and support services. It can also be helpful to explore the German labour market beforehand from abroad, and find out what options are available and whether your spouse may need additional qualifications.

Foreigners who want to work in Germany also need a work permit. The requirements for working in Germany depend to start with on whether you are a citizen of a member state of the European Union, of the European Economic Area, or of Switzerland, or a citizen of a third country. The conditions for obtaining a work permit are often subject to change, so you should obtain up-to-date information directly from the websites of the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, or the Employment Agency. The International Placement Service (Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung, ZAV) offers additional information and assistance to foreign professionals who are looking for work. You can also find comprehensive tips on “Living and working in Germany” on the online portal "Make-it-in-Germany".

It is not always easy to find suitable employment in Germany, because professions and related employment opportunities often differ significantly from those in your partner's home country. Bearing this in mind, there are various sources of information about work and training opportunities that you can access. The Federal Employment Agency, with its online portals and local job centres, serves as the first point of contact.

In order to gain admission to a university or other institution of higher education, various requirements must be met besides obtaining recognition of existing qualifications, such as a university entrance qualification. You do best to ask about such requirements at the university or institution of higher education of your choice. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Rectors' Conference (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz) provide information on study opportunities and requirements. There are also numerous distance learning courses on offer.

In order to start a job, training, further education, or study, your partner needs certified and translated copies of certificates, e.g., school leaving certificate, university entrance qualification, university degree, vocational training certificate. Foreign degrees are not automatically recognised in Germany. Information on the evaluation of foreign academic qualifications can be found on the information portal of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. The German Recognition portal and the “BQ-Portal” also provide information on the recognition of professional qualifications acquired abroad.

In order to get to know new people, communicate in everyday life, and find work, your partner should learn to speak German as soon as possible. The Goethe Institute offers German courses throughout the world, for example. If courses are being offered near you, your partner could ideally start learning German straight away. In Germany itself, a wide range of German courses is available, e.g., in adult education centres (Volkshochschulen), clubs and societies, and private language schools. There are also online courses and apps for learning and practising German.

Another way to learn German and become well-oriented in everyday life is to join an integration course which combines a language course and an orientation course. Find out at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) about how and where your partner can participate in an integration course, what the course entails, and how much it costs.

For many binational couples, getting married makes it possible for them to live together in Germany. But getting married in Germany entails having to overcome a lot of bureaucratic hurdles. You must produce a wide range of certificates and documents, some of which are likely to be very difficult for your foreign partner to obtain in their home country. If you are planning to get married in Germany, you should ask at your local registry office which documents and what kind of certificates you need (e.g., an apostille - official certification of a birth certificate).  

There is no uniform procedure for obtaining recognition of your marriage abroad. And no single authority is responsible for this. According to the Federal Foreign Office, "a marriage concluded abroad is generally recognised in Germany if at the time of the marriage the material legal marriage requirements (e.g., being single and over the minimum age) were met by both partners in accordance with the law of their respective home countries, and the law at the place of marriage and in the home countries of both spouses was respected with regard to the conduct of the marriage." You should therefore obtain detailed information in advance - from the Federal Office for Expatriates and Foreign Workers (Bundesstelle für Auswanderer und Auslandstätige) of the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt), for example - about which regulations apply (e.g., in the case of Islamic marriage contracts).

If at least one of the spouses is a German citizen, you can apply at the local registry office in Germany for registration in the marriage register of the marriage that was concluded abroad. The marriage can be registered with the German authorities in this way.