Eligibility Quiz
Requirements
Who Can Sponsor
You must be an EU, EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), or Swiss citizen who is actively exercising freedom of movement rights in Germany. This means you must be one of the following:
- Working as an employee or self-employed
- Seeking employment
- Studying
- Not working but have adequate health insurance and sufficient means of subsistence to support yourself
Simply being an EU citizen living in Germany is not enough—you must be exercising one of these rights. If you are a German citizen who previously worked or studied in another EU country and have returned to Germany, you also qualify under these favorable EU rules (called a "return case"), rather than the stricter German national rules.
Who Can Join You
Direct family members (primary beneficiaries):
- Your spouse or registered partner
- Your children under 21 years of age
- Your children aged 21 and over if you (or your partner) provide for their maintenance
- Your dependent parents and grandparents (and your partner's dependent parents and grandparents)
Close relatives (secondary beneficiaries) may also qualify if one of these conditions applies:
- You (or your partner) have provided long-term maintenance for at least two years, OR
- The family member has lived in your household for at least two years before moving to Germany, OR
- The family member is dependent on your personal long-term care due to serious health reasons
Close relatives include foster children and non-married partners (cohabitants).
Nationality of Family Members
Family members do not need to be EU citizens. Third-country nationals (non-EU citizens) can join you, though they face different visa and residence permit requirements than EU/EEA family members.
Disqualifying Factors
Family members may be denied residence if there are grounds for expulsion under German or EU immigration law, though the pathway does not specify detailed disqualifying criteria beyond standard immigration law grounds (serious criminal convictions, security threats, etc.).
Conditions & Warnings
EU citizen sponsor must be actively exercising freedom of movement rights (working, studying, seeking employment, or having adequate means). Simply being an EU citizen living in Germany is insufficient.
German citizens who have never exercised freedom of movement rights fall under stricter Residence Act rules, not the favorable EU pathway—verify your sponsor's status carefully.
Processing times officially stated as 1–3 months but typically extend to 3–6 months in practice; some cases take 9+ months due to embassy backlogs and staffing shortages.
Visa-exempt nationals (US, UK, Canada, Australia, etc.) must apply for a residence permit at the local foreigners authority within 90 days of entry to avoid overstay penalties.
Family reunification for subsidiary protection beneficiaries is suspended until July 23, 2027—this does not affect EU citizen pathways but reflects broader policy tightening.
Qualifications
Fees
Visa fees waived for family members of EU citizens; residence permit fees minimal (€10–28) or waived depending on state and age.