As a third-country national who is a family member of a citizen of the European Union (EU) or a country of the European Economic Area (EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), you have the right—provided you meet the requirements under EU law—to move freely within the European Union with your sponsor, to enter any EU Member State or EEA country, and to reside there. This also includes the freedom to choose your place of residence.

You are considered a third-country national if you do not hold the nationality of an EU member state, an EEA country, or Switzerland.

The following persons are considered “family members”:

• spouses,
• civil partners,
• direct descendants (e.g., children) of the EU/EEA citizen, spouse, or civil partner who are under 21 years of age or who are financially dependent on them, and
• Relatives in the direct ascending line (e.g., parents and grandparents) of the EU/EEA citizen, their spouse, or their civil partner, who are financially supported by them.

For EU or EEA citizens who are students, the group of family members eligible for family reunification is limited to spouses and partners, as well as children who are financially dependent on them.

During the first three months of your stay in Germany, your residence is subject to the condition that you have a family relationship with the reference person entitled to freedom of movement, that you are accompanying that person, and that you are in possession of a recognized or otherwise valid passport or passport substitute.

For a stay of more than three months, you need a residence card, which will be issued to you by the Foreigners’ Registration Office ex officio within six months.

The Foreigners’ Registration Office verifies whether the requirements for freedom of movement are met. Among other factors, this depends on whether your sponsor is employed or not.

Until a decision is made regarding the issuance of the residence card, your stay in Germany is considered lawful.

The issuance of the residence card confirms that you are entitled to the right to free movement. The residence card is generally issued for five years, unless a shorter period results from your sponsor’s stay.

If you are under 18 years of age, the persons authorized to exercise parental care over you must consent to your planned stay in Germany.

• You are not a national of an EU member state, the EEA, or Switzerland.
• You are a family member of an EU or EEA citizen residing in Germany.
• You have a close family relationship with the EU or EEA citizen (you do not necessarily have to live together for this).
• You wish to stay in Germany for longer than three months.

• You can provide the information required to obtain your residence card when you register with the registration office as required by law. Your information will be forwarded from there to the Foreigners’ Registration Office. You can also submit your information directly to the Foreigners’ Registration Office responsible for your place of residence.
• Check whether your Foreigners’ Registration Office allows online submission or provides a specific form.
• If submission is only possible in person, make an appointment at the Foreigners’ Registration Office. If you submit your information online, the Foreigners’ Registration Office will contact you after receiving your information to schedule an appointment.
• During the appointment, your identity and documents will be verified (please bring your documents to the appointment, preferably the originals).
• Regardless of the outcome of the immigration office’s review, you will immediately receive a certificate confirming that you have provided the necessary information for the issuance of the residence card to prove your lawful residence.
• If there are no objections, your fingerprints will be taken for the production of the residence card. You will also be required to provide a signature.
• The Foreigners’ Registration Office commissions the Federal Printing Office to produce the residence card in credit-card format with additional electronic functions. Once it is ready, you will be notified and can pick up the residence card at the appropriate office. You must pick it up in person.
• The residence card is usually issued within six months.
• If your application for a residence card is denied, you will receive a written notice.

• The proceedings are generally conducted in German.
• After the residence card has been issued, its validity may be reviewed for specific reasons. If the requirements for the right of residence are no longer met within five years of establishing residence in Germany, the residence card may be revoked.
• All information provided to the Foreigners’ Registration Office should be accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge and belief so that the matter can be processed without significant delays.
• Inaccurate or incomplete information can slow down the process and be detrimental to those involved. In serious cases, incorrect or incomplete information that is not supplemented or corrected in a timely manner with the Foreigners’ Registration Office may result in the revocation of residence rights already granted, a fine, imprisonment for up to three years, or deportation from the federal territory.
• If you have resided legally and continuously in Germany with your sponsor for five years, you may apply for a permanent residence card.
• The residence card is not issued to nationals of Switzerland or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Different provisions apply to these individuals (see “Further Information”).
• Due to the complexity of residence and freedom of movement laws, this description is provided for informational purposes only and is not legally binding.

• File an appeal against the decision of the Immigration Office within one month of its notification
• Lawsuit before the court specified in the notice of decision on the appeal, if the appeal is not granted

Application Deadline:

To receive a residence card, the required information should be submitted to the Foreigners’ Registration Office no later than three months after entry.

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5

Note:

The residence card is generally issued for five years, unless a shorter period results from the length of stay of your sponsor, from whom you derive your right of residence.

Duration (for the range): approx. 6 to 6

Note regarding further information on processing time:

Processing times may vary depending on the workload of the Foreigners’ Registration Office. However, the issuance of the residence card should take no longer than six months.

It takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks for the Federal Printing Office to produce the electronic residence permit.

The immigration office with jurisdiction over the person's place of residence is responsible for processing the request.

• A recognized and valid identification document (for example, a passport or passport substitute)
• Visa, if required for entry
• Current biometric passport-sized photo (45 x 35 mm)
• Proof of the family relationship with the sponsor (e.g., marriage certificate or birth certificate)
• Proof that the sponsor is exercising their right to freedom of movement (e.g., registration confirmation, employment contract or job offer, business license)
• For minors: Consent from all legal guardians for the planned stay (declaration of consent); if the parents with legal custody cannot submit the application jointly on behalf of their child, a written power of attorney from the absent parent is required; if only one parent has legal custody, that parent’s signature is sufficient

In cases of family reunification with a non-working sponsor, the Foreigners’ Registration Office may also require:

• Proof of sufficient financial means
• Proof of health insurance coverage (for example, confirmation of coverage from the health insurance provider or an insurance policy)

When joining a sponsor who is a student, the Foreigners’ Registration Office may also require:

• The sponsor’s university admission letter or certificate of enrollment
• Proof of sufficient financial means
• Proof of health insurance coverage (e.g., confirmation of coverage from the health insurance provider or an insurance policy)

Please note: These documents must also be provided for third-country national children who are joining the sponsor.

The documents and information must generally be submitted in German. In individual cases, the Foreigners’ Registration Office may require fewer or additional documents.

Fixed cost:

• 37.00 for people 24 and older
• 22.80 for people under 24

Note:

The timing and method of fee collection and payment vary depending on the agency.

Additional fees may apply for the issuance of a credit card-sized residence card with additional electronic functions.

Forms available: No

Written form required: No

Informal application possible: Yes

Personal appearance required: Yes