Please make sure that you present all the documents applicable as per the checklist when taking your appointment at VFS Global/ the competent German Mission. Failure to do so may result in our inability to process your application and you having to book a new appointment.

Please prepare two identical application sets consisting of copies of the above-mentioned documents and bring all your original certificates along. Please DO NOT staple any documents.

In case a document is not set up in German or English, it has to be submitted together with a notary attested English translation.

These are the documents necessary to make a complete application:

• Valid passport, issued within the last 10 years; passports with observations regarding name, date of birth, place of birth and sex cannot be accepted; passport must have at least two empty pages
• application form, completed online with VIDEX, printed out twice and both forms duly signed by you
• 2 identical passport photos according to biometric specifications, not older than 6 months
• Declaration for additional contact and legal representation information - duly completed & signed
• Additional questionnaire - duly completed & signed
• Copy of the first and last page and all pages containing entry stamps/visas of your passport (A4 size copy)
• Copy of the first and last page/ data pages and all pages containing entry stamps/visas of your spouse’s passport (A4 size copy)
  
  - If your spouse is a German citizen, the passport copies can be substituted by 2 copies of front and back of her/his current German ID (Personalausweis).
• If applicable, copy of spouse’s residence permit ('Aufenthaltstitel')
  
  Please note: This is not necessary if you apply for a visa at the same time as your spouse.
• If applicable, Certificate of residence ('Meldebescheinigung') of the spouse living in Germany, not older than 6 months
  Please note: This is not necessary if you apply for a visa at the same time as your spouse going to Germany as a skilled employee.
  If you wish to move to Germany at the same time as your German spouse or with a spouse that is self-employed: Please hand in a rental contract/lease deed, a booking for temporary serviced apartment or hotel accommodation or an invitation that includes a (temporary) residential address.
• Proof of marriage:
  a) if the marriage was performed according to the Hindu Marriage Act:
  - Marriage registration certificate
  - Temple or Gurudwara or Priest certificate
  - Conversion certificate, if applicable
  - Several photographs showing that the essential rites have been performed (i.a. Pheras, Saptapadi/ Anand Karaj)
  
  b) if the marriage was performed according to Sharia Law:
  - Marriage registration certificate
  - Nikahnama
  - Conversion certificate, if applicable
  - Several photographs (i.e. bridal couple signing the Nikahnama, Qazi, witnesses)
  
  c) if the marriage was performed according to Special Marriage Act ('Court Marriage', 'Civil Marriage')
  - Certificate of Marriage according to Section 13 Special Marriage Act
  - Photographs of marriage or function
  
  d) if the marriage was performed according to the Christian Marriage Act:
  - Marriage registration certificate, if Compulsory Registration Marriage Act is in force
  - Marriage certificate issued by licensed Church
  - Conversion certificate, if applicable
  - Photographs of marriage or function
  
  e) if the marriage did not take place in India or in Germany: marriage certificate with apostille/ legalization, if applicable
• Birth certificate issued under the “Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969”
• School certificate: matriculation certificate or Middle School Board Certificate or school leaving certificate including the date of birth
• Proof of Residence in India: Aadhaar Card or Ration card of the applicant covering the past 4 years or Voter’s ID; if you are a foreigner residing in India: visa / residence permit for India
• If applicable: Divorce judgement and decree of all former marriages of both spouses, German divorce judgement with “Rechtskraftvermerk”, which confirms that the judgment is final
• If applicable: Death Certificate of former spouse
• Proof of German knowledge (A1 level):
  'Start Deutsch 1' from Goethe-Institute or 'Start Deutsch 1' of telc GmbH (The European Language Certificate) or 'Grundstufe Deutsch 1' of the Austrian Language Diploma (ÖSD)
  
  Please note:
  If your spouse applies for a visa, is a holder of a visa or holder of a residence permit with one of the following purposes of stay:
  - Blue Card EU, § 18g AufenthG
  - Employment visa /residence permit according to §§ 18a or 18b AufenthG
  - Niederlassungserlaubnis gem. § 18c Abs. 3 AufenthG
  - Forscher / Researcher gem. § 18d AufenthG, mobiler Forscher gem. § 18f AufenthG
  - Employment according to § 19c Abs. 1 AufenthG or § 19c Abs. 2 AufenthG
  - ICT Card Holders
  - Self-employed according to § 21 AufenthG
  you are exempt from the requirement to show proof of knowledge of German.
  
  A further exemption could possibly be granted if you have an academic degree that will give you good employment opportunities in Germany. If think that applies to you, please hand in your university degree with your visa application.
  
  For further information please refer to 'Proof of knowledge of basic German for spousal reunification from abroad' although that leaflet was last updated March 2023 and does not yet reflect the most recent changes as indicated here. The information on other possible grounds for exemptions besides the ones noted here is still accurate.
  
  If your spouse is a German citizen, the exemptions for specific residence permits indicated above do not apply you, even though your spouse might have a similar job. Also, the exemption for spouses of EU citizens does not apply to spouses of German citizens. A German version of the information leaflet on the German language requirement can be found here
• Visa fee

For MUMBAI/KOLKATA/CHENNAI only – Please present the following additional documents:
Invitation letter of spouse, spouse’s employment contract, spouse’s salary slips of the past three months.
Please note that the German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents or to initiate a further investigation of certificates, for which additional fees would be charged. Click here to find out about the charges for the verification.

Processing times
Processing times for applications of family reunion visa vary greatly.

If you apply for a visa at the same time as your spouse or within six months of your spouse’s visa application and you spouse intends to go to work in Germany as a highly skilled employee (generally speaking in any of the categories indicated above under the heading “proof of knowledge of German” under the exemptions besides self-employed or holder of a “Niederlassungserlaubnis”), a visa could be issued within a few working days after a complete application was made.

In all other cases, your application will also be forwarded to the competent immigration authorities in Germany, processing will take at least three months.

If a verification of your documents is necessary, this will lengthen the processing time by approximately two to three months.

Please ensure that you have family health insurance through your spouse. Until family coverage has been established you might want to take a travel health insurance (here you can find information on which travel health insurances are accepted).

Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.

Submission of incomplete documentation or refusal to appear for a visa interview will delay your application and may result in the rejection of your application.

Download the information for family reunion as a spouse as pdf

Download the information for family reunion as a spouse of a German citizen as pdf