Aufenthaltserlaubnis aus familiären Gründen Erteilung für den Familiennachzug zu subsidiär Schutzberechtigten

As a family member of a beneficiary of subsidiary protection recognized in Germany, you can apply for family reunification in Germany and receive a residence permit if the requirements are met.

To stay with a family member who was granted subsidiary protection in Germany after March 17, 2016, you can apply for a visa for family reunification at the responsible German diplomatic mission abroad.
Members of the nuclear family, i.e. spouses or life partners, parents of children entitled to subsidiary protection (if no parent entitled to custody is in Germany) and unmarried minors are entitled to reunification. Other family members (siblings, uncles and aunts) and parents of adult or married foreign nationals are excluded from reunification.
There must be humanitarian reasons for granting the visa and the subsequent residence permit, which may lie both in the person of the person entitled to subsidiary protection residing in Germany and in the person of the family member wishing to join them. The law contains an exemplary list of humanitarian reasons. In particular, the duration of the separation of the family, the involvement of unmarried minor children, existing dangers to life and limb as well as serious illness, serious disability or serious need for care are taken into account.
When deciding on the entitlement to reunification, the efforts of the person entitled to protection living in Germany to integrate into German society (knowledge of the German language, independent means of subsistence and housing, social commitment, voluntary work) will be positively taken into account.
The decision on the entitlement to join the family is made by the Federal Office of Administration as part of the visa procedure. Every month, 1,000 national visas can be issued for family reunification with beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. Depending on how full the quota is, there may be long waiting times, especially for spouse reunification.
After receiving the visa and arriving in Germany, you must apply for a corresponding residence permit at the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence.

• Recognized and valid identity document (e.g. passport or passport substitute)
• Current visa
• Foreign residence permit, if available
• Current biometric photo in passport format (45 x 35 mm) - Please note: Since May 1, 2025, biometric passport photos may only be taken digitally directly in the authorities or in certified photo studios and transmitted to the Foreigners' Registration Office via a secure electronic channel. Paper-based passport photos are no longer permitted.
• Proof of family relationship (e.g. marriage certificate, partnership certificate, birth certificate)
• Proof of the situation of the person entitled to protection living in Germany (e.g. employment or training contract, certificate of enrolment, tenancy agreement, integration course certificate)
• when applying for underage children:
  • Birth certificate
  • Proof of custody
  • Declaration of consent from all persons with custody rights to the planned stay
  • school certificate
  • Written authorization from the absent parent if the parents cannot submit the application jointly for the child
• In case of serious illness, need for care or severe disability: qualified medical certificate, notification of degree of care or proof of severe disability
• If the name is spelled differently: Proof of the use of the name

The documents must always be submitted in German. An official translation may be required for non-German documents. In individual cases, the diplomatic mission abroad and the immigration authority may require less or further proof.
Please submit your documents to the authority in full and on time. Documents submitted late may be subject to longer processing times.

• The foreigner to whom family reunification is to take place was recognized as eligible for subsidiary protection after 17.03.2016 and has a corresponding residence permit (Section 25 (2) sentence 1, 2nd alternative of the Residence Act).
• They belong to the core family of a person entitled to subsidiary protection: spouse or partner, parents of children entitled to subsidiary protection (if no parent entitled to custody is in Germany) or unmarried minor children
• For spouses/life partners:
  • You have reached the age of 18.
  • The marriage/life partnership was concluded before the person entitled to subsidiary protection fled.
• There is a relevant humanitarian reason for family reunification, for example
  • Long-term separation of the family,
  • the involvement of underage unmarried children,
  • existing dangers to life, limb or freedom of the family member joining them in the country of residence,
  • serious illness, serious disability or serious need for care of the person entitled to subsidiary protection or the family member joining them.
• The foreigner to whom family reunification is to take place must not have justified an interest in deportation (e.g. due to serious criminal offenses or endangering the security of the Federal Republic of Germany). In addition, they must not be expected to leave the country for other reasons (e.g. revocation or withdrawal of subsidiary protection).
• Their stay does not endanger or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The fee is

• for adults: 100,00 Euro
• for minors: 50,00 Euro

Remark:

• Additional fees may apply for the issue of a residence permit in the form of an electronic residence permit (eAT card).
• The time and form of fee collection and payment vary depending on the authority.
• Lower fees may apply for Turkish nationals.
• In certain cases, fee reductions or exemptions may apply (e.g. for foreigners who are dependent on social benefits to secure their livelihood).

Family reunification is granted in the visa procedure. To this end, family members wishing to join their family members must first make an appointment with the competent German diplomatic mission abroad. As part of the procedure, the diplomatic mission abroad involves the local immigration authority at the place of residence of the person entitled to protection to whom the family reunification is to take place.

Once the examination has been completed, the diplomatic mission abroad forwards the applications to the Federal Office of Administration. This decides which applications can be considered in the monthly quota.

You can apply for a residence permit for family reunification in person or online at the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence. You should therefore first find out whether your immigration authority allows you to apply online or whether a different procedure is provided for.

If you wish to submit the application online:

• The online service contains further explanations on the requirements, the necessary evidence and the procedure.
• The Foreigners' Registration Office will contact you after receiving your online application to arrange an appointment at the Foreigners' Registration Office.

If you wish to submit the application in person:

• If the application can only be made in person, make an appointment at the Foreigners' Registration Office.

If you have not yet reached the age of 18, you may not submit the application yourself, but require an adult representative (as a rule, the application is submitted by the custodial parent).

Your identity and documents will be checked during the appointment (please bring your original documents with you to the appointment).

If your application is approved, your fingerprints and signature will be taken to produce the residence permit in the form of a new electronic residence permit (eAT card). The Foreigners' Registration Office will commission the Bundesdruckerei to produce the eAT card. After completion, you will receive information and can collect the eAT card from the relevant office. The eAT card must always be collected in person. Ask your immigration office whether it is possible to send the eAT card to your address.

If your request is not granted, you will usually receive a rejection notice.

approx. 6 to 8 weeks

The processing time depends on the current workload of the Foreigners' Registration Office and the production times of the Federal Printing Office for the production of the electronic residence permit.

Application deadline : 6 to 8 weeks

• Due to the increased workload at the Immigration Office, it is advisable to submit your application to the Immigration Office as early as possible. The residence permit should be applied for at least eight weeks before your visa expires.

Period of validity : at least 1 year

• The residence permit is issued for at least one year, but for no longer than the period of validity of the residence permit of the foreigner to whom the family reunion is taking place.
• An extension must be applied for at the Foreigners' Registration Office in good time before the expiry date.

• There is no entitlement to the granting of a residence permit for family reunification for persons entitled to subsidiary protection. However, the law provides a right to a decision by the competent immigration authority that is free of discretionary errors.
• If the beneficiary of protection living in Germany is married to several spouses, only one spouse can be granted a residence permit.
• Persons living abroad who wish to join a beneficiary of protection in Germany can contact the International Organization for Migration (IOM) free of charge to obtain further information. The free service offered by IOM includes checking the completeness of visa applications at the service centers as well as specific, helpful information on the process of family reunification.
• Residence permits can now be applied for online and in various languages at many immigration authorities. The procedure at the foreigners authority is carried out in German.
• All information provided to the immigration authority should be correct and complete to the best of your knowledge and belief so that your application can be processed without major delays.
• Incorrect or incomplete information can slow down the procedure and be disadvantageous for you. In serious cases, incorrect or incomplete information that is not completed or corrected in good time vis-à-vis the immigration authorities can result in the revocation of residence rights that have already been granted, a fine, a prison sentence of up to three years or expulsion from the federal territory.
• Due to the complexity of residence law, this description is for information purposes only and is not legally binding.

• Appeal against the decision of the immigration authority within one month of notification.
• Legal action before the court named in the objection notice if the objection is not upheld

• The core family of persons who were granted subsidiary protection in Germany after March 17, 2016 can enter the country with a visa for family reunification.
• Core family: spouse or partner, parents of children entitled to subsidiary protection, unmarried minor children
• The requirements for obtaining a visa are checked as part of the visa procedure.
• Once you have entered Germany, you must apply for a residence permit in accordance with Section 36a of the Residence Act at the immigration authority responsible for your place of residence in good time before your visa expires (this can now often be done online).
• The required documents must be submitted.

Foreigners authority of the city or district administration responsible for the applicant's place of residence