Spouses joining citizens of non-EU countries

Citizens of countries which are not member states of the European Union or the EEA can bring their dependants with them to Germany. Which regulations apply depends on the nationality of the dependants you want to join you.

If your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or the EEA

Even if you are a third-country national, if your spouse is a citizen of a member state of the EU or EEA, they are entitled to freedom of movement and can therefore live and work in Germany without restrictions. All they need to enter the country is a national identity card.

If your spouse is a citizen of a non-EU country

Even if your partner is a national of a non-EU country, you can look forward to living together in Germany. For your spouse to be able to join you, the following requirements are to be met:

• Right of residence: As an employee, you have a temporary or permanent residence permit or an EU Blue Card for Germany.
• Accommodation: You have rented or bought accommodation in Germany which is large enough for your family. You can find tips on finding accommodation in our section on Living in Germany. 
• Health insurance and money: You have sufficient health insurance cover and funds to be able to care for your family.
• Legal age: Your spouse is of legal age, i.e. at least 18 years old.
• Basic knowledge of German: As a general rule, spouses coming to join their partners must have basic knowledge of German. This is to ensure that they can communicate in German from the moment they arrive in Germany. For example, they should be able to ask the way, go shopping or introduce themselves in German. 

However, there are a number of exceptions. Your spouse does not require any knowledge of German to obtain a visa or a residence permit if the following applies:

• You are a holder of an EU Blue Card, an ICT card or a Mobile ICT card.
• You are in possession of a residence permit according to Section 18c (3), Section 18d, Section 18f or Section 21 of the German Residence Act (AufenthG).
• You are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United States of America or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (British citizens and certain holders of other British citizenship from the Channel Islands and Gibraltar or the Isle of Man).

Nevertheless, your family will probably feel most at home in Germany if they all speak a little German. We explain how this can be achieved in our section on Learning German.