Parents Visa Germany: How to Bring Your Parents to Germany

There are several circumstances in which a parent may be able to join their child in Germany. The applicable rules largely depend on the status of the person already living in Germany.

For example, different provisions apply to parents joining a minor German child, parents of certain foreign minor children, and parents joining an adult child who lives in Germany as a qualifying skilled worker.

Parents of adult children who do not qualify under one of the specific family reunification routes may have far fewer options. In some cases, family reunification may be possible only if exceptional hardship can be established.

Before applying, you should therefore establish which family reunification provision applies to your circumstances rather than assuming that having a child living in Germany is enough to qualify.

Page Contents

• How to Bring Parents to Germany
• Who Can Apply for a Parents Visa Germany?
• Parents Visa Germany for Skilled Workers
• Requirements for Bringing Parents to Germany as a Skilled Worker
• Can I Bring My Parents to Germany Permanently?
• Bringing Parents to Germany in Exceptional Hardship Cases
• What Are the Requirements for a Parents Visa Germany?
• How to Apply for a Parents Visa Germany
• Documents Required to Bring Parents to Germany
• Health Insurance When Bringing Parents to Germany
• How Much Does a Parents Visa Germany Cost?
• How Long Does a Parents Visa Germany Take?
• Can My Parents Stay Permanently in Germany?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility for a Parents’ Visa Germany depends on the circumstances of both the parent applying and the child they intend to join.

A parent may potentially qualify in situations including:

• Joining a German child who is under 18.
• Joining certain foreign minor children living in Germany.
• Joining a minor child who is in Germany on qualifying humanitarian or subsidiary protection grounds, subject to the applicable conditions.
• Joining an adult child who is working in Germany as a qualifying skilled worker and whose relevant residence permit was first issued on or after 1 March 2024.
• Joining a son-in-law or daughter-in-law who qualifies under the skilled worker provisions, where the relevant conditions are satisfied.
• Joining another family member, where the requirements for exceptional hardship can be established.

The requirements vary significantly between these categories. Your child’s age, nationality and German residence status can therefore make a substantial difference to whether you can apply.

Germany introduced an important change to family reunification rules for skilled workers on 1 March 2024. Parents of certain skilled workers may now be able to join their adult child in Germany without having to qualify solely under the exceptional hardship provisions that can apply to other parents of adult children.

The route can apply where the skilled worker’s qualifying German residence permit was first issued on or after 1 March 2024. It covers certain residence permits for skilled workers and other qualifying professionals.

In some circumstances, the parents of the skilled worker’s spouse may also be able to join them in Germany, provided the relevant requirements are met.

Eligibility is not based simply on having a job in Germany. The type of residence permit held by the sponsoring child and when it was first issued are important, so these should be checked before the parents apply.

If the standard parent reunification routes do not apply, family reunification may still be possible in exceptional circumstances.

German immigration law provides that other family members may be granted residence when necessary to avoid exceptional hardship.

These cases are highly dependent on the individual circumstances. Relevant factors could include serious care needs, dependency and whether appropriate support is realistically available to the parent in their country of residence.

Wanting to live closer to a parent will not, by itself, necessarily establish exceptional hardship.

Because these applications depend heavily on the evidence provided, legal advice can be particularly useful in determining whether the circumstances meet the required threshold and which documents should support the application.

There is no single set of requirements that applies to every parent joining a child in Germany. The evidence required will depend on the family reunification route being used.

Depending on your circumstances, you may need to provide evidence of:

• The relationship between the parent and child.
• The child’s German nationality or immigration status.
• The child’s qualifying German residence permit.
• When the relevant residence permit was first issued.
• Sufficient financial resources.
• Suitable health insurance.
• Accommodation in Germany.
• Any circumstances relied upon to establish exceptional hardship.

Additional documents may be requested depending on the applicant’s nationality, country of residence and the particular family reunification route.

The application process will depend on your parents’ circumstances and where they live.

1. Check Which Parent Reunification Route Applies

Before preparing the application, establish why your parent qualifies to join you.

For example, the application may be based on joining a minor child, joining a qualifying skilled worker or, where applicable, exceptional hardship.

This determines which requirements and supporting evidence need to be addressed.

2. Prepare the Supporting Documents

Your parents will need documents establishing their identity, their relationship to you, and their eligibility under the relevant route.

Depending on the application, evidence may also be required relating to your German residence status, finances, accommodation and your parents’ health insurance.

3. Apply for the Parents Visa

A visa for parent family reunification can generally be applied for through the German mission responsible for the parent’s place of residence.

Germany’s Consular Services Portal also allows eligible applicants to begin certain visa applications online and upload their supporting documents for preliminary review.

4. Attend the Required Appointment

Even where an application is started online, an in-person appointment may still be required. Applicants may need to present original documents, provide biometric information and complete other formalities.

5. Wait for a Decision

The application will be considered against the requirements of the relevant family reunification route. Additional evidence may be requested where necessary.

Processing times can vary depending on the German mission, the circumstances of the application, and whether additional checks are required.

The exact list of documents may vary by applicant, so your parents should follow the requirements provided by the German mission or the Consular Services Portal handling their application.

Depending on the route, documents may include:

• A valid passport.
• Completed visa application documents.
• Biometric passport photographs.
• Birth certificates or other evidence establishing the parent-child relationship.
• Evidence of the child’s German citizenship or residence status.
• A copy of the child’s qualifying residence permit, where applicable.
• Proof of financial resources.
• Proof of accommodation, where required.
• Evidence of suitable health insurance.
• Documents supporting an exceptional hardship claim, where relevant.
• Any additional documents requested by the German authorities.

Documents issued outside Germany may also need to meet applicable translation, certification or authentication requirements.

Health insurance can be particularly important when bringing older parents to Germany.

For parents applying through the skilled worker family reunification provisions, their livelihood must be secured, including adequate health insurance.

The appropriate form of insurance will depend on your parents’ circumstances. It is therefore important to establish what coverage is acceptable for their application before arranging long-term insurance.

Proof of suitable coverage may be required as part of the visa or residence process.

Visa fees can depend on the type of application and the applicant’s circumstances.

Applicants may also have other expenses, including document translations, certifications, health insurance and, where applicable, professional legal assistance.

Check the fee stated by the German mission or Consular Services Portal when applying, as fees and exemptions can change.

There is no single processing time for every parent family reunification application.

The timeframe can depend on the German mission handling the application, the family reunification category, whether the documents are complete and whether the relevant Foreigners’ Authority in Germany needs to consider the case.

More complex applications, particularly those involving exceptional hardship, may require additional evidence and take longer to decide.

Applicants should therefore avoid making irreversible travel arrangements until the appropriate visa has been granted.

Receiving a family reunification visa is generally the first stage of the immigration process rather than an automatic grant of permanent residence.

After entering Germany, your parents may need to obtain the appropriate residence permit from the competent Foreigners’ Authority.

Whether they can later remain permanently will depend on the residence status granted to them and whether they meet the requirements for a longer-term or permanent residence status.