How to get a German Marriage visa? Read about getting married in Germany to a German citizen. Obtaining a bride visa, family reunification, acquisition of German citizenship.
Requirements for a foreigner to get married in Germany
German officials are afraid of fake marriages. This explains a whole range of bureaucratic obstacles, which are designed to help separate the grain from the chaff – to exclude the creation of fictitious cells of society, the purpose of which is not a family, but illegal income on the one hand and a residence permit in Germany on the other. The measures are taken help the officials. But honest Germans who sincerely wish to officially tie themselves by marriage to foreigners have a hard time.
The main requirement for a marriage contracted in Germany is the mutual absence of obstacles to marriage on the part of future spouses according to the laws of the countries whose passports the newlyweds own.
Conditions for Germans:
- coming of age,
- not married, not married
- is not in close kinship with a partner.
A foreigner, in addition to fulfilling the requirements from the list above, must present an Ehefähigkeitszeugnis – a certificate of the possibility of marriage. This document confirms the absence of obstacles to a wedding under the laws of another state.
Help and gives rise to the main complexity of the procedure for obtaining permission to marry.
When submitting a statement of intention to sign in Germany, it is checked that the certificate was issued no more than six months ago.
Germans exempt citizens of some states from presenting this paper.
To understand what to do – the document itself or the release, you have to contact Standesamt – an analog of the registry office. Officials of the department have access to a list of countries with information about which states are issuing permits.
Along with the rest of the required documents, the case will be transferred to the Supreme Land Court – Oberlandesgericht, which will deliver a verdict in 1-2 months that the marriage is resolved without presenting a certificate of absence of obstacles. The cost of a court decision, depending on the land and income of the applicant, is 40 – 300 €.
Stay in Germany before the wedding
According to German law, it is not allowed to register a marriage with a foreigner who came to Germany on a Schengen visa as a tourist or guest. Rather, you can sign, but to obtain a residence permit you will have to go back home and from there apply for family reunification.
It is more correct to request a special national German visa for marriage in Germany, which is issued at the embassy for 3 months. The visa can be extended for another 3 months through the Office for Foreigners in Germany.
The conditions for issuing a visa for creating a family are published on the website of the German Embassy. The general requirement is knowledge of the language at least A1. German proficiency is confirmed by a certificate obtained in:
- Institute named after Goethe,
- telc,
- TestDaF,
- ÖSD
It is important to know the date of the wedding and to apply for a visa in advance to have time to collect the entry permit before the wedding day. Therefore, when Standesamt approves the request, it is better not to rush, but to appoint a marriage in such a way as to have time to submit a request to the embassy and return the foreign country with a visa affixed.
As a last resort, the wedding day is postponed.
For couples with joint children, entry is also permissible upon reunification with the child. First, the child leaves with a German passport, and then the other parent applies for a visa based on the need to educate.
Work permit
By default, immediately after marriage, an immigrant is granted an unlimited right to work.
There are several purely professional restrictions on certain specialties, which the Germans themselves are subject to. For example, to work as a doctor, you will need a medical diploma confirmed in Germany. There are no other restrictions on work for foreign spouses.
Also, there are no prohibitions on engaging in entrepreneurial activity. But if you plan to do business immediately after marriage, it is better to notify the employee who issues the first long-term residence permit. Otherwise, they may forget or do not consider it necessary to put a corresponding mark on the visa, and then before opening a company, the migrant has to separately apply for a permit.
Children from a previous marriage
It is allowed to take with you children under the age of 16 if the parent has living space and income. If the spouse, who is a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany, issues an official financial guarantee for the children of the second half and provides housing, the issue is considered closed.
A German citizen doesn’t have to adopt children, take them under guardianship or take any other steps in this direction.
Children over 16 can be picked up if they have a positive outlook for integration. In essence, this is knowledge of the language. If German is at least basic, the chances of getting a visa for boys and girls are great.
After 18 years of age, the descendants lose the right to move with their parents.
Choosing a surname
When issuing a marriage certificate, spouses are allowed to change their surname both according to German law and according to the rules of the country from which the foreigner came. A wife can take her husband’s surname, stay with hers, or add the spouse’s surname through a dash.
When changing the surname, the foreigner will need to change the internal and foreign passports and re-issue a visa. This is done without leaving Germany through the consulate and the Office of Migrants.
In Germany, it is common for spouses not to change their surnames to avoid bureaucratic red tape. There will be no special problems if family members have different surnames from the point of view of life in the country.
