Joining family
Start by checking who needs a residence title, then plan the practical steps for your household.
11 guides
Plan for deadlines and what you need first
- First check your family's residence rights. A qualifying family member of an EU citizen exercising free-movement rights may use that route, even with a non-EU passport. Other family and protection routes have different conditions.
- Check what entry or residence permission you need before travelling, and plan housing and health cover at the same time. The ordinary family-reunion guide cannot decide every family's eligibility.
- After moving into a home, follow the registration deadline that applies to you. Benefit applications have their own conditions and deadlines, so don't wait until you've finished every other guide.
Your next steps
These guides can help you plan, but the right order depends on your deadlines and what you need to do first.
- EU, EEA, and Swiss citizensEU and EEA citizens can have free-movement rights for work, job search or other qualifying grounds. Worker rights can continue after work stops. Swiss citizens use a separate agreement.Freizügigkeit
- Family reunionLearn about permits for families joining each other in Germany. Both spouses normally need to be at least 18, and the joining spouse needs basic German; each rule has exceptions. Reunification to a person with subsidiary protection is suspended until 23 July 2027. Fees follow federal law and applicable exemptions; appointments are local.Familiennachzug
- Residence permits, in outlineCheck whether you need a permit and find your route.Aufenthaltstitel
- Register your addressRegister the home you move into with your local registration office.Anmeldung
- Health insuranceWho needs cover, the statutory scheme, and start and end dates.Krankenversicherung
- Find a homeSearch for a home and check offers before paying.Kaltmiete
- Tenant basicsUnderstand your rights as a tenant, from deposits and repairs to rent increases and notice. Find practical steps for disputes and urgent threats to your home.Kaution
- Child benefitKindergeld is a monthly payment for a child. Section 66 sets it at 259 euros for each child. A cabinet bill would raise it to 267 euros from 2027 and 272 euros from 2028; that bill is not law. You apply to the Familienkasse, normally online, and you need a tax identification number.Kindergeld
- Documents, translations and ApostillesConfirm document, translation, and authentication requirements before paying.Apostille
- Parental allowanceElterngeld can replace part of the earnings you lose while caring for your child. Find out who can receive it, how the amount is calculated and how to apply.Elterngeld
- A place in daycareFrom a child’s first birthday until the third, the child has a legal claim to early support in a daycare centre or with a childminder. From age three until school, the claim is to a place in a centre. Fees and the application are local.Kita