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Federal Republic of Germany · family

Child joining a foreign resident — Section 32

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Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Full-review date shown above.

Family residence for an unmarried child under 18 joining qualifying foreign parents, with custody and age-specific conditions.

Qualifying foreign parent titles, minor-child relationship, custody and applicable age rulesConditional PR application pathwayThe actual child residence grant and the relevant sponsor-title rules control. Renewal and independent rights on reaching adulthood are governed separately, including Section 34.In flux
Processing time
The Federal Foreign Office says national-visa applications can take several months, depending on purpose and case. Mission processing, local residence decisions and card production are different stages; no universal six-to-twelve-month family decision timetable is established.
Government fees
Absent an exemption, the standard national-visa charge for a minor is EUR 37.50 and the standard initial residence-permit charge is EUR 50. Confirm the actual waiver, document and service-provider charges; German-citizen child cases use a different guide.
Typical duration
The actual child residence grant and the relevant sponsor-title rules control. Renewal and independent rights on reaching adulthood are governed separately, including Section 34.
Required support
Qualifying foreign parent titles, minor-child relationship, custody and applicable age rules
Leads to permanent residency
Conditional — separate application
Reviewed Federal Ministry of Justice — official German statute portal ↗

In short

Family residence for an unmarried child under 18 joining qualifying foreign parents, with custody and age-specific conditions. Guidance updated 15 November 2026. Costs, application stages and eligibility conditions are set out with their sources below.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/germany/child-family-reunification#answer

What is the Child joining a foreign resident — Section 32 in Federal Republic of Germany?

Qualifying foreign parent titles, minor-child relationship, custody and applicable age rules. Follow the actual family basis, authority process and issued conditions. Indicative government fees are Absent an exemption, the standard national-visa charge for a minor is EUR 37.50 and the standard initial residence-permit charge is EUR 50. Confirm the actual waiver, document and service-provider charges; German-citizen child cases use a different guide; indicative processing time is The Federal Foreign Office says national-visa applications can take several months, depending on purpose and case. Mission processing, local residence decisions and card production are different stages; no universal six-to-twelve-month family decision timetable is established; typical duration is The actual child residence grant and the relevant sponsor-title rules control. Renewal and independent rights on reaching adulthood are governed separately, including Section 34. A child’s family residence is not automatically permanent. Section 35 provides a separate settlement assessment for qualifying permit periods, age and other conditions, including applicable personal exceptions.

Primary guidance checked with Federal Ministry of Justice — official German statute portal on 15 November 2026.

Overview

Section 32 addresses children joining foreign residents, rather than spouses or children of Germans. The child must be unmarried and under 18, and the parents’ actual titles and custody position matter. Additional language or integration conditions can apply from age 16 when the child is not relocating together with the parents, but the statute provides important status-specific exceptions. Housing and livelihood requirements must be assessed with the applicable Section 29 exemptions.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check age, relationship and each parent’s status

    Distinguish foreign-parent residence from a German-citizen child case.

  2. Resolve custody and any age-16 condition

    Establish consent, relocation timing and actual title-based exceptions before filing.

  3. Complete the child’s individual entry/residence application

    Use the responsible mission and foreigners authority, with the applicable minor fee or waiver.

  4. Maintain and renew the issued status

    Check Section 34 independence at adulthood and any separately eligible Section 35 settlement application.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Child joining a foreign resident — Section 32, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check the conditions for your own permission, including work, and keep evidence of the qualifying relationship. The principal applicant’s conditions may differ.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official Child joining a foreign resident — Section 32 instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to GermanyFirst steps after arrivingDestination moving checklist

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Germany. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceSponsor
    Check the child’s actual family-residence basis ↗

    Confirm each parent’s status, custody, the child’s age and whether relocation is together or later.

    Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) · verified

  2. Official guidanceApplicant + sponsor
    Use the responsible mission’s child-family instructions ↗

    Prepare the actual identity, birth, custody and consent documents and any required translations.

    German Federal Foreign Office · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Does every child over 16 need C1 German?+

No. The additional condition applies to the statutory later-relocation case and allows the actual integration alternative. Listed skilled-worker and other sponsor-title exceptions can remove it. The general child rule should not be replaced with a universal C1 requirement.

Can a child join only one parent with joint custody?+

Section 32(3) provides for this where the other parent agrees to residence in Germany or a legally binding decision establishes the necessary position. Follow the actual authority’s custody and document requirements.

Does the sufficient-housing exemption remove all financial requirements?+

No. Section 29(5) addresses the housing condition for the listed titles. Livelihood and insurance remain separate unless another actual exemption applies.

Does residence end automatically at 18?+

Section 34 provides that the child’s residence becomes independent of family reunification on reaching adulthood. The issued title, renewal process and actual conditions still matter. This is different from an automatic permanent settlement grant.

Are the adult visa and residence fees charged?+

The standard minor charges are generally half the relevant adult fees: EUR 37.50 for a national visa and EUR 50 for an initial residence permit, unless a waiver or different provision applies. Fees for documents or external services are separate.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Federal Ministry of Justice — official German statute portal

Last checked: 15 November 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

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