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Visa for Children
All information about applying for a children visa
... if and when your child needs a visa
... how the application process for a child visa works
... how to apply for a visa for your child
... which requirements and which documents are necessary to apply for a child visa
HERE YOU LEARN ...
In the context of family reunification, the reunification of children is particularly relevant. It should first be noted that children always require their own residence permit and a corresponding visa. Even a minor child is not "part" of the parents' visa or residence permit and must (represented by the parents) submit their own application for a visa or residence permit.
A total of around 27,000 visas (as of 2023) are issued each year for child reunification, which is around 33% of all visas for family reunification. Most of the children come from Kosovo and Serbia, Turkey, Syria, India and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many of the children reunited with holders of an EU Blue Card (approx. 4,400). Many of the children remain in Germany permanently (e.g. with a settlement permit) or are successfully naturalized, as immigration during childhood significantly increases the opportunities for integration (also legally).
1. When do I need a visa for child immigration?
A visa for family reunification is always required if the child does not have German or European citizenship. A corresponding entry visa must then be applied for at the embassy. This usually applies even if the child could actually enter the country without a visa due to their nationality. The only exceptions to this are nationals of the so-called "best friends countries" (USA, Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, Great Britain, Northern Ireland).
The application process at the embassy is basically no different from the other application processes for family reunification (e.g. for spouse reunification or for parent reunification). First, an appointment must be booked, then the documents must be collected and once the appointment has been completed, the visa will (hopefully) be issued. When booking an appointment, however, it is important to ensure that an appointment is booked for both the parents and the child. Booking an appointment for the child only will result in only one person being allowed into the embassy. If an appointment is requested for the whole family and the appointment booking system does not allow a joint booking, you can ask the embassy in a friendly manner (e.g. via the contact form) whether the different appointments can take place at the same time. The embassy also has an interest in this, as it saves unnecessary work.
The documents required are manageable compared to other family reunion visas. Although a separate application form is required (i.e. a completed VIDEX form), the other documents to be submitted are often limited to the passport and birth certificate or comparable documents (e.g. extract from the civil status register of the respective country). Only in cases where one parent alone is applying for child reunification is it usually necessary to submit proof of custody (e.g. the relevant court decision). Once these documents have been submitted at the appointment, the fee must be paid. The fee for a child reunion visa is usually significantly reduced. Once the visa has been issued, you can enter Germany.
2. Do I need a visa for child reunification if my child was born in Germany?
If the child was born in Germany, it is not mandatory to leave and re-enter the country to apply for a visa for the child. Although German residence law stipulates "to control migration movements" that foreigners born in Germany also require a visa, the immigration authority has the option of waiving this requirement if one of the parents has a residence permit, a settlement permit or an EU permanent residence permit. If both parents have such a residence permit, the immigration authority must even waive the visa requirement. In these cases, a residence permit can then be applied for directly for the child without having to leave the country first.
The application process for a residence permit for children is not particularly different from the other family reunion residence permits. First of all, the relevant immigration authority must be identified (registration certificate), then the necessary documents must be collected and finally the appointment must be booked with the immigration authority. The immigration authorities usually provide information about the necessary documents on their websites. These are the following for the major immigration authorities:
- Apply for a residence permit for a child in Berlin,
- Apply for a residence permit for a child in Frankfurt am Main,
- Apply for a residence permit for a child in Munich,
- Apply for a residence permit for a child in Hamburg.
Often, only the child's birth certificate and passport need to be presented to the immigration office. However, this varies from immigration office to immigration office.
