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Family visas for Europe · Germany

Germany family visa from the UK

To move to Germany to live with your German husband, wife or registered partner, you apply for a free D visa: upload your documents on the Consular Services Portal, then attend an appointment in London or Edinburgh. You need A1 German unless exempt, and most applications take up to 3 months. Joining an EU citizen in Germany, the visa is also free and typically takes 2 weeks.

We prepare it with you from a £399 service fee, confirmed before you pay. Any official fee is paid by you to the embassy.

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Your route depends on your partner

The German Embassy in London handles applicants living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Consulate General in Edinburgh handles Scotland. Family visas go to that mission directly, and you attend an appointment there in person. Every line below comes from an official page, linked beside it, read on 2 November 2026.

Joining a German citizen

A free D visa for spouses and registered partners, applied for in the UK. You need basic German at A1 level unless an exemption applies.

Visa
A national D visa to join your spouse or registered partner. Once in Germany, you apply to the local immigration office for a residence permit. Source
Who qualifies
Married couples of either sex and same-sex registered partners. Mixed-sex registered partnerships and unmarried couples are not recognised. Source
How to apply from the UK
Upload your documents on the Consular Services Portal. After the check, you book an appointment to show the originals, give your fingerprints and photo, and pay. Source
Your partner's side
No step in Germany first: your partner can already live there or move with you. Where needed, the embassy asks the local immigration office for approval itself. Source
Language
A basic German certificate from an ALTE-standard tester, no more than one year old. Spouses of Germans are exempt only if the German partner has used EU free movement in another EU country. Source
Language level
Basic German means level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Source
Fee
No visa fee. Source
Processing time
Most applications are processed within 3 months. Having lived in Germany before adds time. Source
Legalisation and translation
Documents not in German, English or French need a certified or sworn translation. Documents issued outside Germany, the EU or the UK must be legalised or apostilled. Source
Health insurance
Every D visa applicant needs cover at the level of German statutory health insurance. Travel insurance is not enough. Source
If you are British
British citizens need no visa. They register their address within 2 weeks of moving in and apply to the local immigration office within 90 days. Source

Joining an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who lives in Germany

A free D visa, with most applications processed within 2 weeks and no German certificate on the document list.

Visa
A national D visa for spouses and registered partners of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens. It also covers partners of British citizens living in Germany under Part Two of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. Source
If your partner is also German
This route does not apply; the German citizen route does. Source
How to apply from the UK
Apply directly to the German mission that covers where you live: the Embassy in London, or the Consulate General in Edinburgh for Scotland. Source
Your partner's side
No step in Germany first. Your partner shows a job, or enough money for living costs and health insurance if not working. Source
Language
No German certificate is on the document list for this route. Source
Fee
No visa fee. Source
Processing time
Most applications are processed within 2 weeks. Source
After you arrive
You receive a residence card, issued within six months of giving the immigration authority the information it needs. Source

Joining a non-EU national who lives in Germany

A 75-euro D visa. Your partner needs a valid German residence title, adequate housing and a secure income, and you need A1 German unless exempt.

Visa
A national D visa for partners of citizens of any country outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland. Source
Your partner's position
Your partner must hold a valid German residence title, with adequate accommodation and a secure livelihood for the family. Both spouses must be at least 18. Source
How to apply from the UK
As for a German partner: upload on the Consular Services Portal, then an appointment for the originals, fingerprints and the fee. Source
Language
A1 German, with exemptions including a partner who holds an EU Blue Card or ICT Card, a partner who is a citizen of the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan or several other listed countries, or a university degree of your own with which you can probably find work in Germany thanks to your language skills. Source
Skilled workers
Joining a skilled worker or highly qualified person, you need no German before entry and no proof of living space. Source
Fee
75 euros, the national D visa fee, paid by Mastercard or Visa card and not refunded if the visa is refused. Source
Processing time
Most applications are processed within 3 months. Source

Documents most applicants need

The full list depends on your route. We send you yours, item by item, once you order.

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least six months, with 2 blank facing pages
  • Your current UK residence permit or share code printout, if you are not British
  • Two biometric passport photos, 35 x 45 mm
  • Your original marriage or registered partnership certificate, translated if needed
  • Your partner's German passport or ID card, original or certified copy
  • An A1 German certificate no more than one year old, unless you are exempt

What we do

  • Check your case and tell you which visa applies, and whether we can help, before you pay
  • Build your document list from the embassy's own requirements for your country
  • Check every document, translation and apostille before it goes in
  • Fill in the application form with you, in your own account where the embassy uses an online portal
  • Prepare you for the appointment and stay with you until the decision

What you do

  • Get the certificates, apostilles, translations and any language test your country asks for
  • Sign and submit the application yourself, and attend the appointment in person
  • Pay any official fee directly to the embassy or consulate

We are a private company, not an embassy, consulate or visa centre. We do not give legal advice, and we do not handle visas into the UK.

Questions about the Germany family visa

Can I apply for a German spouse visa from the UK?
Yes, if you live in the UK, including on a UK residence permit or share code. You apply to the German Embassy in London, or the Consulate General in Edinburgh if you live in Scotland, and attend an appointment in person. British citizens need no visa and apply in Germany instead.
How long does a German spouse visa take?
Most applications to join a German partner are processed within 3 months. Joining an EU citizen, most are processed within 2 weeks. A D visa is not issued more than 3 months before your travel date.
How much does it cost?
Joining a German or an EU citizen, there is no visa fee. Joining a non-EU national, the D visa costs 75 euros, paid by card and not refunded if the visa is refused. Our service fee starts at £399.
Do I need to pass a German test?
To join a German partner, yes: basic German at A1 level, with a certificate no more than one year old. You are exempt only if your German partner has used EU free movement in another EU country, apart from hardship cases such as no German courses being available in your country of origin.
My partner is Polish and lives in Berlin. Which visa do I need?
The D visa for partners of EU citizens. It is free, most applications are processed within 2 weeks, and no German certificate is on the document list. Your partner shows a job, or enough money for living costs and health insurance.
Tell us your Germany case on WhatsAppReplies within the hour, day or night.

What you are protected by

WayaNerd Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16269713. 48 Margery Park Road, London, E7 9JY. Contact us

Official sources

Read on 2 November 2026. Rules change: we check your embassy's page again for your case.

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