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family reunion visa translations - certified English German translator for a German family reunion visa

Certified translation › Family reunion visa

Family reunion visa translation for the spousal permit in Germany.

Family reunion visa translation is €59 per document, prepared by a sworn, court-authorised German translator for a Familiennachzug application under §§27–36 AufenthG. The German mission abroad and the Ausländerbehörde need marriage, birth and identity records as certified German translations. This guide lists the required documents and who is exempt from the pre-entry A1 rule under §41 AufenthV. Fixed price includes certification and shipping.

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§§27–36 AufenthG · marriage & birth certificates · A1 exemption for many nationalities · court-authorised translators · DIN EN ISO 17100

DIN EN ISO 17100registered · Reg. 7U517
Court-authorisedSection 142 (3) ZPO
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ConfidentialGDPR-compliant · NDA on request

Short & clear

What the mission needs in certified German (§§ 27–36 AufenthG) — for Germany

Reviewed by specialists · termbase editorial team

For a family reunion visa (Familiennachzug) the German mission abroad and the immigration authority require certified German translations of the documents that prove the family relationship — above all the marriage certificate and each person's birth certificate, plus passports and, for a spouse who is not exempt under § 41 AufenthV, proof of A1 German. These sit alongside the sponsor's residence and income papers on the German side.

Family reunification is governed by Sections 27 to 36 of the Residence Act (AufenthG). Spouse reunification (Section 30) usually requires the joining spouse to show basic German at level A1 before the visa — but Section 30(1) AufenthG exempts spouses who are nationals of a state listed in Section 41 AufenthV, which names Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States by name, among others. If that applies to you, there is nothing to prove: skip the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 and go straight to the certified translations. Where the requirement does apply, a certified translation never replaces that language proof — it makes your civil-status documents acceptable either way. This guide sets out both sides.

Step by step

How a Familiennachzug application runs: mission first, Ausländerbehörde after.

The visa is applied for at the German mission in your home country, then confirmed by the immigration authority in Germany. Certified translations are needed at the first step.

Your sponsor's residence title, housing and income

Your relative in Germany must hold a qualifying residence title and, for most categories under §§27–36 AufenthG, show adequate housing and secure livelihood.

A1 German for spouses — and who is exempt under § 41 AufenthV

For spouse reunification (§30) the joining spouse usually proves basic German at A1 before the visa — unless they are a national of a § 41 AufenthV-listed state (Australia, Canada, UK and USA among others), who are exempt. Where it applies, a recognised certificate such as Start Deutsch 1 is the usual proof.

Certified translations by a court-authorised translator

Marriage and birth certificates and related documents are translated into German by a court-authorised translator, with certification note and stamp.

Filing at the German embassy or consulate

You book an appointment at the German embassy or consulate, submit the originals with certified translations, and the immigration authority in Germany decides.

Who counts as family under §§ 27–36 AufenthG?

Primarily spouses (§30), minor children (§32) and, in defined cases, parents of a minor or other relatives in hardship (§§28, 36). Registered partnerships are treated alike. Each person joining needs their own certified civil-status documents; we translate a family set together so names, dates and places match across every certificate.

Documents you must translate

The checklist: marriage record, birth records, custody papers, passports.

The mission's checklist is decisive, but these are the documents almost every family reunion file contains. Each foreign-language item needs a certified German translation; each is linked to the page that handles it.

Documents commonly required for a German family reunion visa and where each is handled
DocumentWhy the mission needs itHandled by
Marriage certificateProof of the spousal relationship (§30 AufenthG)Certified translation
Birth certificate (each person)Identity, parentage, child reunification (§32)Birth certificate guide · certified translation
A1 German certificate (spouse, where required)Basic language requirement before the visa (§30) — nationals of a § 41 AufenthV-listed state (Australia, Canada, UK, USA among others) are exemptCertified translation if not in German/English
Certificate of no impediment / single statusCapacity to marry, where the marriage is recentCertified translation
Custody / sole-custody documentsConsent of the other parent for a child to joinLegal translation
Divorce decree / death certificate (if any)Prior civil status, name historyLegal · certified
Passports & national IDIdentity and the reference spelling of namesCertified translation

Apostille & legalisation

Apostille, legalisation, or Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 — who stamps what.

Reviewed by specialists · termbase editorial team

Very often — and it is the step applicants underestimate most. German missions usually require the marriage and birth certificates to be authenticated so their genuineness is established. For countries in the Hague system this is an apostille, issued only by the competent authority in the issuing country — never by a translation agency. termbase does not issue apostilles; we translate the document and the apostille once you obtain it.

For a number of countries the German mission instead requires full legalisation, sometimes after a document-verification procedure — the embassy will state which. If a document comes from another EU state, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 may remove the apostille and offer a multilingual standard form. Always follow the checklist of the specific German mission you apply to — requirements differ by country.

Languages & origin countries

The languages our translators work from on a reunification file.

Family reunion is one of the most common routes to Germany, and the documents arrive from a recognisable set of origin countries. termbase assigns a native-speaker, court-authorised translator for each — and German ⇄ English besides.

Middle East — Arabic, Persian, Kurdish, Turkish

  • Arabic (Syria, Iraq, Lebanon)
  • Persian / Dari
  • Kurdish
  • Turkish

South and South-East Asia — Hindi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Tagalog

  • Hindi
  • Urdu
  • Vietnamese
  • Tagalog

Eastern Europe — Ukrainian, Russian, Serbian, Albanian

  • Ukrainian
  • Russian
  • Serbian
  • Albanian

Africa — Somali, Amharic, Swahili

Common pitfalls

Five recurring faults that send a spousal or child visa file back.

Because two authorities and a foreign document trail are involved, family reunion files are unusually sensitive to inconsistency. These are the recurring translation problems and how a certified, court-authorised translation prevents them.

Family reunion visa translation pitfalls and how they are avoided
PitfallWhy it goes wrongHow termbase solves it
Names differ between spouses' documentsThe marriage certificate and the two birth certificates spell a name three ways, so the mission cannot confirm the relationship.We translate the family set as one project with a single passport-matched spelling for each person.
Certificate not authenticatedA flawless translation is filed but the underlying marriage or birth certificate carries no apostille or legalisation.We flag the authentication route for your country in advance and translate the apostille once added.
A1 exemption missedApplicants assume A1 always applies and book a course they never needed — or assume the opposite when it does apply. §30 AufenthG exempts nationals of a § 41 AufenthV-listed state (Australia, Canada, UK, USA among others).We check whether the exemption applies to you before you book a language course, and translate the A1 certificate if the mission still needs it in German.
Only part of the document translatedBack pages, stamps or registrar notes are omitted; the mission cannot verify dates or places.The complete document — stamps, seals, notes — is rendered or described so nothing is missing.
Wrong target country / formA translation is prepared for the wrong authority, in the wrong direction or form of certification.We confirm the receiving German mission and immigration authority and set the correct German certified form.

Read your embassy's checklist before you order anything

Family reunion requirements differ markedly by country of application. Before you order translations or authentication, download the checklist of the exact German embassy or consulate you will apply to — it is the single document that governs your file.

A reunion file lives or dies at the embassy counter, not in the inbox.

So: authenticated certificates, one spelling of every name, and the § 41 AufenthV exemption checked before anyone books a language course.

Quote & price

What does a translated family set cost?

We review your marriage and birth certificates, the languages and any custody or status documents and name a binding fixed price for the whole family set. Personal certificates are usually a flat fee per document; longer texts are per standard line — certification, an advance PDF and postal delivery included.

Binding fixed price
from € 0.89 / standard linestandard certificates at a flat fee per document
Price up front · no unannounced extra costs
Certified translation by a court-authorised translator✓included
Certification note, stamp and signature (recognised nationwide)✓included
Passport-matched spelling of names✓included
Advance PDF & postal delivery of the hard copy✓included
Quality management & final check✓included

Standard civil-status certificates are usually a flat fee per document; longer documents are priced per standard line (55 characters incl. spaces), from € 0.89. We name the exact amount after a brief review. How the price is made up →

Request a quote

Sources & legal basis

The statutes and federal portals behind this guide.

Every legal and procedural claim on this page is tied to a primary, verifiable source — German law in its official English translation, the responsible federal authorities and the relevant EU/Hague instruments. Acceptance of any individual document is always decided by the receiving authority.

FAQ

Questions spouses and parents ask before they file.

Which documents need a certified translation for a family reunion visa?

Chiefly the marriage certificate and each person's birth certificate, plus passports and, for spouses who are not exempt under § 41 AufenthV, an A1 German certificate; depending on the case also custody documents, a certificate of no impediment, or a prior divorce decree. Every foreign-language document must be translated into German by a court-authorised translator; the mission's checklist is decisive.

Do I need A1 German for spouse reunification?

It depends on your nationality. Under Section 30 AufenthG the joining spouse usually has to show basic German at CEFR level A1 before the visa — but Section 30(1) exempts spouses who are nationals of a state listed in Section 41 AufenthV, which names Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States by name, among others. If you are exempt, you can skip the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 entirely. Where the requirement does apply, a certified translation does not replace that language proof — the two are separate steps.

Who can I bring to Germany under family reunification?

Family reunification under §§27–36 AufenthG primarily covers spouses (§30), minor children (§32) and, in defined cases, a parent of a minor or other relatives in hardship (§§28, 36). Registered partnerships are treated the same. Each person joining needs their own certified civil-status documents.

Does the marriage certificate need an apostille?

Usually the mission requires authentication. For Hague-system countries that is an apostille, issued only by the competent authority in the issuing country — termbase does not issue apostilles. Some countries require full legalisation instead. For EU documents, Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 may remove it. Follow your mission's checklist.

Where do I submit the documents and translations?

You apply at the German embassy or consulate in your country of residence with the originals and certified German translations; the immigration authority in Germany then decides. Book the appointment early — waiting times vary by country.

How much does translating the family reunion documents cost?

Personal certificates are usually a flat fee per document; longer documents are per standard line of 55 characters, from € 0.89. After reviewing your family set we name one binding fixed price for the package — certified PDF and postal hard copies included. How the price is made up →
We had already booked an A1 German course for the spouse visa. It turned out that New Zealanders are in the group that does not have to provide that proof at all, and termbase flagged it before we translated a single page. The marriage and birth certificates went in; the language certificate did not have to.
★★★★★

Claire Thomsen · veterinary surgeon, Christchurch (New Zealand) · spouse reunion file

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