VISA FOR THE PURPOSE OF FAMILIAL/SPOUSAL REUNIFICATION
Dear Applicant,
Thank you very much for your interest in an extended stay in the Federal Republic of Germany
on a Residence Permit.
If you reside in South Africa you must submit your visa application either to the German
Embassy in Pretoria (if you reside in the Free State, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga, North West or in Mauritius) or the German Consulate General in Cape Town (if
you reside in the Eastern, Northern or Western Cape). If you are not a South African national,
you are kindly requested to provide proof of South African residency.
Applications must be submitted in person and may not be submitted by courier, regular post,
fax or e-mail.
The fee for a residence permit is the equivalent of €60.00. The fee has to be paid in cash and in
South African Rand upon application. Please refer to our website www.southafrica.diplo.de for
the applicable rate or exceptions. For spouses of German or EU-citizens or to the parent of a
German or EU-minor the visa fee is waved.
Please note that only complete applications will be accepted. In order to ensure that your application is
processed without delay, please submit the following documents in original and two copies.
Unfortunately, copies cannot be provided by the German Missions.
Internet: www.southafrica.diplo.de
E-mail: [email protected] (Pretoria)
[email protected] (Cape Town)
Revised: September 2016
Two duly completed application forms “Application for a Residence Permit” (please ensure that you sign the form).
A valid passport with at least two blank pages and valid for at least another six months (please ensure that your
passport is signed and bring two copies of same passport).
Two recent passport photographs according to biometric specifications (for further details regarding biometric
specifications of photos, please refer to the sample on our homepage).
Two declarations of True and Complete Information in accordance with §55 Residence Act, signed and dated.
An unabridged marriage certificate.
Language Certificate A1 (“Start Deutsch 1”) from the Goethe Institute or any other language certificate issued by
the “Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)”. The competent authority in South Africa is the Goethe
Institute.
If spouse/family member is German: Copy of passport or ID
Copy of spouse’s rental contract in Germany
Proof spouse’s earnings/making a living in Germany (e.g. work contract, scholarship, bursary).
If Spouse is not German: Copy of passport with a copy of valid residence permit:
Copy of spouse’s rental contract in Germany
Proof of spouse’s earnings/making a living in Germany (e.g. work contract, scholarship, bursary, etc).
Proof of health insurance valid from date of arrival (German Statutory/National or Private health insurance).
Subsequent immigration of family members:
Unabridged marriage certificate of parents –
Unabridged birth certificates of children
Copy of parent’s passport together with a copy of valid German residence permit
Copy of parent’s rental contract in Germany.
Proof of parents earnings/making a living in Germany (e.g. work contract, scholarship, bursary, etc).
If applicable – proof of custody from the court/certified consent of legal guardians to travel.
If applicable – acknowledgement of paternity.
If applicable – proof of valid adoption in process (in the German legal system).
Please note that each visa application is reviewed individually. Therefore, the requested documents may vary. The
German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents. The submission of the above-mentioned
documents does not guarantee the issuance of a visa. Applicants may, at any time, be asked for a personal
interview. Submission of incomplete documentation or refusal to attend the mandatory visa interview will result in
the refusal of your visa application. Once a visa has been issued, the purpose of the trip may not be altered.
The German Missions require about two to three months to process your visa application. We strongly recommend
that you do not purchase a flight ticket unless the visa has been granted. We kindly ask that no status requests on
the visa application be made during the first two months.
We will notify the applicant on any change of status or progress of the application as soon as possible and
whenever the need arises.
For further information please visit our website or contact us via the relevant e-mail. Hours for telephone
assistance are listed on our website.
Revised: September 2016