Parent reunification with German child

From Auswärtiges Amt

“The visa is free of charge. We cannot guarantee a specific processing time, as the foreigners-authority at your future residence in Germany must be involved during the procedure, and the consular post has no influence on their processing times. Only after receiving the response from Germany can the consular post conduct the final review and decision. As a rule, the foreigners-authority's processing time is at least three months. In individual cases it can be significantly longer. After entry: Everyone who lives in Germany must be registered. Within two weeks of moving in at the latest, you should do this at the Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt. After entry, contact the foreigners-authority at your place of residence in Germany. There you apply for your residence title (Aufenthaltstitel).”

— Federal Foreign Office of Germany · German diplomatic missions

What you need

You must submit a VIDEX application form, biometric photos, and a valid passport. About the child: birth certificate (legalised for Vietnamese certificates), proof of German nationality (e.g. German passport, ID card, German birth certificate, certificate of nationality, or naturalisation certificate), and Meldebescheinigung (≤ 6 months; not required if the child does not yet live in Germany). For custody, submit the appropriate evidence depending on the family configuration — for married parents, the parents' marriage certificate; for unmarried parents and a child born in Vietnam, the birth certificate listing both parents; for unmarried parents and a child born in Germany, an authenticated Sorgeerklärung. From the German parent, submit a passport copy (with entry and exit stamps where applicable). Private medical insurance is to be submitted only AFTER visa approval — the visa section will notify you by phone. If the child is not yet born, alternative evidence (pregnancy certificate with expected birth date and paternity proof) replaces the birth certificate and the custody evidence.

Checklist

Application and identity

Application form (VIDEX). On your application form you state all information about your entry into and stay in Germany. Please fill in this form completely, print it, and sign it yourself *
Two recent biometric passport photos (45 mm x 35 mm). Information on biometric passport photos is in the photo specifications template. Glue only one photo onto the application form and bring the second loose *
Valid passport (or recognised substitute travel document). The document must still have at least two blank pages (your visa will be glued in here later if the decision is positive) *

Documents about the child

Child's birth certificate. Vietnamese certificates must first be legalised. Exception: a German birth certificate does not need to be legalised. If the child is not yet born, see the alternative-evidence section below *
Proof of the child's German nationality. As evidence you may submit one or more of the following: copy of the German passport, ID card, German birth certificate, certificate of nationality (Staatsangehörigkeitsausweis), or naturalisation certificate (Einbürgerungsurkunde) *
Meldebescheinigung of the child. The child's residence-registration certificate in Germany, no older than 6 months. Exception: if the child does not yet live in Germany or is not yet born, no Meldebescheinigung is required. In that case, state the intended residence in Germany *

Proof of custody

Proof of custody. The reuniting parent must hold custody of the German child. Depending on the parents' situation, this can be evidenced by different documents. (a) The parents are married to each other. Married parents generally hold joint custody. Evidence: parents' marriage certificate. Vietnamese certificates must be legalised first. (b) The parents are not married and the child was born in Vietnam. If both parents are listed on the Vietnamese birth certificate, no further evidence is generally required — the birth certificate is sufficient. (c) The parents are not married and the child was born in Germany. A paternity acknowledgment under German law does NOT automatically mean the parents share custody. Both parents must explicitly issue a so-called Sorgeerklärung. This declaration must be authenticated. If it is not included in the paternity-acknowledgment document and in the mother's consent document, a separate document must be submitted *

Documents about the German parent

Passport of the German parent. Submit a copy of the German parent's passport. If there have been trips to Vietnam in recent years, please also copy the pages with the relevant entry and exit stamps *

Medical insurance

Medical insurance. Insurance cover from the day of entry for at least three months is to be submitted only when the visa can be issued. The visa section will notify you by phone *

Alternative evidence (child not yet born)

Medical pregnancy certificate. The certificate must state the expected date of birth
Paternity proof. Because an unborn child does not yet have a birth certificate, evidence must be provided of who the legal parents are. (a) The parents are married to each other. Evidence: parents' marriage certificate. Vietnamese certificates must be legalised first. (b) The parents are not married: paternity acknowledgment and the mother's consent declaration — the declarations must be authenticated. If the reuniting parent is the prospective father, a Sorgeerklärung must also be submitted