VISAHJELP

Parent reunification with skilled worker

Skilled workers employed in Germany may bring their parents under certain conditions. Since 1 March 2024 Germany allows family reunification for parents of skilled workers who first received their Fachkraft residence title on or after 1 March 2024. If the skilled worker's spouse lives permanently with them in Germany, a visa under this category may also be applied for by the skilled worker's parents-in-law. Conditions: (1) the skilled worker has first received one of the following residence titles on or after 1 March 2024 — EU Blue Card (§ 18g of the Residence Act), ICT card (intra-corporate transferee), § 18a (skilled worker with vocational training), § 18b (skilled worker with academic education), § 18c Abs. 3 (settlement permit for skilled workers), § 18d (researcher), § 18f (mobile researcher), § 19c Abs. 1 as senior employee, executive (Führungskraft), company specialist, scientist, guest scientist, engineer or technician on a guest-scientist research team, or teacher, § 19c Abs. 2 (IT specialist with substantial experience) or Abs. 4 Satz 1 (specialty chef), or § 21 (self-employed entrepreneur); (2) the skilled worker can independently secure the livelihood (Lebensunterhalt) of the parents or parents-in-law and where applicable other family members. Legal basis is § 36 Abs. 3 of the Residence Act (privileged parent and parent-in-law reunification with skilled workers).

LAST VERIFIED · 2026-05-02 SOURCE: Auswärtiges Amt · Independent · not affiliated

From Auswärtiges Amt

“The visa fee is 75 euros, payable in Vietnamese Dong. 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. From the skilled worker (sponsor): passport and residence-title copy (both sides) — for parents-in-law reunification, additionally the spouse's passport and residence-title copy; a Meldebescheinigung in Germany (≤ 6 months; not required when the applicants move concurrently); a current employment contract with the last three months' salary statements; where applicable additional evidence of livelihood when salary alone is not sufficient; and the skilled worker's legalised birth certificate — for parents-in-law reunification, instead the spouse's legalised birth certificate and the legalised marriage certificate. From you as the reuniting parents, submit a current police registration certificate (≤ 6 months). Private medical insurance is to be submitted only AFTER visa approval — the visa section will notify you by phone. Full eligibility conditions (in particular the qualifying Fachkraft permit categories and the 1 March 2024 cutoff) are in the introduction above.

Checklist

10
01

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) *
02

Documents from the skilled worker in Germany

  • Passport and residence title. Submit a copy of the passport and of the current residence title (both sides) of the skilled worker the reunification is with. If the reuniting persons are the skilled worker's parents-in-law, please also submit a copy of the passport and residence title of the spouse *
  • Skilled worker's Meldebescheinigung. The skilled worker's residence-registration certificate in Germany, no older than 6 months. The certificate should show which persons live in the household with the skilled worker. Exception: when the family members move to Germany concurrently with the skilled worker, no Meldebescheinigung is required. In that case, state the intended residence in Germany *
  • Skilled worker's employment evidence. Please submit the current employment contract together with proof of salary payments for the last three months *
  • Where applicable, additional evidence of livelihood. If the skilled worker's salary alone is not sufficient to cover the livelihood, submit further evidence of how the livelihood is to be secured
03

Family relation

  • Skilled worker's birth certificate. Vietnamese certificates must first be legalised. If the reuniting persons are the skilled worker's parents-in-law, please instead submit the spouse's legalised birth certificate together with the legalised marriage certificate *
04

Documents about the reuniting parents

  • Police registration of the parents. Current confirmation from the local police for the parents who are to reunite. The certificate may not be older than 6 months at the time of application *
05

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 *

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