Moving your parents to Germany permanently is one of the most meaningful ways to reunite, but it is also one of the most legally complex.
But unlike spouse or child reunification, parent reunification is not a guaranteed right under German law. Instead, it falls under a special category that requires proving “exceptional hardship”—a high legal bar with strict documentation requirements. Applications are rare, and approvals even rarer.
But with the right preparation and expert guidance, it’s possible.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
Let’s kick things off.
Bringing your parents to live with you in Germany is possible, but it’s far from straightforward.
Unlike spouse or child reunification, which is explicitly supported under Germany’s family reunification laws, parent reunification falls under a narrower and more conditional legal category.
Understanding how German immigration law treats this situation is the essential first step.
German law distinguishes between core family reunification and other family members. Core family members (the nuclear family) include spouses and minor children.
For these relationships, family reunification is generally a legal right.
However, parents of adult children fall into the second group: “other family members”. They are mentioned in the 36th article of the German Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). This section allows reunification only in exceptional hardship cases.
In practice, that means:
There’s no official breakdown of how many parent reunification visas Germany approves each year. However, we can estimate their rarity by combining available figures with some deductions.
In 2022, Germany issued 93,960 residence permits for family reasons. Of those, just 4.3%—around 4,040—went to extended family members outside the nuclear family (i.e., not spouses or minor children). This category includes many relatives, from adult children to siblings, aunts, and grandparents.
While the data doesn’t isolate parents specifically, it’s reasonable to assume they represent a significant share of this group.
You and your parents will need to tick all boxes in six categories:
Let’s take a look at each of these…
You must hold a long-term and secure residence title. This typically includes:
Student visas, job-seeker visas, working holiday visas, and short-term contracts are not eligible. These are considered too unstable for family reunification sponsorship.
You must show that you can fully support your parent(s) without relying on any public assistance.
This includes covering housing, food, healthcare, and other living expenses.
To be considered “sufficient,” income must be:
There is no universal income threshold, but immigration offices often refer to the official cost-of-living estimates (Lebenshaltungskosten). A general rule of thumb is €1,500–€2,000 in net monthly income per parent, but it can vary depending on your rent and region of residence.
Accepted sources to prove “sufficient” income include:
A Verpflichtungserklärung is a formal letter of financial obligation. You sign this at your local Foreigner’s Office or Welcome Center, and it confirms that:
This obligation is binding, even if your financial or employment status changes. It typically lasts up to 5 years or as long as your parents stay in Germany.
To issue one, you’ll need:
You cannot request to issue a Verpflichtungserklärung if your income is too low or your job is unstable.
You must arrange comprehensive health insurance for your parent, starting from their arrival in Germany.
Most parents over 55 cannot join the German public system, especially if they have not contributed during their careers.
Instead, they must:
For parent reunification cases, Feather’s expat health insurance is designed to meet official requirements while simplifying the process for families.
Here’s how we support your application:
Your living space must be large enough to provide privacy and comfort for you and your parent(s).
This is the most complex and critical requirement. German law does not offer a fixed definition, but courts and immigration authorities generally interpret it to mean:
Accepted evidence includes:
These documents must be translated into German, officially certified, and often notarized.
Important: “Hardship” does not mean emotional stress or a desire for closeness. It must demonstrate a compelling and urgent humanitarian need, and this determination is ultimately made by a court, not just the immigration office.
Whether your application for recognition of hardship is accepted often depends less on the written law and more on how your local immigration office or court interprets “hardship.”
For example, immigration offices in Berlin or Hamburg have a reputation for being slightly more flexible on reunification based on medical hardship, especially with documented NGO support. In contrast, Bavarian authorities are known for strict financial scrutiny and frequent rejections.
For this reason, a qualified immigration lawyer is essential. They can:
If you or your spouse is a German or EU citizen, the burden of proof for hardship is significantly reduced.
These cases fall under the broader rights of EU Freedom of Movement, which allow for more lenient family reunification, especially when it concerns the parents of EU citizens.
Regardless of citizenship status, financial and health insurance requirements still apply.
If your spouse is an EU citizen but not German, your parents must apply for a family reunification visa in your spouse’s home country.
For example, if your spouse is Spanish, the application must be processed through the Spanish authorities, not the German ones.
In recent years, the core law governing parent reunification (§36 of the Residence Act) has not changed. Still, in the last two years, German courts have issued rulings that more narrowly define “exceptional hardship.”
Notably:
This means that many applications that might have been considered under humanitarian grounds a few years ago are rejected unless they involve urgent medical crises or conflict-related displacement.
Navigating the parent reunification visa process is complex, especially because German law does not treat these applications as standard.
Below is a clear outline of how the process typically unfolds, from preparation to appeal.
Start with a consultation with an immigration lawyer.
Professional legal guidance is essential since §36 hardship cases are rarely granted.
Only a court can determine if a hardship claim is valid, and lawyers can offer great insight into the courts’ minds.
Please note that even if you have legal insurance, policies rarely cover costs related to immigration matters.
Before anything else, ensure you meet all requirements:
Without this, your parents’ application won’t proceed.
The parent applying must gather and submit a comprehensive visa application to the German embassy in their country of residence.
Documents required are:
It may benefit your parents’ application to include a motivation letter and a legal opinion from your attorney explaining the hardship claim.
Learn more about Germany’s visa requirements.
The parent must apply from their home country, not from Germany.
If they enter Germany on a tourist visa and try to apply, they will likely be disqualified and could face a reentry ban.
Embassies forward the application to the relevant immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany, which will review it and issue a recommendation.
Timelines vary widely by country and local office:
There’s no legal time limit for a decision.
Common reasons for rejection include:
If rejected, applicants can appeal through the administrative court, which requires a lawyer and can take 6–12 months.
Given the restrictive parent reunification rules, many families explore alternative pathways to bringing their loved ones to Germany, even temporarily.
Germany offers national visas for long-term visits, typically up to 12 months. While not permanent, they can allow extended stays for:
Applicants must prove they’ll return home and that the visit is temporary. The sponsor usually requires a financial obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung). These visas don’t lead to residency but can buy families time in exceptional situations.
A parent fleeing armed conflict, natural disaster, or a severe medical crisis may be eligible for a humanitarian residence permit (§23 or §25 AufenthG). These cases require:
There are rare cases where adult children gain legal guardianship of cognitively impaired or severely disabled parents. The parent may qualify as a dependent under broader EU reunification rules in these situations.
Proof must include:
Again, these are niche cases and require intensive legal validation.
If the sponsoring child becomes a German citizen, parent reunification rights expand. Under EU law, German citizens have more flexibility when bringing in family members, including parents.
However, timing is key: If parents are already in Germany before you naturalize, they might not be eligible for public insurance or other resident benefits due to timing mismatches.
Some families have successfully relocated parents to Portugal, Spain, or Italy, where public health systems are more inclusive of retirees. Once legally resident and insured in that country, the parent can:
This “EU loop” requires careful legal setup, but it can be easier to apply than directly through German hardship rules.
Bringing your parents to Germany permanently is possible, but only with careful preparation and a strong legal case.
Understanding the “exceptional hardship” standard is key to building a credible application that immigration offices and courts will actually consider.
If you’re serious about starting this journey, now is the time to gather documents, talk to a lawyer, and weigh all your options.
And when you’re ready to bring your parents to Germany, Feather can help you.
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