Visa extension

Round about your 5th semester you'll need to start extending your visa if you got a standard student visa. The visa office, aka Ausländerbehörde, here in Karlsruhe will request a paper document stating your academic achievements so far with an outlook or prognosis of when you are expected to have successfully completed your studies.
This document can only be issued by the Examination Board Master (Prüfungsausschuss Master, PAM) pam∂bgu.kit.edu. Please send them your request directly via email from your KIT account.

Background information: the documents help the authorities assess whether you have sufficient and stable income to be able to provide for your family. Ask the German embassy/consulate in your home country which other documents they need.
Find out in advance which documents you'll need for your application and submit your application well in advance or as soon as possible as processing can take some time.

Here's a list of the key documents typically required for family re-union in Germany:

Proof of sufficient living space.

For a couple, the required living space in Germany is generally at least 12 square metres per person, plus an additional 15 square metres for common areas like the kitchen and bathroom. So, for just two of you, the total minimum living space would be around 40 square metres. You will have to provide a rental agreement that states the size of the living space and the cost of rent. Add your registration at the address, i.e. your Meldebescheinigung, as well.

Valid residence permit

Make sure that you permit is a legible and valid.

Sufficient income to support the family

The required income for a family re-union in Germany varies depending on the number of family members and the cost of living in the specific area. Generally, you must provide proof of sufficient financial resources to support your spouse without relying on public funds. This typically involves providing recent payslips, an employment contract, or proof of other financial resources. The rough guideline says you should have a net income of at least €1,200 to €1,500 per month for a couple, depending on where you live in Germany and the housing costs in that area (this is approx. right for Karlsruhe). You need to prove you can cover rent, health insurance, and living expenses as well as your study fee. You could provide

• your employment contract stating the duration and conditions
• and/or your most recent payslips: you'll need to provide the last three to six months of payslips to demonstrate financial stability
• your most recent tax return can also be helpful to show your annual income if it's stable
• bank statements to show regular salary deposits and overall financial stability

Can savings be considered as proof of income? Yes, probably. Regular income from employment is typically the primary proof. Theoretically, substantial savings can demonstrate financial stability, too. You would need bank statements showing the balance of your savings account, any other savings certificates, or investment proofs such as stocks or bonds could be helpful. It all depends on how the authorities interpret the documents.

A valid marriage certificate

You will need a marriage certificate that is valid abroad, i.e. in Germany. Check with your local embassy / consulate whether you have such a certificate. You need to get this right right from the beginning of your visa application as changes might lean towards the visa office thinking the marriage is "concluded without the purpose of creating a family", i.e. it might be a fictitious marriage. This would lead to the visa and residence permit being refused.

Age requirement

To be eligible for a family reunion, you and your spouse must be of legal age, i.e. at least 18 years old.

Proof of health insurance

Provide the document stating that both you and your spouse will be covered by health insurance. This is mandatory in Germany and can be through a private health insurance or family coverage under the spouse's insurance plan.

Basic German language skills

The spouse applying for the visa needs to demonstrate basic knowledge of German, usually at A1. The idea behind this is that speaking German a little ensures you'll feel more at home in Germany and are able to cope with everyday life, independent of your spouse.

Valid passport

Note: remember that applying for a new passport in a foreign country will be more expensive, take more time, and will take more effort.

Additional documents

Depending on the situation, addition documents may be requested, for example a letter of motivation or other supporting documents

Checklist for required documents for the spouse's visa

Make sure you comply to what your local embassy/consulate asks for. It is likely that they will provide you with a list anyway.

• Completed application form on the website of your country's German embassy/consulate
• Completed declaration form confirming that the information provided is correct
• Current biometric passport photos (size: 35mm in width, 45mm in height)
• Residence permit
• Marriage certificate (and previous marriages documentation)
• Birth certificate
• Invitation letter
• Proof of funds
• The registration of the address in Germany (that's your Meldebescheinigung)
• Health insurance
• Additional documents (if requested): For example, a letter of motivation or other supporting documents

To be continued. If you have any more questions send them to me, Kay Dittner, at the Studierendenservice office in 10.81.