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Visa for family reunification – Child to foreign parent
General Information
For minors, the legal guardians can apply for a visa to bring children to Germany under the following conditions:
- The parents / the parent with sole custody / one of the custodians already live in Germany and are in possession of a residence permit, EU Blue Card, settlement permit or EU permanent residence permit.
- The parents / the parent with sole custody / one of the custodians still live in Tanzania, but intend to enter Germany together with the child and are applying for a visa for this purpose, e.g. to take up employment or to join their spouse.
- The family partnership is to be maintained in Germany.
- If the parents have joint custody, it is possible for only one parent to be with the child if the other parent agrees to the child's stay in Germany or if there is a legally binding court decision to this effect.
Please bear in mind that minors - unless they are travelling with both parents - require a declaration of consent signed by the parents or the other parent to leave Tanzania.
Online Application for family reunification -Child to foreign parent (NOT for family reunion to refugees/asylum seekers) via Consular Services Portal
You can easily apply online for your family reunion as a child to a foreign parent via the Consular Services Portal of the Federal Foreign Office. You need to compile the necessary document personally followed by a pre-check of your application You can check the status of your application online at any time. Please refrain from any status enquires, as these will not be answered.
This is how the online application works:
Step 1: Complete your application form online and upload all and correct documents.
Step 2: Submit your application. Your details and documents will be pre-checked once for completeness. You will receive feedback online. If your application is complete, you will receive a link to book your appointment.
Step 3: Use the link you receive to book an appointment online at your diplomatic mission abroad. You will only receive an appointment to come in once your documents have been have been pre-checked.
Step 4: Attend your appointment on site at the Embassy. During this appointment, you need to provide the checklist (see below), a biometric passport photo, originals of your documents (certificates), your identity will be checked and your biometric data (fingerprints) recorded. You will also have to pay the necessary fees.
Step 5: Track your application status online.
Please Note: Applications for Family Reunion -Child to Foreign Parent can no longer be handed in directly at the Embassy. Do not book an appointment separately.
Required Documents
To apply, you will need the following original documents plus one set of copies to present at your appointment at the Embassy. We highly recommend to use the information sheet as a checklist and bring it as a print out for your appointment.
Please pay attention that all Tanzanian documents issued by an authority of the state need to be legalised.
All documents need to be either in English or accompanied by a German/English recognized translation.
Please sort the individual sets in the order listed below.
Depending on your individual situation more/other documents might be requested when applying through the Consular Service Portal, please ensure to only hand in complete and correct applications.
Information Sheet
In your application form (VIDEX) you enter all the information about your entry and your stay in Germany. You must complete this form and print it out once, sign and date it.
If you are a minor, your legal representatives must sign the application and declare their consent.
A recent biometric photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm with a light background)
Information on biometric photos can be found here
Your passport must be signed and valid for at least one year from the date your visa is issued.
Please note that the document must still have at least two blank pages (if the decision is positive, your visa will be affixed here later).
Do you not have Tanzanian citizenship?
If you are not a Tanzanian citizen, please provide us with your Tanzanian residence permit.
Proof of your residence in Tanzania can be, for example, a copy of your electricity bill, water bill or gas billor a rent contract. It can also be a letter of the child’s school but needs to contain the address where the child currently resides.
For non- Tanzanian nationals: additionally, the Tanzanian residence permit
In case of Tanzanian birth certificate in order to determine parentage:
- Marriage certificate of parents or
- Tanzanian court ruling concerning parentage or
- single status certificate of mother at time of birth (RITA/ZCSRA) or
- death certificate of deceased parent
- adoption certificate and court’s decision (only if applicable)
All Tanzanian documents/ certificate need to be legalised.If not in English or German they need to be accompanied by a recognised translation.
Copies of the parents' passports (including residence permits).
... e.g. in the form of proof of income (employment contract, bank statements, savings) of the parents / parent living in Germany
...for the flat in Germany
- Proof of sole custody to which the parent living in Germany is entitled, usually in the form of a (legalised Tanzanian) court custody order – Affidavit is not accepted,
- Or a declaration of consent from the other parent at the diplomatic mission abroad
- Or a legally binding decision from a competent Tanzanian authority (court)
Attention - an affidavit is never sufficient and NOT meeting the criteria!
Proof of German knowledge (level at C1, only if child is 16 years or older and does not move to Germany with parents)
Proof of statutory or private health insurance cover must be provided. If a long or permanent stay is planned, some travel health insurance policies may exclude insurance cover in their terms and conditions and are therefore not sufficient. This restriction may also apply to an “incoming” insurance policy, so please ensure that your supplementary insurance policy provides sufficient cover. Further information here.
In certain cases, additional documents may be required.
Processing time:
Due to the regular need for approval from the authorities in Germany, you should generally allow twelve weeks for your visa application to be processed (calculated from the time you submit the complete application documents to the diplomatic mission abroad).
Please do not request a status update – these will not be answered but ignored.
Fees
Appointments
After the above mentioned pre-check you will receive a link to book your appointment. It is not possible to make an appointment by telephone or in person. Special appointments are not provided.