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Family Reunification for Children
Here you will find information on visas for the family reunification of children joining their parents or a single parent living in Germany.
Important information
Please submit this application online via Consular Services Portal. This provides you with preliminary feedback on whether your documents are complete. Your appointment will then proceed quickly and efficiently.
General Information
All information regarding the scheduling of appointments can be found here .
| Visa Category | |
| National Visa | Fee |
| Regular | 75,- € |
| Reduced | 37,50,- € |
Visa fees must be paid either by international credit card (Visa / Mastercard) or in cash in RWF at the current exchange rate.
The duration of the entire visa process varies significantly: it can take from a few working days to several months. We cannot guarantee a specific processing time, as domestic German authorities must be involved during the process, and the German Embass in Kigali has no influence over their processing times. The final review and decision by the German Embassy can only take place after the feedback from Germany has been received. Please plan for a processing time of approximately three months. In individual cases, it may take longer.
The Embassy in Kigali reviews and decides on your application. In doing so, the legal requirements are always examined on a case-by-case basis based on the submitted application documents. Depending on the purpose of the stay, this review may take from a few working days to several months. The processing time increases if documents require more intensive scrutiny or if further research regarding the applicant or the actual purpose of the stay is necessary.
Regarding inquiries: For data protection reasons, detailed information can only be provided to the applicant, their legal representative, or a representative with written power of attorney. Other inquiries from third parties unfortunately cannot be answered. We ask for your understanding that the visa section is not reachable by telephone due to capacity constraints. However, you may send us a message at visa@kiga.diplo.de.
Exception: For applicants participating in the accelerated procedure for skilled workers, the processing time is generally three weeks after the application has been submitted. The processing time may be extended if additional documents are requested or if further questions must be clarified.
As a general rule, you must collect your passport in person.
Once a decision has been made on your application, you will be informed about the collection either via an email through the Consular Services Portal or by telephone.
Please check the website for information regarding public holidays on which the Embassy is closed.
Upon receiving your passport, please check that all details on the visa label are correct. Please notify us immediately of any errors so that we can issue a new visa. With a national visa, you may travel within the Schengen area. Everyone residing in Germany must be registered. You should do this at the residents' registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) or citizens' office (Bürgeramt) no later than two weeks after moving in. Please contact the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde) in your place of residence in Germany well before your visa expires to apply for your residence permit.
If your visa application has been rejected, this may be for various reasons. These reasons will be stated in the notice of refusal.
Your guide to arriving in Germany: Make it in Germany
The overview of required documents indicates whether you must provide a language certificate. Currently recognized providers of language certificates are:
- Language certificates from the Goethe-Institut e.V.
- Language certificates from telc Gmbh
- Language certificates from the Austrian Language Diploma (ÖSD)
- “TestDaF” from the TestDaF-Institut e.V. (Institute of the FernUniversität in Hagen and the Ruhr-University Bochum, examination level from B2 CEFR onwards)
- Language certificates from the ECL Examination Centre
The certificate must not be older than 12 months at the time of application. If you have taken the examination in various modules/partial exams, all modules must have been completed with the same provider. Evidence of different exam parts from different providers is not sufficient.
The Embassy is aware of cases where language certificates have been issued or obtained fraudulently. The Embassy reserves the right to verify your German language skills. Insufficient German language proficiency may be a ground for the refusal of a visa application.
Information on this Visa Category
- Children may either reunite with both parents in Germany or with only one parent, provided that parent holds custody of the child. Reunification is generally only possible as long as the child is a minor (i.e., not yet 18 years old).
- The personal appearance of a parent with custody or an authorized person in the presence of the child is required.
Required Documents
Please submit all necessary documents (see below). Where an original exists, it must be presented in addition to the required simple copy. Originals will be returned to you upon completion of the process. All documents not issued in German, English, or French must be submitted together with a translation. Missing documents or evidence may lead to the rejection of the application.
In your application form, you provide all information regarding your entry and your stay in Germany. Please fill out this form completely, print it, and sign it yourself.
Link to the form: “VIDEX”
Two current biometric passport photos (45mm x 35mm). Information on biometric passport photos can be found here.
Please paste only one passport photo onto the application form and attach the second one separately.
The document must have at least two blank pages (in the event of a positive decision, your visa will be pasted here).
Once a successful decision has been made regarding your visa application, we request that you send us proof of incoming health insurance, which must be valid for three months starting from the desired date of entry.
The certificate must not be older than 12 months at the time of application.
If the applicant (the child) has reached the age of 16, you must provide evidence of German language skills at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. To do this, please submit a C1 language certificate from a recognized examination provider. Please refer to the information on German certificates provided above in this article.
Further information – including other possible exceptions – can be found here: Link
Please provide documents proving legal parentage. This can be a legalized marriage certificate of the parents (information on the legalization of documents can be found here: Legalization of Rwandan documents ). In the case of unmarried parents, proof can be provided via a court ruling.
Information on Legalization can be found here: Legalization of Rwandan documents
If both parents have joint custody and one parent intends to remain in Rwanda, the personal appearance of the parent remaining in Rwanda is required.
If the application is submitted by a third party, a power of attorney from the non-attending parent with custody is required. The signature of this parent must be certified by a government authority.