Family Reunification: Space Requirements for Infants Under Two Years Old

medk • 28 August 2023

I read on your website [https://handbookgermany.de/en/family-reunification-for-immigrants] that babies up to two years old are not counted in the space requirements for the family reunification process.

Is this information confirmed and applicable across all German states? And are the staff at immigration offices and embassies aware of it?

I'm asking because my apartment is 35 sqm, and I'm trying to bring my wife and 1-year-old son to live with me here (I have a Blue Card). My wife is pregnant, currently in her 4th month. If the unborn child is considered in the space requirements, then the 35 sqm won't be sufficient (12sqm x 2 and 10sqm x 2). But if babies under two years old are not counted, then everything is fine.

Answers (2)

Moderation

Hello medk thank you for reaching out with that valuable question.
You have already posted that question on our German platform and read up on the current square meter specifications on our website about family reunification. Here I will summarize it in english again.
Generally, children or babies under 2 years no square meters will be calculated. That means, for two adults you have to calculate 24 sqm (2x12 sqm), since currently your 1 year old son and your unborn child do not count at the moment.
Nevertheless, the minimum size of an apartment applies to every state in Germany but the local foreigners department will prove the application individually, so there could be some slightly differences.
Depending on how long the family reunification will take, your son may already be 2 years old. In that case, the guidelines also apply to him and you have to add 10 square meters.
Please note that the size of your apartment must be the square meters of the living space without, for example, the bathroom. You could check that in your rental contract.
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If you want to share your current city I can have a look if your local foreigners department published specific requirements. For example, I found the minimum requirement for apartments for family reunification on the website of the foreigners department in Düsseldorf and munich.
Happy if you get back to me, as well as if you have more questions.

medk

Thanks, that's very helpful! that's great news, my 1 year old son is still far from turning 2, so I suppose that 35sqm will be more than enough :)
I live in Hamburg, and my rent contract shows only one field of living space, which indicates 35sqm.

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