I Can Never Bring My Family to Germany — You Can

The Fear

This is one of the biggest worries Kenyans have about moving to Germany: "If I go, I will be separated from my family forever. I will miss my children growing up. My spouse will be alone. My parents will grow old without me."

We understand this fear deeply. Family is everything in Kenyan culture. The idea of being thousands of kilometres away from your people is genuinely painful.

But here is what many people do not know: Germany has a legal process for bringing your family to join you. It is called Familiennachzug (family reunion), and it is a right enshrined in German law.

You can bring your family. It takes time and preparation, but it is absolutely possible.

Who Can You Bring?

Under German family reunion law, you can apply to bring:

• Your spouse or registered partner — the most common family reunion case
• Your minor children (under 18) — children join you with relatively straightforward procedures
• In some cases, your parents — this is more restricted and usually only applies in hardship cases

Extended family (siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins) are not covered under standard family reunion rules. But your core family — your partner and your children — can join you.

The Requirements

Family reunion is not automatic. You need to meet specific conditions before your family can join you. Here is what is typically required:

For You (the Person Already in Germany)

1. A valid residence permit. You need a residence permit that allows family reunion. An Ausbildung visa qualifies, and a post-Ausbildung work permit definitely qualifies.
2. Sufficient income. You need to prove you can financially support your family without relying on social welfare. After completing Ausbildung and starting work, your salary usually meets this requirement.
3. Adequate housing. You need an apartment large enough for your family. The rule is roughly 12 square metres of living space per family member. A two-room flat works for a spouse; you need more for children.
4. Health insurance. You need to show that your family members will have health insurance coverage.

For Your Spouse

1. Proof of marriage. A valid marriage certificate, legalised and translated into German.
2. Basic German language skills. Your spouse needs to demonstrate at least A1-level German (the most basic level). This can be done through a Goethe-Institut exam or equivalent. Some exemptions apply for spouses with university degrees.
3. A valid passport.
4. Application at the German Embassy in Nairobi. Your spouse applies from Kenya, not from within Germany.

For Your Children

1. Under 18 years old. Minor children can join you without language requirements.
2. Birth certificate legalised and translated.
3. Consent from both parents if the other parent is not joining.

The Realistic Timeline

Let us be honest about how long this takes:

Three to four years is a long time. We will not pretend it is not. But it is not forever. And during that time, you are building the foundation — income, housing, residency status — that will support your family when they arrive.

Some people can bring their families sooner, especially if they transition quickly from Ausbildung to employment and meet all requirements early. Others take longer due to paperwork delays or embassy processing times.

While You Wait: Staying Connected

The separation period is hard, but technology makes it much more bearable than it was even ten years ago:

• Daily video calls via WhatsApp or Zoom — free and reliable
• Sending money home via Wise, Remitly, or WorldRemit to support your family while they wait
• Annual visits — once you have a residence permit, you can travel home to visit (and your family can visit you on a tourist visa)
• Planning together — use the waiting time to help your spouse start German lessons in Kenya through the Goethe-Institut in Nairobi

After They Arrive

When your family joins you in Germany, they receive their own residence permits. Your spouse can work without restrictions. Your children enter the German school system, which is free. Your family has access to the same healthcare system you use.

Many Kenyan families in Germany report that the reunion, when it finally happens, makes everything worth it. Your children grow up bilingual, with access to excellent education. Your spouse has career opportunities. Your family is together, in a stable environment, with a clear future.

The Permanent Residency Path

After living in Germany for five years with a residence permit (and meeting integration requirements like German language level B1 and financial self-sufficiency), you can apply for a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis). Your family members who joined you can also eventually apply for permanent residency.

This is the long-term plan: not just bringing your family for a visit, but building a permanent home together.

What You Should Do Now

If family reunion is part of your plan, start preparing early:

1. Encourage your spouse to start learning German now. The A1 requirement is not hard, but starting early makes everything smoother. The Goethe-Institut in Nairobi offers courses.
2. Gather documents early. Birth certificates, marriage certificates — get them legalised and translated before you need them.
3. Plan your finances. Use our salary calculator to understand what you will earn after Ausbildung and whether it meets the income threshold.
4. Check your overall readiness with our readiness score tool.
5. Prepare your documents using our document checklist.

You can bring your family to Germany. It takes patience, planning, and paperwork. But the path exists, it is legal, and thousands of Kenyans have walked it successfully.

Your family does not have to stay behind forever. They just have to wait a little while.