§ 28 AufenthG: Family Reunification with German Nationals
This text was rewritten into plain language (B1 level) automatically and may contain errors. Only the official German statute is authoritative — when in doubt, read the original text below or consult a lawyer.
§ 28 Residence Act: Family Reunification with Germans
What is this about?
This section applies to foreign family members of German citizens. It regulates when you get a residence permit to move to Germany to join your German family member.
Who is covered?
This section applies to three groups:
- The foreign spouse of a German man or woman.
- The minor, unmarried child of a German man or woman.
- A parent of a minor, unmarried German child. This parent must have custody (Personensorge) of the child. This means: they are legally responsible for the child.
Requirement for all three groups: The German family member has their habitual residence in Germany.
Your right to the residence permit
Child and parent with custody (Groups 2 and 3)
Do you belong to Group 2 (child) or Group 3 (parent with custody)? Then you have a legal entitlement to the residence permit. The authority MUST grant it to you. A specific rule from § 5 paragraph 1 number 1 of the Residence Act does not apply to you.
Spouse (Group 1)
Do you belong to Group 1 (spouse)? The authority should grant you the residence permit. This means: as a rule, you receive it. Only in special exceptional cases may the authority decide differently. A specific rule from § 5 paragraph 1 number 1 of the Residence Act does not apply to you either. In addition, certain rules from § 30 of the Residence Act also apply to you.
Parent without custody
Are you the parent of a minor, unmarried German child, but do not have custody (Personensorge)? Then you can still get a residence permit. The authority decides this on a case-by-case basis. This is not a legal entitlement. Requirement: The family already lives together in Germany. Here too, a specific rule from § 5 paragraph 1 number 1 of the Residence Act does not apply.
The settlement permit (permanent residence)
After some time, you can get a settlement permit. This is a residence title of unlimited duration.
The authority must normally grant it to you if ALL of the following conditions are met:
- You have held a residence permit for three years.
- The family living arrangement (familiäre Lebensgemeinschaft) with the German family member continues to exist in Germany.
- There is no ground for expulsion (Ausweisungsinteresse) against you. This means: there is no reason to expel you.
- You have sufficient knowledge of the German language.
In special exceptional cases, the authority may decide differently.
In addition, certain rules from § 9 paragraph 2 sentences 2 to 5 of the Residence Act apply.
If you do not yet meet the conditions
Do you not yet meet these conditions? Then the authority must extend your residence permit. This applies for as long as the family living arrangement continues to exist.
After separation or death: §§ 31 and 34
For certain cases, §§ 31 and 34 of the Residence Act apply accordingly. A special rule applies here: instead of the residence title of the foreign family member, what matters is the habitual residence of the German family member in Germany.
Extension beyond the child's age of majority
Are you the parent of a minor, unmarried German child and do you have custody (Personensorge)? Then the authority must also extend your residence permit when the child turns 18.
For this, ALL of the following conditions must be met:
- The child continues to live with you in a family living arrangement.
- The child is undergoing training (Ausbildung). This training leads to a recognized school-leaving qualification, a recognized vocational qualification, or a university degree.
Other family members
Are you another family member not mentioned here? Then § 36 of the Residence Act applies to you.
Note
Paragraph 5 of this section has been deleted. It no longer applies.
(1) Die Aufenthaltserlaubnis ist dem ausländischen
- 1.Ehegatten eines Deutschen,
- 2.minderjährigen ledigen Kind eines Deutschen,
- 3.Elternteil eines minderjährigen ledigen Deutschen zur Ausübung der Personensorge zu erteilen, wenn der Deutsche seinen gewöhnlichen Aufenthalt im Bundesgebiet hat. Sie ist abweichend von § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 in den Fällen des Satzes 1 Nr. 2 und 3 zu erteilen. Sie soll in der Regel abweichend von § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 in den Fällen des Satzes 1 Nr. 1 erteilt werden. Sie kann abweichend von § 5 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 dem nicht personensorgeberechtigten Elternteil eines minderjährigen ledigen Deutschen erteilt werden, wenn die familiäre Gemeinschaft schon im Bundesgebiet gelebt wird. § 30 Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 1 und 2, Satz 3 und Abs. 2 Satz 1 ist in den Fällen des Satzes 1 Nr. 1 entsprechend anzuwenden.
(2) Dem Ausländer ist in der Regel eine Niederlassungserlaubnis zu erteilen, wenn er drei Jahre im Besitz einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis ist, die familiäre Lebensgemeinschaft mit dem Deutschen im Bundesgebiet fortbesteht, kein Ausweisungsinteresse besteht und er über ausreichende Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache verfügt. § 9 Absatz 2 Satz 2 bis 5 gilt entsprechend. Im Übrigen wird die Aufenthaltserlaubnis verlängert, solange die familiäre Lebensgemeinschaft fortbesteht.
(3) Die §§ 31 und 34 finden mit der Maßgabe Anwendung, dass an die Stelle des Aufenthaltstitels des Ausländers der gewöhnliche Aufenthalt des Deutschen im Bundesgebiet tritt. Die einem Elternteil eines minderjährigen ledigen Deutschen zur Ausübung der Personensorge erteilte Aufenthaltserlaubnis ist auch nach Eintritt der Volljährigkeit des Kindes zu verlängern, solange das Kind mit ihm in familiärer Lebensgemeinschaft lebt und das Kind sich in einer Ausbildung befindet, die zu einem anerkannten schulischen oder beruflichen Bildungsabschluss oder Hochschulabschluss führt.
(4) Auf sonstige Familienangehörige findet § 36 entsprechende Anwendung.
(5) (weggefallen)
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