Marriage and family are under the special protection of the Basic Law and the Bavarian Constitution.
Therefore
- German citizens and
- foreign nationals residing in Germany with a Settlement Permit, Permit for Permanent Residence - EU, Residence Permit, EU Blue Card, ICT Card or Mobile ICT Card (see under "Related Topics"),
have their foreign spouse/life partner and minor children join them.
The group of unaccompanied refugees who are minors is a special case. They can have their parents join them until they reach the age of 18.
The individual regulations on the subsequent immigration of foreign family members, which also apply to the subsequent immigration of civil partners, are laid down in great detail in the Residence Act. The possibilities and requirements for family reunification depend on the type of residence title and the underlying purpose of the residence of the family member already living in Germany.
Before the foreign spouse/life partner or minor children can travel to Germany, they need a visa for family reunification, which they can apply for at the German mission abroad in their home country (see "National Visa; Issuance and Extension" under "Related Topics").
Whether there are exceptions to the visa requirement - for example, in the case of certain countries of origin - can be told to you in the specific individual case by the foreigners authority.