Route: joining family in Germany

Spouse, children, parents: the legal basis, the waiting list in Tunis, documents.

Residence permits for family reunification are in §§ 27 to 36 AufenthG. You apply for a national visa at the Embassy in Tunis. Since 15 January 2026 new registrations go on the waiting list only through the Auslandsportal; the Embassy states about 5 months' waiting time (Visa and Embassy).

Spouse

• Spouse of a German (§ 28): basic German at A1 is required (§ 28 (1) sentence 5), with exceptions.
• Spouse of a foreigner (§ 30): the permit depends on the partner in Germany (§ 30 (1) sentence 3 no. 4); no. 5 contains an exception for the partners of skilled workers (§ 30 AufenthG). Sponsor income, housing and the other exceptions: read the statute and the Embassy leaflet; we did not check every case.
• Marriage documents: Tunisian civil-status documents are legalised by the Embassy, not apostilled: Documents.
• Fiancé(e) visas: not checked here.

Children and parents

• Minor children can join a parent with a residence permit (§§ 32, 33). Age and language conditions depend on the child's age and the parent's permit; not checked in detail. Visa fee for minors €37.50.
• Parents: only under § 36 AufenthG. § 36 (3) concerns parents of skilled workers, for skilled workers whose first permit was issued from 1 March 2024. Conditions: read the statute.

Pension and benefits for family in Tunisia: Social security.