Process time for German family reunion visas

Nothing is wrong as if there were something wrong they should have written to you.

This is bureaucracy.

Contrary to what Expat1957 wrote, this sounds very strange. Yes, many things got slowed down due to Covid but nearly 2 years to process such a visa is NOT normal. Have you verified with the embassy/consulate? Maybe the lawyer is not honest or competent. Why use a lawyer at all for such a thing? Rarely necessary. I would demand the lawyer provide proof of the application and supposed responses from consular officials.

@TominStuttgart

I have sent several emails to the embassy, the keep saying my documents are in process that they are waiting for the German embassy to respond.

@Marybawe1 The German embassy says they are waiting for the German embassy to respond? That can't be true. Ask the embassy directly!

Please how can I contact the german embassy in Germany so I can I lay my complain? I really need help

There is no German embassy in Gemany, only in other countries.

You said you applied for the FRV in Cameroon, so you should contact the German embassy there.

I am sure your German souse can help you to figure all this out - you as a foreigner are not supposed to!

If you applied through a lawyer, it might be that this "lawyer" is a cheat and only took your money without actually applying for a visa. Therefore it is important that you contact the embassy!

In cameroon, when you apply for a german family reunion visa, after your interview, the german embassy sends a lawyer to investigate about you based on the information you have given.

I have been emailing the embassy but they keep saying that my documents are under process that they are waiting for the German embassy in Germany to respond. Please how do I know if the lawyer has actually submitted my file after investigation?

@Marybawe1 Again: There is no German embassy in Germany, so they can't wait for an answer from there! Contact the German embassy in your country and ask what the status is - or ask your German spouse to do this (they are more likely to reply and there is less chance of misunderstandings then)!

I have been emailing them but they keep saying it is in process that they are waiting for the German embassy in Germany. My husband too has contacted the embassy in Germany they said they will get to him.

@Marybawe1 There REALLY is NO German embassy in Germany!

Either there is a misundersting - or everybody (incl. your husband) is lieing.

I mean the german immigration office. Yesterday I sent them an email to verify about my documents, they replied today still saying my case is still being processed. That at the moment they are still waiting for answer from the german immigration authorities. That they will contact me as soon as the processing result is available

@Marybawe1 In principle, you or (better) your husband could sue them (not sure if "them" is the embassy or the German immigration office you mentioned) to process the application in a reasonable time (which is set to three months by law). In reality, however, this does rarely help (and involves time and cost on your side, e.g. for a lawyer).

Instead, your husband could contact the German office and get on their nerves every day. Or he could seek help by some associations for immigrant assistance in Germany.

There is not much you can do from Cameroon - if you have submitted alle the documents the embassy asked for.

My wife in Cameroon is waiting for an answer from the German embassy since 7 months now. Not to mention that she also waited 8 months before she got an appointment.

Meanwhile people recently obtained their visa after 4-5-6 months.

@Der Reiser don't know what is wrong with the german embassy in cameroon. I had my appointment after three months, presented all documents asked. It's been more than two years after my appointment,I have emailed them several times but they keep saying they are waiting for the German authority. My husband has contacted them in Germany but nothing yet. Mind you my classmates whom we went to the german school together who applied after me have all traveled. It's really frustrating.

@Marybawe1 Short of sueing them for a reasonably quick process (which can be done after three months of inactivity, at a German court), the only thing you can do is getting on their nerves: How often did you email and/or call to ask about the status (once a week would be o.k., I think)? Did you visit them in person? Or, if they claim the problem lies with the authorities in Germany, how often did your spouse contact them - and did he visit?

With slow, inefficient (and often unwilling to work) officialdom this sometimes helps.

@beppi I email them every month. Here one can't enter the embassy without an appointment from them. My husband too has been contacting them consistently.

@Marybawe1

More than 2 years ????😳

@Marybawe1 What did they say about the very long delay?

Your husband should also consider to sue then for inactivity ("Untätigkeitsklage"). This will cost lawyers' fees (i.e. not cheap), but might get the authorities to do something - or at least explain the reasons for the delay. (If the reasons are not within their sphere of influence, the court will decide in their favour.)

@Marybawe1.. It seems you are referring to the Aüslanderbehörde (Immigration office).

The delay most of the time occurs at the local ABH city office. Once they approve it the German consulate or embassy in your country (in this case Cameroon) should be fast to process the final visa.

Sorry to know that it's been 2 years for your case.

which ABH your documents are in or in which city your husband is living. Does he have German citizenship or permanent residency?

My husband is a german citizen and he lives in Stuttgart

@Prakashjoshi23

The ABH sent me this (translated): "The embassy will provide information about your wife's visa procedure only to your wife. All I can tell you is that we are still waiting for information from the embassy. This information may take up to a year from the date of application.

I therefore ask you to be patient and refrain from making further inquiries, as we are only the participating authority. If we need anything from you, we will contact you".

That's already 8 months and 1 week now since the application.

on the France forum you have a discussion in French on the subject, the problems encountered by French-speaking Africans, are explained by the Africans themselves 1900 interventions 

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 4&p=48  jean luc

@jean luc1

Merci beaucoup monsieur ! C est très utile

@Marybawe1

In my case it took nearly one year to get an appointment (delay was probably due to COVID) and another 6-7 months for the German consulate to issue a  family reunion visa. You are lucky, you got a reply from them. In my case they would not reply any email. There was a phone number but it was rarely answered. I rang it probably hundred times, it was picked up only twice. I was told that they were not at a liberty to discuss my case with me and I would be contacted in time .

My wife in Germany was impatient , and , lucky for me, she went to the local office here in Germany only to find out that the person in charge did not dispatch the paperwork to the consulate in my country. (They are understaffed and after the Russian attack on Ukraine their workload increased many times. It was an honest mistake).

I suggest that you talk to your spouse and tell her to contact the local office in her town/city.

@Marybawe1

Foreign office ie Alien Office or immigration office not German embassy,  did you use an agent?

@Marybawe1

Did you use an agent to apply for you?

@Marybawe1

Hello @Marybawe1,

have you finally been contacted? The processing and waiting time were later extended from 6  to 12 month and 5 to 8 months respectively, making the whole procedure 20months, sure you must have been contacted by now. Because I have been contacted that my verification is completed and the foreign office has also reach out to my wife there to present some documents, and I receive updates if there's need from the embassy.

@Nerus Seka

No sir I didn't

My wife got an email from the German Embassy in Cameroon on the 2nd August, stating that the verification process is complete (11 months 1 week after the appointment). On the 6th August, she was asked to submit some documents again.

-Will I be asked to submit something ? (My visa type changed, my salary increased, I got a contract)

-How much time will she be given to take her fly to Germany

It is unlikely that anyone here knows the procedures and working style of this specific embassy. So you better ask them, not us!

Good luck!