Menu
Expat.com

Changing a German Language Visa to a Spouse Resident Permit

Post new topic

Shezleen

Hello All

I am new to the forum and I have searched lots of forums to get an answer to my question.
I am currently in Berlin and learning German Language since I arrived here on the 1st of August 2017. My German level is B2 now. I live with my girlfriend and she has a regular job and earns 20000+€ a year. (Just to let you all know the income status) prior to coming to Germany we lived together & worked in the Maldives (my home) for 2yrs. We plan to get married on May 2018 in Denmark.
The question is can I change my Language visa to a residence permit? (I have read conflicting information on this and so far there is no assuring answer in any forum)
And how long will this process take? Considering that my existing visa will expire by mid September 2018.  Am i able to change the language visa to resident permit before it expires? (I would have roughly 3 months in between)
Do I need to exit Germany and reapply in my home or will be able to change the Language visa without requiring to exit?

If you do not have a genuine answer, please do not reply with sarcasm or bullying. Thanks in advance for helping.

In order to answer, if you need any further information for clarification please let me know. I tried to give all the information.

Shezleen

SimCityAT

Shezleen wrote:

Hello All

I am new to the forum and I have searched lots of forums to get an answer to my question.
I am currently in Berlin and learning the German Language since I arrived here on the 1st of August 2017. My German level is B2 now. I live with my girlfriend and she has a regular job and earns 20000+€ a year. (Just to let you all know the income status) prior to coming to Germany, we lived together & worked in the Maldives (my home) for 2yrs. We plan to get married in May 2018 in Denmark.
The question is can I change my Language visa to a residence permit? (I have read conflicting information on this and so far there is no assuring answer in any forum)
And how long will this process take? Considering that my existing visa will expire by mid-September 2018.  Am I able to change the language visa to resident permit before it expires? (I would have roughly 3 months in between)
Do I need to exit Germany and reapply in my home or will be able to change the Language visa without requiring to exit?

If you do not have a genuine answer, please do not reply with sarcasm or bullying. Thanks in advance for helping.

In order to answer, if you need any further information for clarification please let me know. I tried to give all the information.

Shezleen


First of all Shezleen, I can I welcome to the Forum :)

I can reassure that we do not tolerate any form of bullying on this platform, we might have a bit of sarcastic humour but its all in good taste.

Secondly, thank you for being so informative in your question(s) it is a joy to read when someone is so clear in their statement, sometimes it's like getting blood out of a stone.

I can gratulate you on being on the right path in the sense of learning German and B2 is a great level to be at. I am no expert with the visa process in question but I am sure our resident German Expert does.

I do know that you can not have 2 visas running at the same time or applying for a new one when one is running. Just to clarify some things, is your girlfriend German, will you plan to settle down in Germany after all studies are finished and you are married?

Anyway congratulations on for the forthcoming wedding  :top:

SimCityAT
Expat.com Expert Team

beppi

Once you marry your girlfriend, you can apply for a family reunion visa to join her in Germany. With €20k/yr, she fulfills the financial requirement and I assume she can also provide accommodation and health insurance for you. You also speak basic German, which is another requirement.
In most cases, this family reunion visa needs to be applied for at a German embassy abroad, but since you are already resident for some time, your local Ausländerbehörde can make exemptions. Go and ask them about it! They will also tell you about the needed paperwork (e.g. regarding your marriage in Denmark, which is a good choice to marry as a foreigner).

NTravels

Hello,

I am in a similar situation. Did you succeed? What was the procedure?

Regards

TominStuttgart

NTravels wrote:

Hello,

I am in a similar situation. Did you succeed? What was the procedure?

Regards


This thread is from 2018 and the OP has not posted since then. If you have a specific question then best to start a new thread.

GuestPoster122

Hello! I am in a similar situation.  I am currently in Germany under a Language Course Visa. Me and my German boyfriend have been together for 6 months now. This may sound so cheesy but we are so in love and we don't want to leave each other so soon but my visa is expiring in 2 months. Is it possible to get a residence permit or have my stay extended with the intention of marrying in Denmark? I'd be really grateful if someone can help.

beppi

@novania You cannot get a visa for Germany if you intend to marry in Denmark - you either get one for marrying here, or possibly (ask in the Denmark forum) one for Denmark if you marry there.

After marrying (anywhere), you can apply for a Family Reunion Visa to join your husband in Germany (usually at your country's German embassy). That, too, takes a long tíme of processing (in our case, many years ago, it took three months). So some separation is probably unavoidable, unless he can follow you to your country.

Alternatively, you could of course extend your language course and the visa for it.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Germany

  • Work visas for Germany
    Work visas for Germany

    Germany is one of Europe's best countries to develop your career and gain international work experience. Many ...

  • The Working Holiday Visa for Germany
    The Working Holiday Visa for Germany

    If you have always dreamt of visiting Germany while taking your time and also getting a little job to help you pay ...

  • Student Visa
    Student Visa

    I am an American and will be studying towards my Masters Degree in History at the Freie Universität Berlin ...

  • Summer jobs in Germany
    Summer jobs in Germany

    The summer season in Germany begins in June and lasts until the end of August. These three months of the year ...

  • Elderly care in Germany
    Elderly care in Germany

    Germany may not have the sunshine and beaches of the Mediterranean or Southeast Asia, but it is among Europe's ...

  • Popular neighbourhoods in Frankfurt
    Popular neighbourhoods in Frankfurt

    Frankfurt is an international city and an important financial center in Europe, and each neighborhood has a story ...

  • Buying property in Frankfurt
    Buying property in Frankfurt

    Frankfurt has a very lively real estate market, and buying a house there is, without a doubt, a worthy long-term ...

  • Connecting to the internet in Germany
    Connecting to the internet in Germany

    Staying connected in Germany is easy thanks to its advanced telecommunications network and the widely available ...

All of Germany's guide articles