Family Reunification in Germany: Document Translation for Your Family
Last updated: 2 October 2026
Your spouse and children have joined you in Germany, or they arrive soon. After arrival, your family needs residence permits from the Ausländerbehörde (immigration office). This is the second step of family reunification (Familiennachzug), and it often needs your family documents in German: a marriage contract from a Sharia court, a Nikah-Khat, a Turkish Evlenme Cüzdanı, a Ukrainian or Russian marriage certificate or an Indian marriage certificate. We deliver a sworn translation (beglaubigte Übersetzung), made by our partner translators sworn by German courts.
- Marriage document and every child's birth certificate as one matching family set
- Marriage contracts translated in full, with witnesses, stamps and notes
- Maiden names kept as maiden names, with the later married name in a translator's note
- Names kept exactly as on your document, with your passport spelling in a translator's note
- PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days)
Fixed price from €39 · You see the price before you pay
Family reunification in Germany: do your documents need translation?
Often yes: many Ausländerbehörden want a sworn German translation of your marriage and birth documents for the residence permit. Berlin, for example, asks for an authenticated translation of all foreign documents. Other offices have their own lists. At the visa stage, the German embassy or consulate abroad sets its own rules, so check its information sheet.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who translates | Our partner translators sworn by German courts (beeidigt / ermächtigt) |
| German name of the procedure | Familiennachzug (family reunification); residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde |
| Price | From €39 per document in English, from €49 in other languages; family set from €99 |
| Delivery | PDF in 3 working days, signed original posted to your German address (usually 1–3 working days) |
| What to upload | A clear scan or photo of each certificate or contract, front and back |
| Where to verify the translator | The official register at justiz-dolmetscher.de |
Is this page for you?
- Your spouse arrived on a family reunion visa and has an appointment at the Ausländerbehörde.
- Your children joined you and the office asked for their birth certificates in German.
- One parent stays abroad and you need the custody decision or consent translated.
- Your marriage document is a contract from a Sharia or personal status court, a Nikah-Khat or a certificate in Turkish, Ukrainian, Russian or an Indian language.
Familiennachzug Übersetzung: documents checklist
Your Ausländerbehörde decides the final list. Many offices ask for:
| Document | When you need it | Translation needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage certificate or marriage contract | Your spouse's residence permit | Often yes |
| Children's birth certificates | Each child's residence permit | Often yes |
| Divorce judgment or custody decision | Earlier marriage, or one parent has sole custody | Yes, if the office asks |
| Consent of the other parent | One parent stays abroad | Yes, if not in German |
| Name change document or affidavit | Names differ between documents | Yes, if the office asks |
More details: marriage certificate translation, your children's birth certificates, divorce judgment translation and name change affidavit.
Documents you don't need to translate: passports, your German residence permit, employment contract, payslips, lease, German health insurance proof and German language certificates.
Marriage documents by country
The marriage document is the heart of every family reunification file. Some countries issue registry certificates, others court contracts with witnesses and many stamps. We translate the full document, whatever its form.
| Country | Typical document (local name) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Evlenme Cüzdanı (marriage booklet), Formül B | Formül B needs neither a translation nor an apostille, according to the German Embassy in Turkey. Other documents need an apostille and a sworn translation. |
| Syria | عقد زواج (marriage contract) from a Sharia court, بيان عائلي | Beirut legalises certain extracts from the electronic database; otherwise your office decides case by case. |
| Iraq | عقد زواج from the personal status court | Legalisation is suspended. Your office decides at its discretion. Kurdistan Region documents may be bilingual. |
| Afghanistan | Nikah-Khat (marriage certificate), Tazkira | No legalisation possible. Your office decides whether it accepts the document. |
| Ukraine | Свідоцтво про шлюб | Apostille from the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice. |
| Russia | Свидетельство о браке | Apostille from the ZAGS or justice authorities. |
| India | Marriage certificate (Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act) | An Indian apostille is not valid; your office may ask the German mission in India for a verification. |
Our guide to apostille, legalisation and verification explains each route. Where an apostille is needed, get it first; we then translate it together with the document.
How names are handled for your family
Names often change after marriage, and many family documents use Arabic, Cyrillic, Persian or Devanagari script. A sworn translator copies each name exactly as on the document and transliterates it. Differences from the passport go in a translator's note.
| On your document | In your passport | In our translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ayşe Yılmaz (Evlenme Cüzdanı, maiden name) | AYSE KAYA | Ayşe Yılmaz (translator's note: passport name AYSE KAYA) |
| فاطمة حسن (Syrian marriage contract) | FATIMA HASAN | Fatima Hasan (translator's note: passport spelling FATIMA HASAN) |
| राजेन्द्र सिंह (Hindi birth certificate) | RAJENDER SINGH | Rajendra Singh (translator's note: passport spelling RAJENDER SINGH) |
Language rules for your spouse
- Spouse of a skilled worker or Blue Card holder: no proof of German is needed before entry.
- Spouse of a German citizen: basic German (A1) is needed.
- Spouses of most other residence-permit holders: basic German (A1) is needed, with exceptions.
Children aged 16 or 17 may face special rules, and other rules can apply depending on your own residence status. Parents may join only in limited cases, for example if your skilled worker permit was first issued on or after 1 March 2024; they must then cover their own living costs and insurance. Ask the embassy or your office about your case. We only translate.
Why family translations get delayed
- 1Your spouse's name differs between documents. We keep each name as on the document and explain differences in a note.
- 2A stamp, apostille or back side is missing. We translate every stamp, seal and note, including witnesses on a marriage contract.
- 3The translation was done abroad. A notary or translator in your home country is often not enough in Germany. You can check our partner translators at justiz-dolmetscher.de.
- 4One child's certificate is missing. We translate all certificates together, so your family file is complete.
How it works
- 1Upload all family documents. Usually a clear scan or photo is enough. Some offices want the translator to see the original, so check your letter.
- 2Get a fixed price for the whole set before you pay.
- 3Receive your PDFs in 3 working days to check names and dates.
- 4Get the signed originals by post to your German address, usually in 1–3 working days.
More details: how our process works.
Price
| Package | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single document | One certificate, sworn German translation, PDF + signed original by post | from €39 in English · from €49 in other languages |
| Family set | Marriage document + children's birth certificates, PDFs + signed originals | from €99 (couple set) · + €35 per child's birth certificate · + €10 per document not in English |
| Express | PDF in 1 working day | + €15 |
All prices shown are starting prices incl. VAT and postage within Germany. Your exact fixed price comes in a written quote after upload, before you pay.
If your office asks for a change to our translation, we correct it free of charge.
Your files are transferred encrypted and deleted after 30 days (GDPR).
You can also see all prices.
What language are your documents in?
We translate from Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish (Kurmanji/Sorani), Dari, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Ukrainian, Russian, English, Hindi and other Indian languages into German. A sworn translation is valid throughout Germany. The office makes the final decision.
Your family is here: next steps
Once your children live with you, see Kindergeld and family benefits documents. Does your spouse want to work? See degree recognition for work in Germany. Does your spouse need to convert a foreign driving licence? Not married yet? Read about getting married in Germany instead.
Frequently asked questions about family reunification translation
Which documents does the Ausländerbehörde need after family reunion?
Usually passports, your marriage document, the children's birth certificates and proof of income, housing and insurance. Each office has its own list, so check yours.
Does my spouse need German A1 to join me on a Blue Card?
No proof of German is needed before entry for the spouse of a skilled worker or Blue Card holder. Spouses of German citizens and of most other permit holders need A1, with exceptions.
Do you translate a marriage contract from a Sharia court?
Yes. We translate Syrian and Iraqi marriage contracts from Sharia and personal status courts in full, including witnesses, stamps and notes. Your office decides whether it needs further proof.
Do I need to translate a Turkish Formül B?
According to the German Embassy in Turkey, Formül B needs neither a translation nor an apostille. A Turkish Evlenme Cüzdanı or other documents need an apostille and a sworn translation.
Is an Afghan Nikah-Khat accepted?
Legalisation is not possible because the German Embassy in Kabul is closed. Your office decides at its discretion whether it accepts the Nikah-Khat. We translate it in full from Dari or Pashto.
Will the Ausländerbehörde accept your translation?
A sworn translation is valid throughout Germany. The office makes the final decision. We cannot guarantee a decision.
Can you help with the residence permit application?
No. We only translate documents. For questions about your application, contact your Ausländerbehörde.
Get your family's documents ready
Upload all certificates at once and get one fixed price before you pay. You can also get your quote online.
Questions? Email us: info@germantranslators.de