Visa & Papers

Moving to Germany as a Couple: Visa and Money Tips

By the GoGermany Editorial Team · 2026-08-01

Everything couples need to know about moving to Germany together: visa paths, financial requirements, work rights, and real cost figures for 2025.

Moving to Germany as a Couple: What Nobody Tells You First

Moving to Germany as a couple sounds romantic until you realise that German immigration law treats you as two separate applicants who happen to share an address. The good news is that the system has clear, well-trodden paths for couples — married or not — and with the right preparation you can arrive together, work legally, and build a stable life in Germany. This guide cuts through the bureaucracy with real visa names, real euro figures, and the exact steps you need to follow so neither of you ends up stranded.

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Understanding the Two-Visa Structure When Moving to Germany as a Couple

German immigration law works on a lead-visa / dependent-visa model. One partner holds the primary residence permit tied to their purpose — employment, Ausbildung, study, or self-employment — and the other partner receives a derivative Familiennachzug (family reunification) visa. Occasionally both partners qualify for independent visas (for example, two skilled workers with separate job offers), in which case each applies individually.

Married Couples

If you are legally married, the non-working spouse applies for a Ehegattennachzug (spousal reunification visa). The visa fee is €75 at the German embassy and the residence permit costs a further €100–110 once you are in Germany.

Unmarried Couples (Registered or Long-Term Partners)

Germany does not automatically recognise cohabiting partnerships the way some Nordic countries do. Your options:

• Register a Lebenspartnerschaft (civil union) before you apply — this grants equivalent rights to marriage for immigration purposes.
• Apply for a Visum zu familiären Zwecken (visa for family reasons) if you can document a committed relationship of at least two years with evidence such as shared leases, joint bank statements, or photos — but approval is discretionary.
• If one partner holds an EU Blue Card, the rules are more flexible; a registered partnership suffices.

Not sure which path fits your exact situation? Use the free Eligibility Checker to map out both partners' options side by side before you book any embassy appointments.

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Language Requirements: The A1 Hurdle

For most spousal reunification visas, the accompanying partner must prove German language level A1 (basic conversational ability) before the visa is issued. This is tested via a Goethe-Institut or telc certificate and costs roughly €150–200 per exam attempt.

Exceptions — you may be exempt if:

• The sponsor holds an EU Blue Card.
• The sponsor is a highly qualified researcher.
• The accompanying partner has an academic degree from a German-language institution.
• Circumstances make language learning unreasonably difficult (proven by a doctor's note).

Practical tip: book your Goethe-Institut A1 course early — popular centres in cities like Berlin, Munich, or Hamburg can have waiting lists of 6–8 weeks.

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Financial Requirements: What You Need to Prove for Two

This is where most couples under-budget. Germany requires the sponsoring partner to show they can support both people without recourse to public funds.

For the Skilled Worker / Blue Card Holder Bringing a Spouse

• Blue Card 2025 salary threshold: general — €45,552 gross/year; shortage occupations (IT, engineering, medicine) — €41,042 gross/year.
• The Ausländerbehörde will typically expect that net income after tax covers the Existenzminimum for two people: roughly €1,200–1,400/month net in lower-cost cities, €1,800–2,200/month net in Munich or Frankfurt.
• Use the Brutto-Netto Calculator to confirm your take-home pay covers these thresholds before you apply.

For Students Bringing a Spouse

Student visas require a Sperrkonto. If you are a student and your spouse is joining you, you must each hold your own blocked account:

• Student: €11,208/year (€934/month)
• Accompanying spouse (non-studying): funds sufficient to cover living costs, typically a separate Sperrkonto of the same amount or a sponsor declaration (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a German resident.

Ongoing Monthly Budget for Two (2025 estimates)

Get a city-by-city breakdown tailored to two adults with the Living Cost Calculator — you can enter both partners' profiles and compare cities at once.

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Work Rights for the Accompanying Partner

This is one of the most misunderstood areas of couple immigration.

If the Lead Visa is an EU Blue Card

• The accompanying spouse receives unrestricted work authorisation from day one. No extra permit needed.

If the Lead Visa is a Standard Skilled Worker Permit

• The spouse's residence permit typically includes a note "Erwerbstätigkeit gestattet" (employment permitted). This means they can work without restrictions. Always check the exact wording on the Aufenthaltstitel.

If the Lead Visa is a Student Visa

• The accompanying spouse's work rights are limited: usually 120 full days or 240 half days per year, matching the student's own work allowance.

If the Lead Visa is an Ausbildung Permit

• The accompanying spouse generally cannot work freely during the Ausbildung period. A separate work permit is required, which is granted at the Ausländerbehörde's discretion. See the full breakdown of the Ausbildung Visa Germany: Get a Vocational Training Permit.

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Setting Up Your Finances Together in Germany

Joint or Separate Bank Accounts?

German banks allow joint accounts (Gemeinschaftskonto), but many couples prefer two individual accounts plus a shared account for rent and utilities. Popular options for newcomers without Schufa history include N26, Bunq, and Deutsche Bank's expat starter package.

Anmeldung: Register at the Same Address

Within two weeks of moving in, both partners must complete Anmeldung (address registration) at the local Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt. Bring:

• Passports for both
• Rental contract
• Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation form)
• Completed Anmeldeformular (one per person)

Without Anmeldung, neither partner can open a German bank account, activate health insurance, or receive a Steueridentifikationsnummer (tax ID).

Health Insurance for Two

Both partners must hold valid health insurance from their first day of residence. The accompanying partner is often eligible for beitragsfreie Familienversicherung (free family co-insurance) under the lead partner's statutory insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung / GKV) if:

• They earn under €505/month (2025 threshold), or
• They do not work, or
• They work fewer than 20 hours per week.

If the accompanying partner earns above this threshold or works full-time, they need their own policy. Compare public and private options with the Health Insurance Chooser.

Tax Filing as a Couple

Married couples in Germany can apply for Steuerklasse III / V splitting (one partner in class III, one in V) — this increases the net salary of the higher earner significantly. A couple where one earns €60,000 and the other €25,000 gross can save €2,000–4,000/year compared to both being in Steuerklasse I. Apply for the Steuerklassenwechsel at the Finanzamt after your Anmeldung is complete.

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Common Mistakes Couples Make

• Applying simultaneously instead of sequentially. The sponsoring partner's visa must be approved (or at least submitted) before the Familiennachzug application makes sense. Trying to apply at the same time often causes both files to stall.
• Forgetting the A1 certificate until the last minute. Exam spots fill up fast. Book the language test 3–4 months before your planned embassy appointment.
• Assuming joint income counts. For the financial-sufficiency test, only the sponsoring partner's income is assessed. The accompanying partner's future earnings do not count — yet.
• Under-budgeting the relocation. Two people need two international moves' worth of shipping, two sets of deposits, and two health insurance policies from day one.
• Skipping separate Anmeldung. Each person must register individually, even if you share an address and move on the same day.
• Choosing the wrong Steuerklasse immediately. Many couples default to I / I and miss months of tax savings. Visit the Finanzamt or use ELSTER online within the first few weeks to change your classes.
• Not researching visa rejections. If one partner's application hits a problem, know your appeal rights — the Visa Rejection Germany: Remonstrance Letter That Works guide explains exactly what to do.

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Conclusion: Plan Together, Move Together

Moving to Germany as a couple is absolutely achievable, but it requires you to plan both applications in parallel, budget for two people from day one, and understand how the accompanying partner's rights evolve as your residence status improves. Start by confirming which visa category each of you falls into, verify that the sponsoring partner's income meets the two-person threshold, and get the A1 language certificate booked well in advance.

Ready to map out the full picture? Run both your profiles through the Eligibility Checker and let GoGermany's free tools build a personalised month-by-month plan for your move.

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