Family reunion is crucial for many individuals who have moved to Germany for studies or job purposes. Germany offers a Family Reunion Visa (FRV) which allows the spouses and minor children of individuals with a long-term residency permit to join them in Germany. However, the processing time for the FRV can be long and currently because of the Covid backlog the visa processing time is almost 2 year.
The applicant may need to wait for months to get an appointment for the Family Reunion Visa at the German embassy. In such a scenario, it is important to know that there are Family Reunion Visa (FRV) alternatives for Germany that can be used for families to visit their family member.
Visit Visa:
VIST VISA APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE (July & August)
Another alternative to the Family Reunion Visa FRV for Germany is the Visit Visa. This visa type allows the individual to stay in Germany for a short period, with a maximum of 90 days. This visa type is suitable for individuals who are visiting their spouse or family members who are residing in Germany for a short duration. The Tourist visa cannot be extended and have to be re-applied for again from the home country. However, it is important to note that the chances of rejection for the visit visa are high, and the applicant should be prepared with the proper documentation to increase their chances of approval.
In case you plan to visit Germany, you can find travel-related information at affordable prices on our Travel Page.
The visit visa is a short-term visa, and the holder is not allowed to engage in any form of employment or study during their short stay in Germany. The applicant will have to provide evidence of their purpose of visit, along with proof of financial support. You can find more important details regarding the visa process, required documents, and other Visa related critical details on our Visa Page.
Study Visa:
One of the alternatives to the FRV is the Study Visa. This visa type is suitable for individuals who have a keen interest in furthering their education in Germany and can be either for a bachelor, master or for PhD degree in Germany.
This visa type allows the individual to stay in Germany for a longer period and the most important thing is that it takes less time to process, which in turn gives their spouse and children the opportunity to join them in the country.
The study visa is a long-term visa, and the holder is permitted to stay in Germany for the entire duration of their study program and can be changed to a Job Visa after successful completion of the desired degree program. You can find the process of how to find different courses to apply for a Student Visa. You can find Free MBA Courses in Germany and also other Free Management Courses where you can apply for a study visa.
This type of visa is ideal for those who want to pursue a degree in Germany or complete a language course. The applicant will have to provide evidence of their enrolment in a German educational institution, along with proof of financial support.
You can find more important details regarding study Visas, study visa types, requirements, and other important visa-related details on our page of Study Visa.
All the alternatives to the Family Reunion Visa (FRV) will help you to go to Germany and meet your family member even without a Family Reunion Visa or even during the Family Reunion Visa is being processed.
Job Seeker Visa:
The Job Seeker Visa is another alternative to the Family Reunion Visa for Germany. This visa type is suitable for individuals who are looking for employment opportunities in Germany. This visa type allows the individual to stay in Germany for an initial period of six months, during which time they can search for a suitable job. Once the individual secures a job, they can then apply for a work visa.
The Job Seeker Visa is a long-term visa, and the holder is permitted to stay in Germany for the entire duration of their job search. The applicant will have to provide evidence of their job search efforts, along with proof of financial support. You can find more details about the visa process, required documents, and financial requirements on our Visa Page. It is important to note that the waiting time for the Job Seeker Visa appointment at the German embassy is the same as for the FRV.
Ticket Reservation for all the Visas:
The different Family reunion Visa alternatives are explained and you can find more specific details on our Visa Pages. It is important to know that you will require a ticket reservation for all the visas which can be expensive for applicants.
On our Ticket reservation page, you can find solutions and can reserve a ticket for the Visa process on our page “Get Flight Reservations for Visa Appointments at Embassies in Pakistan for 1000 PKR”.
In conclusion: The Family Reunion Visa (FRV) alternatives include the Study Visa, the Visit Visa, and the Job Seeker Visa. Each of these visa types has its own eligibility criteria and requirements, and the applicant should carefully evaluate their situation to determine which visa type is best suited for them.