German spouse visa for Bangladeshi nationals
What this visa is
If you are a Bangladeshi national married to a German citizen, you can join them in Germany under the family reunification route in section 28 of the Residence Act. You need a national visa before you travel, and your Bangladeshi documents may go through a verification step before the Embassy relies on them. Once your residence permit is granted, you can live and work in Germany without restriction. Fees and procedures in this guide are as at September 2026.
If your spouse lives in Germany but is not a German citizen, a different section of the law applies. That route is covered in its own section further down.
Who can apply
You can apply if you are legally married to a German citizen. Both of you must be at least 18. You must be permanently resident in Bangladesh, since the German Embassy in Dhaka only accepts applications from people living in its area.
Who can sponsor
Your spouse must be a German citizen. Section 28(1) of the Residence Act waives the secure livelihood test that applies to most other family reunification routes, so your spouse does not normally have to show a minimum income to sponsor you. Your spouse does need to show adequate housing for both of you in Germany.
You need a visa before you travel
Bangladesh is not on the list of nationalities that can enter Germany without a visa and apply for the residence permit after arrival. You must apply for the D visa at the German Embassy in Dhaka before you travel.
Family reunion applications are now filed through the Federal Foreign Office’s Consular Services Portal. The Embassy’s old waiting list has closed. The Embassy states that everyone registered on that list will be processed before new portal applications.
Your application goes to the Ausländerbehörde for your intended German address for approval. The Embassy can only issue the visa once that authority has agreed.
Bangladeshi documents and verification
The German Embassy does not legalise Bangladeshi public documents. The Federal Foreign Office lists Bangladesh among the countries where legalisation is suspended.
Instead, the Embassy may ask for your documents to be verified during your application. As at July 2026, the Embassy lists a verification fee of 35,000 taka and a processing time of 10 to 12 weeks. This is charged on top of any visa fee.
Marriage documents by type of marriage
The Embassy asks for different marriage documents depending on how you married. Bring the originals and one set of copies.
For a Muslim marriage, you need the Nikah Nama (Kabin Nama) in Bangla and English. For a Hindu marriage, you need the marriage certificate and the temple certificate. For a Christian marriage, you need the certificate from the priest or church and the marriage certificate. For a Buddhist marriage, you need the certificate from the monk and an affidavit.
For a marriage under the Special Marriage Act, you need the Registrar’s certificate, the declaration under section 10, the notice of marriage and an affidavit. If either of you was married before, bring the documents showing how that marriage ended.
The German language requirement
As the spouse of a German national, you must submit an A1 German certificate with your application. The Embassy in Dhaka states that it accepts certificates from the Goethe-Institut in Bangladesh. Certificates from other schools are considered only if the school is ALTE certified and the exam was taken in person, not online.
Some exemptions apply regardless of nationality. You do not need the certificate if your German is obvious at the appointment. Nor do you need it if an illness or disability means you cannot learn German. The same applies if particular circumstances make it impossible or unreasonable for you to learn German before you travel. You need evidence for any exemption you claim.
Documents you need
Confirm the current checklist in the Embassy’s latest information sheet before your appointment. In general you need the completed application, your valid passport, biometric passport photos and the marriage documents for your type of marriage. You also need your spouse’s German passport or ID card and evidence of their address in Germany. Add your A1 certificate or evidence of an exemption, and documents for any previous marriage.
How to apply
Create an account on the Consular Services Portal, complete the family reunion application and upload the documents it asks for. You are then given an appointment at the Embassy in Dhaka.
The Embassy states that expedited appointments are not possible. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, your appointment has to be rescheduled. A decision on verification is usually made at the interview, but the Embassy can also ask for it later in the process.
Costs and processing times
The national visa fee is fixed in euros and paid in taka at the Embassy’s exchange rate. The Embassy states that the full fee is paid when you apply and is not refunded if the visa is refused. German missions in several other countries, including Pakistan, Nigeria and Ghana, waive the fee for spouses of German citizens, so ask the Embassy whether the waiver applies to you. The verification fee of 35,000 taka is separate.
The Embassy’s July 2026 information sheet gives a minimum processing time of about eight months, because your file must go to the Ausländerbehörde in Germany for approval. Verification can add a further 10 to 12 weeks. Once you are in Germany, the Ausländerbehörde charges a separate fee to issue the residence permit.
After you arrive
Register your address at the local residents’ registration office within the deadline your city sets. Then apply for your residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde before your visa expires. Once the permit is issued, you can work in Germany without a separate work permit.
Settlement permit after three years
Section 28(2) of the Residence Act entitles you to a settlement permit, an unlimited residence title, once you have held the residence permit for three years. Your family life with your German spouse must continue in Germany, there must be no ground for your expulsion, and you need German at B1 level.
If your spouse is not a German citizen
If your spouse lives in Germany but is not a German citizen, for example a Bangladeshi national with a German residence permit, you apply under section 30 of the Residence Act. The portal, the documents and the verification rules are the same, but four rules differ.
Your spouse must hold a residence permit, settlement permit or EU Blue Card. They must show enough income to support you both without public benefits, plus health insurance. The income waiver for spouses of German citizens does not apply.
The A1 requirement still applies, but more exemptions are available. You do not need to prove German if your spouse holds an EU Blue Card, is a recognised refugee, or holds certain residence titles as a skilled worker, researcher or self employed person.
The visa fee applies.
The three year settlement route above does not apply. Permanent residence follows the general rules, which normally need five years.
FAQs
Can I get an earlier appointment because our wedding date is fixed?
No. The Embassy states that expedited appointments are not possible and that it cannot make exceptions for weddings.
Is an A1 certificate from an online exam accepted?
No. Certificates from schools other than the Goethe-Institut are considered only if the school is ALTE certified and the exam was taken in person.
I was on the old waiting list. Do I need to register again on the portal?
The Embassy states that registrations from the old waiting list will be processed before new portal applications. Check the Embassy’s current guidance on whether you need to take any further step.
We plan to marry in Germany. What do I need?
A certificate from the German registry office confirming that you may marry and giving the scheduled wedding date. You then apply for a visa to marry in Germany, which is a separate category.
Is the visa fee refunded if I am refused?
No. The Embassy states that the fee is paid in full when you apply and is not refunded if the application is rejected.
Official sources
German Embassy Dhaka, Information for visa applicants for family reunion: dhaka.diplo.de/bd-en/service/2669546-2669546
German Embassy Dhaka, Information sheet for family reunion, July 2026
German Embassy Dhaka, FAQ on family reunion: dhaka.diplo.de/bd-en/service/2689526-2689526
Federal Foreign Office, Foreign public documents for use in Germany
Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz), sections 27 to 31, gesetze-im-internet.de