German spouse visa for Filipino nationals
What this visa is
If you are a Filipino 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 Philippine civil documents must be legalised by the German Embassy in Manila. 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. If either of you was married before, the earlier marriage must have been legally ended. Philippine law does not provide for divorce between two Filipino citizens, except under Muslim personal law. For most applicants this means an annulment or a declaration of nullity, annotated on the earlier marriage certificate.
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
The Philippines 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 Manila before you travel.
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.
Legalising Philippine documents
The Philippines joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2019, but Germany objected to its accession. The German Embassy states that Philippine documents with an apostille but without German legalisation have no effect in German law.
Legalisation works in two steps. First, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issues an Authentication Certificate for the document. The Embassy then legalises it. You need the physical Authentication Certificate, because electronic versions cannot be legalised.
Since 15 October 2025, legalisation requests are taken in through VFS Global. The Embassy charges 36 euros per document, as at September 2026. Complete applications for PSA certificates can usually be processed within one week. Other public documents can take several weeks, because the Embassy may need to verify them.
Marriage documents
If you married in the Philippines, the Embassy asks for a legalised PSA Advisory on Marriages (CRS Form No. 5), issued within the six months before your visa appointment.
If you married outside the Philippines, the Embassy asks for a legalised PSA Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR, CRS Form No. 4) or a marriage certificate registered in the Philippines.
If you had an earlier marriage that was annulled, you need the legalised certificate of that earlier marriage carrying the annotation of the annulment.
The German language requirement
As the spouse of a German national, you must show basic German at A1 level when you apply. The Embassy in Manila accepts A1 certificates from ALTE certified providers: the Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, telc, TestDaF and ECL. The certificate must be no older than one year.
Exemptions exist 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 with the Embassy before your appointment. In general you need the completed application form, your valid passport, biometric passport photos and the legalised PSA marriage documents described above. 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 legalised annotated certificates for any earlier marriage.
The Embassy states that incomplete applications are decided on the documents submitted and may be refused.
How to apply
Register for an appointment through the Embassy’s online appointment system and apply in person at the Embassy in Manila. Leave time before the appointment to legalise your PSA documents, and make sure the CRS Form No. 5 is less than six months old on the day you attend.
Costs and processing times
The national visa fee is 75 euros, payable in pesos. The Embassy states that the fee is waived if your spouse is a German or EU national. Legalisation costs 36 euros per document on top.
Processing time depends on the Embassy and the Ausländerbehörde in Germany. Once you are in Germany, the Ausländerbehörde charges a separate fee to issue the residence permit. All figures are as at September 2026, so confirm them with the Embassy before applying.
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 Filipino national working in Germany, you apply under section 30 of the Residence Act. The Embassy, the legalisation rules and the PSA documents 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. If your spouse works in Germany as a nurse or care worker, check which residence title they hold before you book a language course.
The visa fee of 75 euros applies unless your spouse is an EU national.
The three year settlement route above does not apply. Permanent residence follows the general rules, which normally need five years.
FAQs
I already have a DFA apostille on my PSA certificate. Is that enough?
No. Germany objected to the Philippines joining the Apostille Convention, so the document still needs legalisation by the German Embassy.
How recent must my PSA Advisory on Marriages be?
Issued within the six months before your visa appointment.
My foreign spouse divorced me abroad. Do I need an annulment?
Philippine law can recognise a divorce obtained abroad where one spouse is a foreign national, but only once a Philippine court has recognised it and the PSA record is annotated. Bring the annotated, legalised certificate. If your earlier spouse was also Filipino, you need an annulment or declaration of nullity.
Can I take the A1 exam with telc instead of the Goethe-Institut?
Yes. The Embassy in Manila accepts A1 certificates from any ALTE certified provider, including telc and ÖSD.
Can I legalise documents at the Embassy directly?
No. Since 15 October 2025, legalisation requests go through VFS Global.
Official sources
German Embassy Manila, Long stay national visa applications: manila.diplo.de/ph-en/service/visa/2439020-2439020
German Embassy Manila, Recognition of Philippine public documents: manila.diplo.de/ph-en/service/2673916-2673916
German Embassy Manila, Family matters: manila.diplo.de/ph-en/service/familymatters-1691254
Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz), sections 27 to 31, gesetze-im-internet.de