I got my NE couple a weeks ago. My wife and kids have aufenthaltserlaubnis till October 2006. Could somebody advise what would be the procedure for wife & kids aufenthaltserlaubnis?Will they be given NE directly? Or their aufenthaltserlaubnis will be just extended for year or two (how long actually in case I have NE and unlimited working contract)?
Do they have to pass some German knowledge tests (my wife speaks no German)?
Thanks a lot!

If your wife is living in Germany for 5 years then she could also get NE. Beamter will test her German skills also. If beamter is satisfied with all the requirements then it's ok otherwise it is up to the beamter to decide how long he will extend your wife's visa. Kids will never get NE until they reach a certain age(may be 16 years).

FYI
Once you get NE there is no need to worry of extending visa for your family members except few trips to the foreign office backn'forth.

Thanks Babloo.
In my case it took about 2 months to get NE (I had to undertake language check in the separate institution). Do you think they will stemp NE
directly into my wifes passport or she'll have to do simmilar procedure? (But since she speaks almost no German she will probably get something else than NE !?)
Do they prolong Aufenthaltserlaubnis for kids directly till 16th year of age or you have to visit them each year? What if passport expires in 4 or 6 months?
I'm little bit annoyed with all the formalities (allthough I understand it has to be that way..).

I think your wife will get visa extention until that she completes 5 years in Germany and then she has to apply for NE. She should be able to pass German language verbal test. Otherwise she would get a kind of 1 year or less extention after 5 years of stay and recommendation for the integration course. Again this depends upon the deciding authority.

I hv a similar case like you, but my wife got visa extension for 2 years when I got NE, my kids got VISA until their 16 years of the age.

There is law that states that to keep NE valid, one has to be in DE for atleast once in six months. Ex: if some one left country and comes after 6 months, NE / Aufenthls will be invalid (Correct me if I am wrong).


Thanks & Regards
BS