Hi,

I am a Pakistani living in UK on resident visa. I have got a job offer from Germany and will be moving there on blue card. I want to apply family reunion visa for my wife and children.

I have my documents prepared but I had a question regarding the marriage certificate required for wife's visa. We got married in Pakistan and our marriage certificate is in both English and Urdu.

From the uk.diplo.de I got following,

"if you got married in a country other than Germany or the UK, an official German or English translation together with an official legalisation/authentication of the marriage certificate is required".

Please answer the following questios about this,

1. What is meant by official translation?
2. Do I have to get the translation legalised or the original?
3. Can I get the original legalised from UK?
4. For legalisation of a document I have to do following,
   a. Get it attested by foreign office of Pakistan?
   b. Get it legalised by Pakistan embassy in UK?
   c. Get it legalised by German embassy in UK?

Thanks,
Sami

Hi,
the marriage certificate should be legalized either from pakistan or from German embassy.

option 1: If you legalize from your country, you also need to translate the document from a legal translator to german language. German embassy might still put the certificate under verification. There is a possibility that the application process might be simpler as you are in europe. Means you can get it legalized from pakistan and submit it UK german embassy.

Option 2: Many are doing like this. check german embassy website and if there is a possibility that they will verifiy marriage certificate from their side. So you do not have to worry about any translations but need to pay the fee, submit your marriage certificate and get it legalized from german embassy.

once it gets legalized (option 2), then you can apply for spouse visa and it is straightforward.

in option 1, there are chances that they will send marriage certificate for verification, so you will have to wait.
in option 2, you have to start the marriage certificate verification from german embassy, so you will have to wait.

at the end, as waiting time is there in both options, i think better to go with option 2 if it is available in your case or else go with option 1.
good luck

Hi,

Thanks for the prompt response.

I was thinking of going for option 1 but I am afraid that German Embassy my put this to verification and this might take too much time. And I have to join the my new company in Germany. And after me joining the German company, the resident visa of my dependents will be only valid for 3 months.

Regarding option 2, I found legalisation service on the german embassy website (https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/legalisation/certifications). But this seems to be for the legalisation of documents produced in Germany. Can you please have a look at it and see if it is a route I can take? Thanks

Also I had a chat with one of the translators and Apostille service provider in UK and he told me following, "it is usual to legalise documents in the country of origin but can be legalised here if certified on a separate cover sheet by a solicitor or Notary.". Will this be accepted by the German Embassy?

Thanks

Hi,
if it is quick to legalize your marriage document in pakistan, you can send the document by speed post and get it legalized in a normal way and ask your relatives to send it to UK and then submit the application. As you are in europe already, may be you r lucky that you and your family will get through the process simultaneously and be here. Otherwise, you have to come here and your family will be in UK, till you furnish further necessary documents and verification from their side is complete.

Usually in india, it is possible to legalize marriage certificate via german embassy.

https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/-/1898326

may be this is possible also in pakistan, have a look at german embassy websites there.

i do not know whether legalizing it in UK from a notary is going to be helfpul.

think about your family situation and plan accordingly which option is more suitable for you.

BR
Basbrem

Hi,

Regarding legalisation of document, would it be acceptable if it is legalised by Pakistan embassy in UK or does it have to be legalised by German embassy in UK also?

I am thinking of going for following route,

1. Get the documents stamped by foreign office in Pakistan.
2. Get them legalised by Pakistan Embassy in UK.
3. Submit them in German Embassy in UK.

Another viable option I think of is to send my dependents to Pakistan and let them initiate the process from Pakistan, But would there be an issue of me have to be stayed in Germany for atleast 2 years before I can bring a family?

Thanks

Hi,
i know that our embassies can send the documents for legalization. They will legalize, i donno may be via external affairs or so and give it back to you and you will then submit it to german embassy. if this is what they do then it is same as option 1. i.e either you send it to your relatives and get it done or via pakistani embassy in UK. If they send it to german embassy for verification then it is good, but i do not think it might not be the case.

If you have to move to germany in short span to join your company and you cannot keep long your apartment in UK, as it might cost a lot or for whatever reason, then yes, you can join the company and start the process from pakistan. this way your family will join you from pakistan.

i didnt understand about 2 years point. If i understand well, usually once you are here and registered in the city where you work. You can ask your wife to start the process from pakistan to join you, with all relevant documents.

i hope this helps.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Actually Pakistani embassy in UK provide legalisation service of pakistani origin documents through their own verification (it should be stamped by foreign office of pakistan), Basically that means that, "Pakistani authorities consider this document valid". But would submission of a document require legalisation by the Germany Embassy in UK also? I am sorry but legalisation from whom and where is sort of confusing me.

Also regarding the 2 year question, I read following at this website: https://www.berlin.de/labo/willkommen-in-berlin/einreise/visumsverfahren/artikel.600175.en.php

"The spouse living in Germany must generally have held a valid residence title for two years.".

I have read this at multiple places, but at some places it is mentioned as following,

"If you got married after your spouse was awarded a residence permit, you may be required to wait until your spouse has had the permit for two years before you can apply. Your local German embassy or consulate can inform you what applies in your situation."

So not sure which one is true.

Thanks,
Sami

ah i know now, yes.

it means you should have a visa or blue card that is valid atleast two years. I think once you are here and joined the company, you will immediately get this card for that validity i guess by default. so do not worry about that point.

yes, you can submit the marriage certificate that is stamped by foreign ministry from pakistan, but that is still not considered as genuine as that stamping can be done via your embassy or from your relatives in person by shedding money. 

this is option 1 what i mentioned.

that stamp from foreign ministry is a must when you submit your and your wife application from UK. It is up to german embassy whether they rigorously check your marriage certificate or neglect it as you are in europe, no one can tell what they will do. you can give a try like that. If you do not want to risk anything like that and want to go easy.

come here alone, send your family to pakistan and ask your wife and children to apply from there. 

i cannot say do this or that, it is you who has to decide what is best for your family needs.
if i were you, if i have time and money to keep my family in UK or at relatvies in UK for some more time, then i go with option 1 as it is much more hassle free for family visa from UK than pakistan.

decision is yours, we are here only to provide info that we know, which can also be not 100% right.

basbrem

with option 1, if your marriage certificate is stamped by foreign ministry from pakistan, you and your family can both apply together for the visa, if everything is ok, then you all will get visa, if not, you will get it and your wife will get stuck in UK for some more time and you have to be prepared for it while applying.
good luck

Thanks for the clarification and it makes perfect sense now.

Another question,

Wil I get a temporary visa for Germany from UK? Like 3 months and will apply for blue card when I get there? Or I will get a full 4 year resident visa? I am asking this because if my wife's visa processing gets late and I get the visa, I can maybe ask my new employer to postpone the joining date. But I won't be able to do that if according to visa rules I have to be in Germany asap.

Also I read the details from following link: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/newsroom/konsularisches/urkundenverkehrteilb/231968

It says,

Which means we are at the mercy of German visa processing, whether they will initiate the verification or not. So I guess all I have to do is get the documents stamped by foreign office in Pakistan and submit them in German Embassy in UK.

Hi,

I asked German Embassy in UK about the marriage certificate and Legalisation and they sent me following reply,

"there is no verification of your certificates needed to start with provided you are a Blue Card applicant. This will be assessed on interview.  However, German local authorities may ask for verification at a later date."


Does that mean there won't be any verification issue and delays? So I can apply with my family in UK?

Hi,

yes, surely as said, you can apply with option 1. If you have time, get it legalized from external ministry, pakistan and submit the application. If you do not have time, you can submit it with the documents you have on hand and hope for the best.

you will get temporary visa and you will apply for blue card once you are here and your wife will get visa depending on your blue card, may be during that time, they can ask for your marriage verification, which should not be a problem, it can take as long as it can, as your wife will be with you in germany.


BR
Basbrem

No need of any external ministry attestation. Even if you get it also, If german authorities need to verify, they do separately.

So apply without the approval. But try to translate your certificate in German first. This will do mostly.

Thanks,

The way I look at the reploy from the embassy that everything will be decided in the interview. So I guess there is no risk involved of family getting stuck.

I booked appointments for the visa submission with German Embassy in London. When I was getting the appointment I was able to get it for myself and children on the same day, but due to non availability of anymore appointments I had to get appointment for my wife for the next day.

Would having interview appointments with Embassy in different dates would be a problem? That is when the family is applying for resident visa with the main applicant, they have to apply it at the same time? If she applies on the next day her application will be rejected because the main applicant is not in Germany yet.

Hi Sami,

Is there any update on your end. I am also caught up in similar situation.
I am living in denmark and already applied for family re-unification along my application to german embassy here. They accepted the applications and already issued visa for me. It seems the embassies in europe dont know the exact process for family reunification requirements for pak nationals. Now they are saying family reunifications document will be send to pakistan for legalization and marriage verification the process mtake 4 to 6 months. Earlier they said they may be possible that they might give visa for family and verification can be performed later. Now they back tracked and said unless marriage verification is not performed no visa can be issued. I am completely stuck now as my family can not live in denmark if i move to germany and leave my residence in denmark as you can not hold two residence in europe. so even the case is processed from here they can not get their visa as they will not be here. To stamp their visa from pakistan they need to apply from pakistan.

Let me know status your end.

thanks 
Ahmad

Sorry for late reply but my update is following,

I went to the embassy and submitted the documents as is. After 3-4 days they told me that your visa is ready. I went there and got the visa stamped for myself and also for the family.

I am in Germany now and waiting for the Blue Card appointment. Lets hope everything goes smooth.