Can I bring my parents to Germany through family reunification?

Family reunification in Germany focuses on the core family: spouses, registered partners and unmarried minor children. These are the cases that follow the standard rules.

Reuniting with parents and other relatives beyond the nuclear family is treated as an exception. It is generally allowed only where refusing it would cause exceptional hardship, and the authorities assess each case individually. Because the bar is high and the documentation demanding, anyone hoping to bring a parent should prepare strong evidence of the hardship and seek advice before applying.